From pair programming to IC
Posted by Eniminimynimoe@reddit | ExperiencedDevs | View on Reddit | 20 comments
I grew into enjoying pair programming over the last few years. It tremendously improved my social, coding and problem solving skills. Got to know other devs and enjoyed a camaraderie remotely with them.However, now going to remote IC role. What suggestions/routine do you have for working alone while keeping up the pace, getting to know other devs and creating professional friendly relations? my motto so far has been is that we are in this together and let’s share knowledge and get things done.
Foreign_Addition2844@reddit
Been doing this for 20 years. Pair programming is like a rare thing. Its not something anybody should be doing often. Is there something about your codebaaw that makes it hard for one person to code up a solution on their own?
Ciff_@reddit
Just want to say that you can pair program remote aswell.
Specific_Ocelot_4132@reddit
I find remote pairing is much better in smaller doses, in comparison to in person pair programming which is tolerable all day (for people suited to it).
Aaron_348@reddit
Totally! Liveshare + share your screen and you are good to go. I am on huddle for 2 h a day with other devs. maybe its a bit too much though 😅
Darkitz@reddit
At my old job we were just sitting in huddles/calls for the whole day. Just hanging out (without managers&higher ups of course)
taelor@reddit
I don’t understand why remote Individual contributor means you can’t pair program.
Is the company refusing to allow your devs to pair program? Is this a new company or the same company you’ve been working at?
taelor@reddit
I love to pair program and I love to socialize.
I’ve been working remote for 18-19 years now, I pair program and pair system design all the time remotely.
For socialization, well I hang out with my friends and go to concerts or play sports.
I don’t know why it’s so hard for people to do this remotely.
AManHere@reddit
Remote sucks to someone who likes to socialize and pair program, imo. I'm sorry dude
Grandpabart@reddit
Remote pair programming.
Deaf_Playa@reddit
Hi, I'm an IC not by choice, but because most of my team was fired and I'm the only one left (at my level).
I try to get out of the house once or twice a week either to a coffee shop or to the office where I have coworkers from different areas.
I don't really have anyone to pair program with except for the client side engineers that do my code reviews and since they're on a different team they actually don't have availability for pair programming a lot.
If you need someone to bounce ideas off of, your best bet is the open internet. I often come to reddit to have watercooler talk or ask AI to search for other implementations of my project specification.
Eniminimynimoe@reddit (OP)
You really caught the gist. I should have rephrased the text to say go from remote pair programming via Zoom to remote alone IC. I will miss the small talk, bouncing off ideas early on, figuring out bugs together and learning diff coding styles. Now i will be adding to codebase and figuring things out on my own.
Deaf_Playa@reddit
Oh yeah it sounds like you know exactly what I'm talking about. Tell me, do you see yourself specializing in a year or two?
bismarck611@reddit
Remote paid coding these days is great. You can screen share only without having to see each other's faces. Less draining very effective. Each user can switch between who can type also.
Careful_Ad_9077@reddit
You can still set up teams/zoom meeting with coworkers to do pair programming.
apartment-seeker@reddit
Assuming people want to.
Nobody would take OP up on the offer anywhere I have worked lol
mirodk45@reddit
I was super eager about pair programming, even brought up "we should do more pair programming when relevant" (stupid idea), everyone loves and agrees but then the same people pairing just coast and do nothing thinking they'll learn by osmosis or something.
I tried mixing things up but it just lead to me working "alone" and having the "mental overhead" of having to explain everything I'm doing/thinking or having to tell people what to do or what to investigate when they're driving, or having to "shut down" wrong ideas like some CSS being off and the person suggesting that "it's probably something in the backend maybe we should message them and let them look into it".
Eventually I just gave up and stopped doing it because I was "too busy"
Particular_Maize6849@reddit
Interesting. My motto is "I'm here to work, not make friends".
LogicRaven_@reddit
If you were not a manager at your previous place, then you were an IC who cooperated well with other ICs via pair programming.
You could just continue the same at your current place. Invite others for pairing via remote tools and see how it goes.
If the team is not already used to pairing, then you might need to explain the benefits, how it works in practice and get their buy-in.
writesCommentsHigh@reddit
Other people? I don’t like other people
AnotherRandomUser400@reddit
As others mentioned you can do pair programming remotely using conventional screen sharing tools or you could try any of the tools that are built for remote pair programming. Personally I find the experience better when using the latter.