Is Pair Programming Still Viable in a Cost-Cutting Climate?
Pair programming is like going to the gym; few people actually do it, but everyone thinks they'd be better off if they did.
With higher interest rates and higher taxes on software development many companies are focused on cutting costs, and it's reasonable to wonder if pair programming has a place in this environment. One often overlooked benefit of pair programming is its positive effect on business continuity.
If your business is cutting costs, pair programming might seem like an obvious place to start, since pair programming is likely more expensive in the short-term. But if you are cost-sensitive, you are also likely experiencing organizational changes in the form of reorgs and/or layoffs, which can negatively affect continuity.
Pair programming, and especially regular pair rotation, can help lower business continuity risks by increasing your "Lottery Count" (or Bus Factor if you're feeling morbid). During the Great Reshuffle following the pandemic, we watched many teams grind to a halt when key individuals quit. Pair programming is one potential safeguard for these interruptions by ensuring that several people know how to fill each critical role on the team, allowing teams to keep functioning even when personnel changes.
If there are individuals on your teams who are extraordinarily important to the success of their teams (like Brent from the Phoenix Project), consider pair programming and regular pair rotation as a preventative measure.
Lead Developer / Co-Founder at Initial Capacity
1 年A lot of companies are facing issues with knowledge silos these days. Great write up!
CTO at Progyny | Smarter benefits for life’s milestones
1 年??
Principal, AI & Machine Learning at Slalom
1 年Failure to pair is a costly mistake -- yes, there are highly productive individual developers who work with minimal collaboration and only cursory review, but their code quality suffers and any near-term productivity benefit is quickly blown away by unmitigated tech debt. The correct question isn't whether to pair, it's how often. Religiously, like at Pivotal (RIP)? Occasionally, to talk through a problem and align on the solution? "Never" isn't a good choice.
Entrepreneur, Event Producer, Artist, Curator, and Product Manager
1 年Pairing is Caring! And it works. ??
Software Crafter | Problem-Solver | Pragmatist | LinkedIn Advisor
1 年I do it, and recruiters listen up - I'm more likely to accept a job on a team that encourages pair programming.