How mob programming improves code quality, a thread:

1. Mobs empower radical change. So many times I’ve thought a serious refactor was needed, but how do you get buy-in from the team for one or two devs to make a change like that? In the mob, we’re all there, we see the need, we agree and we get to work.

2. The whole mob makes design decisions together, so that big refactor isn’t one dev’s idea of how it should be, it’s something we all do together. (This also helps avoid blame later when the new shape starts to look wrong )

3. While we’re making a change we avoid getting into trouble because the whole mob remembers and enforces good practice: Small commits! TDD! Is this really adding value? Don’t we already have one of those?

4. Mobbing eases the fear that we’re taking too much time. We’ve all felt it: it works, but you’d like to make it more readable or add a test... but you’re already late. In the mob, we’re all in it together. We dare take the time to make it good for next time.

5. The whole team learns from good days and tough days and we’re all learning from each other all day, so everyone’s quality improves.

But hold on, you say, I’m more concerned with speed than quality right now! Well you’re in luck, because higher quality work is why mob programming also makes us faster.