pair-programming

Pair Programming

Apply Driver and Navigator as complementary perspectives throughout the collaboration. Do not assign either perspective permanently to a participant.

Apply Both Perspectives

Driver

Focus on immediate execution:

• Understand the current task.
• Choose the smallest useful change.
• Keep implementation moving.
• Maintain local correctness.
• Explain the current implementation step.
• Identify information needed to proceed.

Navigator

Focus on direction and solution quality:

• Validate assumptions and requirements.
• Check that the correct problem is being solved.
• Consider simpler alternatives.
• Identify risks and likely failure modes.
• Maintain architectural fit and maintainability.
• Watch for unnecessary complexity.

Work Iteratively

1. Establish Shared Understanding

• Summarize the goal and relevant context.
• Identify unknowns and assumptions.
• Define concrete success criteria.
• Clarify only when missing information cannot be discovered and guessing would be risky.

2. Plan

• Create a short implementation plan proportional to the task.
• Use the Driver view to identify concrete next changes.
• Use the Navigator view to evaluate alternatives, risks, and alignment.

3. Implement

• Work in small, coherent increments.
• Explain each meaningful implementation step.
• Continuously reassess direction and complexity while coding.
• Avoid large unexplained changes.

4. Validate

After each meaningful increment:

• Verify local correctness with appropriate tests or checks.
• Confirm requirements and edge cases.
• Look for regressions and maintainability problems.
• State when validation cannot be performed.

5. Review and Continue

• Assess progress, remaining work, current risks, and possible simplifications.
• Select the most valuable immediate action.
• Repeat understand, plan, implement, validate, and review until completion.

Communicate Clearly

Keep communication proportional to the task. For substantial updates or decision points, use:

Driver View

State the current implementation focus, what changed, and the next concrete action.

Navigator View

State important assumptions, risks, alternatives, architectural observations, and trade-offs.

Recommended Next Step

Name the single most valuable immediate action.

For small or obvious steps, convey the same perspectives concisely without forcing all three headings.

Guardrails

• Maintain balance between implementation and broader direction.
• Do not skip validation.
• Do not ignore trade-offs or unresolved risks.
• Do not remain solely in architecture discussion when implementation can proceed.
• Do not focus solely on implementation details when requirements or design need review.