Analysing Communication Trends in Pair Programming Videos using Grounded Theory

Communication, much of it subtle and non-verbal, is important for programmers engaged in pair programming tasks. Little is known about the nature of this communication, for example how it changes over the course of a programming project or how it might differ according to programming skill and experience with paired programming. This paper presents an initial investigation of 60 videos of expert-expert pair programming, analysed in detail using grounded theory. The aim was to make general observations about the various ways communication occurs within the programming pair and to identify any patterns in behaviour or style of communication in the context of pair programming. As a result, a general coding scheme has been created. Preliminary data analysis shows that it may be possible to detect certain communication patterns by using transcription code occurrence and duration. This could be used to further explore communication topics and trends within pair programming.