How can you work with a partner who has less experience in pair programming?

2 Define roles and expectations

Before you start pair programming, make sure you and your partner agree on the roles and expectations of each other. For example, you can decide how often you will switch roles, how you will communicate and ask questions, and how you will handle conflicts and disagreements. You can also set some ground rules, such as avoiding distractions, respecting each other's opinions, and giving constructive feedback.

3 Explain your thinking process

One of the benefits of pair programming is that it allows you to share your knowledge and skills with your partner. However, this does not mean that you should simply tell your partner what to do or write the code for them. Instead, you should explain your thinking process, the reasons behind your decisions, and the best practices and conventions you follow. This way, you can help your partner learn and understand the code better, and also invite them to contribute their own ideas and suggestions.

6 Reflect and improve

After each pair programming session, you and your partner should reflect on what you learned, what you accomplished, and what you can improve. You can ask each other for feedback, such as what you liked or disliked about the session, what you found easy or difficult, and what you would do differently next time. You can also discuss any challenges or issues you faced, and how you can overcome them in the future. By reflecting and improving, you can enhance your pair programming skills and your relationship with your partner.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?