Pair Programming Illuminated - Softcover

Williams, Laurie; Kessler, Robert

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0201745763 ISBN 13: 9780201745764

Publisher: Addison Wesley, 2002

Synopsis

At face value, pair programming appears to be a simple, straightforward concept. Two programmers work side-by-side at one computer, continuously collaborating on the same design, algorithm, code, and test. If it was as simple as plopping two skilled programmers at one desktop, there would be no need for this book. However, there are people and personalities involved, and these people are accustomed to programming alone. Pair programming offers significant benefits: quality is increased, time is saved, morale is improved, trust and teamwork grow, knowledge is shared, and learning is enhanced. However, before any pair programming can take place, participants have to accept a new way of thinking. In Pair Programming Illuminated, Laurie Williams and Robert Kessler help you fight through the exceptions, gain collective acceptance of this approach, and experience remarkable success with it. Two case studies show pair programming in practice using Extreme Programming and Collaborative Software Process as methods.

About this title

About the Author

Laurie Williams has applied the XP methodology to various projects. She is an organizer of the main XP conferences held thus far.

Robert Kessler is a professor in the School of Computing at the University of Utah, from which he holds his Ph.D., and a past department chair. Bob has founded a number of technology companies and is on the board of several others.

0201745763AB08072002

From the Back Cover

Pair programming is a simple, straightforward concept. Two programmers work side-by-side at one computer, continuously collaborating on the same design, algorithm, code, and test. It produces a higher quality of code in about half the time than that produced by the summation of their solitary efforts. However, nothing is simple where people and personalities are involved--especially people who are accustomed to working alone. The leap to pair programming for a variety of software development projects is one that yields many benefits. However, it is also one that requires careful thought and planning.

Written as instruction for team members and leaders new to pair programming and as an improvement guide for experienced pair programmers, Pair Programming Illuminated explains both the principles underlying this method and its best practices. The authors, drawing on their own extensive experience, explain what works and what does not, what should be emphasized and what should be avoided. Two case studies further illuminate pair programming in practice: one in the context of extreme programming (XP), with which it often is associated, and one linked to a more disciplined software engineering process.

Key topics include:

Principles for selecting partners

Practical advice, such as furniture set-up, pair rotation, and weeding out bad pairs

Seven habits of effective pair programmers

Special appendices include:

A pair programming tutorial

An economic analysis of pair programming

An introduction to test-driven development

With this book in hand, you will quickly discover how pair programming fits the needs of your own organization or project. You then will see exactly how to get started with this method, and how to do it right.

0201745763B06262002

Edition details

• Publisher: Addison Wesley
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0201745763
• ISBN 13: 9780201745764
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288