It was during one of the SocratesBe conferences.
There was a session called something like “fishbowl mobbing”.
This was a combination of Pattern: mob programming and Pattern: fishbowl where there is a few people on the stage, with the rest spectating.
The rules are described here: Pattern: Fish Bowl mob programming One of the rules is The question box is not allowed to ask Model: Leading Questions
- when you want to lead, take over navigation
And this was so hard! I do this so often! And many others as well, it appeared.
I couldn’t keep count of the amount of times I wanted to go to the question box to ask one. And the amount of times someone on the question box got reminded.
This pattern kept repeating: Person asks leading question
"Shouldn't we write a test first?"
Audience points out that it’s a leading question
"Leading Question!"
Person realised
*sigh*
Person sit’s on the empty take-over-navigation seat Current navigator steps aside Person takes over navigation seat
"Write a test first"
Driver writes a test Person walks back to the audience
And it makes so much sense! In this safe environment, this teaches us to stand up for our opinions.
I might be biased, because I had so much fun with spotting leading questions and calling them out. And after the session ended, I kept seeing them everywhere!
"Shouldn't we go to lunch"
instead of
"I want to go to lunch, anyone joining?"
And to the annoyance of some of my friends, I kept pointing theirs out…