Just the Two of Us...

Pairing is probably one of the most important parts of the DBC/Phase 0 experience. More and more, pair programming is becoming the norm at companies that might one day employ us; even paired programming isn't a huge part of our future careers (which seems doubtful) we'll still, more than likely, be working in team environments. The ability to exchange information & ideas effectively is always available tool.

Pairing in our current situation, where we are primarily remote from each other, has its own set of challenges. Because we're both usually engaged more with the work, rather than each other, it's harder to take advantage of things like body language to give us insight into our pair's physical & mental state. However, the benefit of having a partner is immense; you can check each other's work, bounce ideas of each other, and lead each other down paths you might not have considered on your own. Outside of the challenges, it's also nice to connect with people having the same experience as me. My friends & loved ones can't sympathise in the same way with what I'm experiencing in Phase 0, so it's nice to form a bond, even if short, with someone in a similar situation. Overall it's a very positive experience.

Of course, the outcome of any pair experience with DBC is feedback! I have to admit, reading good feedback gives me a great sense of relief. I want to know that I'm being a good partner and contributing, and not relying too hard on my partner. It's also nice to read actionable comments and reflect on behavior or problems I might not have been aware: that I wasn't speaking up enough or a technical issue I didn't know I was having. I think my biggest take away needs to always be verbalizing my thoughts, and not trying to work things out in my head before I say them, so that my pair knows I am still present. I think the hardest part of writing feedback is coming up with something actionable to give them; sometimes it's hard to remember a specific behavior vs. a general feeling about your pairing session. In general, feedback and pairing have both only added to my learning as they've connected me with my peers, given me cause for further introspection, and deepened my learning.