Benefits of Mob Programming
Higher quality, lower risk, more engaged people. Sound like desirable goals? These are all benefits that arise from working side-by-side with mob programming. This highly engaging way of working is gaining adopters across the world, thanks to its many advantages. Read on to learn more about how mob programming benefits product, productivity, and people.
Product benefits of mob programming
Mob programming presents several benefits for product quality. With multiple sets of eyes working on the same code at the same time, the resulting output has fewer typos and bad implementations. Working together also results in more coherent code and better adherence to standards. Altogether, mob programming reduces technical debt and makes the output easier to understand.
Mob programming also benefits the product through strong stakeholder involvement. With frequent sit-ins from product owners and designers, mob programming ensures high fidelity to user stories and design intent. Similarly, mob programming allows feedback sessions and retrospectives to happen in-place. In short, working side-by-side creates team efficiencies that result in strong alignment.
Productivity benefits of mob programming
Mob programming has key productivity advantages. Several are direct reductions of waste, as per lean thinking. There is less wait time for decisions. There are fewer context changes and restarts. There are no longer separate code reviews. These benefits can be maximized by optimizing your mob programming flow. Even so, the advantages extend beyond flow.
Mob programming also drives productivity in cognitive ways. It allows the team to split the mental load load of maintaining conceptual direction and tending to detail. Mob programming also reduces the amount of time people get stuck. Furthermore, it minimizes the need for in-code documentation. Altogether, mob programming empowers the team to be more than the sum of its parts.
People benefits of mob programming
The benefits of mob programming extend beyond product and productivity. They provide significant organizational value too. Firstly, mob programming enhances knowledge sharing. This mitigates all kinds of risks related to absence, vacation, and departure. Secondly, mob programming accelerates learning. As such, it’s highly effective for onboarding new hires and developing junior teammembers.
Mob programming also greatly benefits employee well-being. For one, it’s a highly effective way to build trust. Working closely together in a highly engaged manner is one of the fastest ways to gain respect and learn from each other. Moreover, mob programming fosters team cohesion. Teams that mob commonly share lunch and socialize outside of work. Altogether, mob programming drives job satisfaction and retention.
Achieving the benefits of mob programming
As described above, the benefits of mob programming range from enhanced product quality to highly-engaged people. While highly desirable, these advantages won’t just magically appear. Instead, to achieve the benefits of mob programming, it’s important both to properly setup your mobbing station, and to optimize your mob programming flow. For more on these topics, browse the resources below.