When teams work well together, this can have a considerable impact on the quality of the software they deliver. But how can we help this to happen? Ensemble working – aka “mob programming” - is a powerful technique where, as Woody Zuill puts it, “All the brilliant minds [are] working together on the same thing, at the same time, in the same space, and at the same computer.”

Ensemble work maximises learning and collaboration, obliterates context switching and is particularly useful when onboarding new team members or embarking on a new project. Some teams work like this all the time, others only as the need arises. Like most powerful techniques, it’s a skill you need to learn. There are many things you can do to enhance its effectivity, and until you’ve experienced a well performing ensemble you might struggle to understand just how much impact it can have.

This talk examines the benefits in detail. Clare explains how she teaches the technique to new teams, and describes why it is her approach of choice in many different situations.