Cross-Functional Pairing: What it is and why you should be doing it
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#xpairing @pairingprojectPhoto Credit: http://www.emagzin.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/120308.jpeg
Cross-functional PairingWhat it is and why you should be doing itAnders Ramsay Jef Bekes Mike Long | Balanced Team Conference 2011
Driver
Navigator
Continuous Ideation/Production/Feedback
1+1>2Sustained FocusContinuous DebuggingMulti-sensory stimulationKnowledge distribution
Why don’t we get to
pair?!
Sustained FocusContinuous DebuggingMulti-sensory stimulationKnowledge distribution
X-Functional Pairing
Create an L-Mode/R-Mode Tug-of-WarCreate a Cross-Disciplinary LoopGet comfortable sharing work in progressLearn to create lean specs
Logical, Step-by-step“Gives you the power to work through details and make it happen.”
Linear-Mode
Rich-ModeNon-linear, IntuitiveHolistic, AsynchronousNon-verbal (e.g. visual)
Cross-Disciplinary Feedback Loop
Get Comfortable SharingWork in progress
Get Comfortable Creating Lean Specs
Also…be sure you are doing a complete feedback loop…
ThinkMake
Check
When is a good time to x-pair?
Do this first…Big Picture Design/User Flow/Sketch-level UI
Ideal time to x-pair…During a sprint, solving a narrowly defined problem
Is it all roses?
Less or no continuous debuggingRisk of tunnel-vision/solving wrong problemDesigner/Developer dynamic can become stressful/aggravating
Case Study…
Mingle Planner
Product group at Agile software development company
Implementing Agile UX practices:• Design pattern libraries• Lo-fi sketches > interactive prototypes• Designing in the browser, refining in the
codebase
We require our UX designers to be unicorns technical (HTML/CSS/Javascript) and analytical
• Intervening in a project that lacked focus and a conceptual framework
• Collaborative sessions to map out high-level concepts, relationships, and organizing principles
• Analysis by design > rough sketch of key paths and UI
Case Study: Mingle Planner
Whiteboard Sketch:Product Concepts and Relationships
Interactive Pattern Library
• Leverage pattern library to (quickly) build out an interactive prototype (HTML/CSS/Javascript)
• User prototype to validate conceptual framework and UI framework
• Prototype becomes a living document/style guide for developers
• Designing in the browser > designing in the codebase
What we did
Interactive Prototype(HTML/CSS/jQuery/Highcharts)
Thanks!
Anders Ramsay - @andersramsayJef Bekes - @jbekesMike Long – [email protected]
P.s. check out pairingproject.org