From Mob to Symphony: A Mob Composing Workshop

Kanban teams leverage WIP (work in progress) limits to get more done. Well, the ultimate WIP limit is one—which is exactly what Mob Programming implies. Which is exactly what Mob Programming implies. So what is Mob Programming? Everyone in a room working on the same thing at the same time? Outrageous. Yet teams are finding it a highly enjoyable way to collaboratively build and deliver high-quality software. Some teams even say "we go faster with mobbing." Don't let use of the word "mob" lead you to believe this is a chaotic and dangerous practice. Instead, every mob session is kept focused and enjoyable by employing a few simple rules, so that we play together like a well-seasoned orchestra. In this hands-on workshop, join agile development coach and practitioner Jeff Langr, as you'll learn how to use mobbing to collaboratively compose a short song. Even if you know little about music, you'll feel firsthand how mobbing can reduce your anxiety and help you contribute to the team in short order. You’ll also experience first-hand the value proposition of mob programming.

Note: While we generally only need one machine per mob, please bring your computer to the session, particularly if you have a larger laptop monitor (or if you just happen to have a 50" monitor in your bag). You can prepare for the session by following the instructions at http://github.com/jlangr/geektone to download and install the software that we'll use. Specifically, you'll need Node.js installed (to run the app locally) and a web browser other than Internet Explorer. (Microsoft Edge works, as does Chrome, Safari, and Firefox.)