Cultivating Collaboration Simulation via Tangrams Or — a starter guide to Pair Programming
Cultivating Collaboration
Simulation via Tangrams
Or — a starter guide to Pair Programming
InstructionsGet with your friend - invite
them to pair with you to solve the problem.
Discuss a plan.
Example: I’ll do the red pieces - you do the yellow
pieces
The Rocket
The Rocket Solution
Debrief that…
• So… what happened? Did you solve the puzzle? Who did what?
• How did it feel? Did your pair make a mistake? How did you work that out?
• What would make the practice easier? What was the most difficult part?
New Constraints
Let’s try a new Tangram puzzle…
But this time do it with no talking - just
actions - maybe some pointing and
gesturing.
The Chicken
The ChickenSolution
Debrief that…
• So… what happened? What was the critical piece?
• What did the constraint of no talking - teach you?
• What’s the value of communication in cultivating collaboration (pair programming)?
Let’s play Test First
Ping Pong Pairing
Write a test - then the other partner writes the
implementation.
Let’s try a new Tangram puzzle…
Do the Test First. e.g. develop the background YELLOW (test harness) before doing any of
the red subject.
Then after all the yellow is done - do the RED (subject matter).
The Fox
The Fox Solution??
Unsolved.
I couldn’t figure this one out.
Did you?
The Fox Solution??
Unsolved.
I couldn’t figure this one out.
Did you?
Do you have a name for that part?
Have you started to see patterns, & micro patterns?
Debrief that…
• So… what happened? Did creating a test first make the implementation easy or harder?
• Does this apply to writing code?
• What lessons could you use tomorrow?
Switch Pairing PartnersThe practice of promiscuous pairing…
Recognizing DefensivenessPlaying “poor me”
Withdrawal into deadly silence
All or nothing thinking
Wanting to be right
Blaming or shaming others
Confusion (sudden drop in IQ)
High charge of energy in the body
Catastrophizing everything
Wanting the last word
Obsessive thinking
Flooding with information to prove a point
The Dog
The Dog Solution
Create a Language of Shapes
Nicked Square
SquareTriangle
Trapozoid
Book-ends
Keystone
Parallelogram
Debrief that…
• Why would we wish to be promiscuous in pairing?
• What’s a good Frequency practice for pair switch?
• What lessons could you use tomorrow?
One more… ?You create a constraint…
Take turns - one piece at a time
Take turns - RED
then YELLOW then …
Broadcast Intent
• State your intent aloud - to give your partner a clue to your actions.
• Announce your conclusions.
• An Example right about now might help.
Example of Intent
• INTENT: I’m making the rocket nose cone.
• CONCLUSION: I don’t know how to make the body with the remaining RED pieces.
Example of Intent• INTENT: It looks like the Red
Triangle need to become the rocket exhaust nozzle
• CONCLUSION: That leaves just these two Parallelograms - How do they become part of the rocket?
Example of Intent
• INTENT: Could the Parallelograms be arranged into the nose cone?
• CONCLUSION: That would make a RED rocket - how do we fill in the background?
The Wrench
The Wrench Solution
Debrief that…
• What did you try? Does naming piece increase communication?
• How do you feel about that experiment?
• Any lessons you would like to share?
References:see handouts
• Tangram (wiki)
• ThinkFun.com game Shape by Shape(tm)
• Ref: Pair Chess Game Focus improving techniques
Let’s take inventory of the 14 pieces