Problematic pair programming
"There's a joke that pairs, like fish and house guests, go
rotten after three days," said Zach Brock, an engineering
manager.  Working out problems with a pairing partner can be
a lot like working out problems with a significant other.
During one recent rough patch, Jamie Kite, a developer, sat
her partner down for a talk. "Hey, it feels like we're
driving in different directions," she recalls saying. "It's
like any relationship," Ms.  Kite said. "If you don't talk
about the problems, it's not going to work." When those
timeouts don't solve the problem, partners can turn to
on-staff coaches who can help with counseling.  "People who
have been pairing a while, they'll start acting like old
married couples," said Marc Phillips, one of the coaches.
People can be as much of a challenge as writing software.
(Excerpted from "Computer Programmers Learn Tough Lesson in
Sharing"; Wall Street Journal, August 27, 2012)
