Pair Programming Matrix is a tool that helps the team to visualize the Pair Programming procedure. It shows who worked with whom, and who has not worked with anyone else at all.
Set up a board, that has a matrix with team member names on left and top sides. Like a Football competition group table.
Every time, when two of the team members work together on a task, they should mark on the board, that they have worked together, putting a mark on their matching box.
In the end of the sprint it will show how the sprint went in terms of pair-collaboration. It generally makes sense for the team to discuss the Pair Programming board in the retrospective.
Related topics may include:
- some team members feel others do not express intention to work together with them
- in contrast, some team members may feel there is too much pair programming going on and they do not have independent time
The matrix/board would help to balance the pair programming practices.
To object many opponents of pair programming, I think the practice is a great value to any development team. This is a great topic and I will elaborate more soon with another post.