Episodes
Episodes



Monday Apr 14, 2025
Monday Apr 14, 2025
What if your team didnāt need branches at all? š„ In this episode of The Mob Mentality Show, we sit down with Ron Cohen, CTO and co-founder of Bucket, to unpack the real story behind Trunk Based Development (TBD) and the practical use of Feature Flags.
Ron stirred the pot online by challenging common assumptions around TBD ā and now heās here to clear the air.
We talk about:
What Trunk Based Development really means (Hint: Itās not just āno branchesā)
Why TBD isnāt just a Git strategy, but a safety mindset often backed by solid practices like Pair Programming, Mob Programming, and TDD (Test-Driven Development)
Gitflow vs. TBD ā which one sets your team up to move faster and safer?
The myth that TBD = chaos, and why short-lived branches might still play a role
How mobbing and pairing can make TBD not just possible, but powerful
We also dive deep into Feature Flags (a.k.a. Feature Toggles):
Why Ron became obsessed with them ā and how they changed how his teams ship code
How to use toggles for faster releases, safer experiments, and smoother collaboration between devs, Product Owners (POs), and marketing
The difference between feature flags that require a deployment and those that donāt
The value of ādogfoodingā your features in production before a full rollout
Why not all toggles are created equal ā from simple UI switches to ops-level controls
How to avoid the mess of long-lived toggles and clean up after experiments (Austin, we're looking at you š
)
Plus:
How flags can power A/B testing and internal beta programs
Fowlerās definition of Feature Flags ā and how it is in action
Using toggles to build internal and external trust
Ronās framework for different kinds of flags in different contexts
Whether you're deep into CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery), trying to tame your branching strategy, or just want to ship smarter ā this episodeās packed with insights you can use immediately.
š§ Subscribe and listen on your favorite platform:š https://www.mobmentalityshow.com/
Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/4PZN1yO8l2cĀ Ā



Tuesday Apr 01, 2025
How Software Prof Ben Kovitz Turned His Class into a Live Coding Mob
Tuesday Apr 01, 2025
Tuesday Apr 01, 2025
What happens when a college software design course ditches traditional lectures and embraces Mob Programming?
In this episode of the Mob Mentality Show, we sit down with Ben Kovitz, a former software developer turned professor at Cal Poly Humboldt, to explore his innovative approach to teaching software design through mobbing.
Topics Covered:
ā
From Industry to Academia: Why Ben left software development to become a professor and how he discovered mob programming.ā
Redefining Software Education: Instead of 30 traditional lectures on software design, Benās students learn by doingādesigning software while coding.ā
The Power of Mobbing in the Classroom: How students collaborate in the mob of 8, rapidly sharing knowledge and tackling challenges together.ā
Fast Learning vs. Lectures: Why mobbing enables faster knowledge transfer compared to passive lectures.ā
Strong-Style Navigation: How rotations and fast timers helped to stimulate a highly effective learning environment.ā
The Role of the Navigator: How students help each other navigate, learn C++ and the QT framework, and document key lessons from each mob session.ā
Real-World Software Challenges: Simulating legacy code maintenance, evolutionary design,Ā and design patterns like MVC (Model-View-Controller).ā
Overcoming Student Struggles: What happens when students donāt know how to navigate? How asking for help and learning together fosters growth.ā
Teaching Through Experience: Letting students experiment with flawed solutions before introducing better design principles.ā
Assessment & Engagement: How Ben measures student participation, engagement, and learning outcomes in a mobbing environment.
Why This Matters:
Traditional software design education can leave students unprepared for the realities of refactoring real code and collaborative development. By integrating Mob Programming, refactoring techniques, and hands-on problem-solving, Ben Kovitz is equipping the next generation of developers with practical, real-world skills and deeper design insights.š¢ Subscribe to the Mob Mentality Show to stay updated on the latest insights in Mob Programming, Extreme Programming (XP), Agile, and collaborative software development!
š§ Listen on your favorite podcast platform: https://www.mobmentalityshow.com
š Donāt forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more episodes on software development, coding education, and team collaboration!
Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/Rajvp2nrg1AĀ Ā



Monday Mar 24, 2025
Monday Mar 24, 2025
š„ How do you actually build great software developers? How do you debug like a pro? And what happens when XP (Extreme Programming) makes a comeback after the Scrum backlash?
Join us as Garrick Westāa seasoned XP practitioner, Agile coach, and software craftsmanship advocateādives into:ā
Building Agile Software Developers: From XP mentorship to industry-academia collaborationā
The Best Debugging Strategies: Unpacking The Debugging Book and applying its rules in a mobā
Reviving XP & Software Crafting: Why XP is more crucial than ever in Agile teams
š Garrick's Story: From Early Coding to XP ChampionGarrick started coding at 10 years old (at day camps in the 80s! š
), earned a Computer Science degree, and had his development worldview shaped by reading the first edition of Extreme Programming Explained. He has worked at XP-centric organizations, trained teams in TDD (Test-Driven Development), Ensemble Programming, and CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment), and even revamped a college curriculum from Waterfall to XP/Scrum.
šÆ "Building" Agile Software Developers
The power of an XP coach early in a developerās journey
Public speaking as a dev skill? (Toastmasters, teaching at community college)
What happened when Garrick helped convert a college curriculum from Waterfall to XP/Scrum?
Industry experts + academia: How can professional devs and educators collaborate better?
The apprentice model: What it means and why learning stages (like the Dreyfus Model) matter
AI & developer education: Does AI replace early learning stages, or is it just a slick salesman?
Scaling Gilded Rose Kata to different skill levels
Test Coverage as a red herringāwhat should we focus on instead?
š Debugging: The Missing Developer SuperpowerEver heard of The Debugging Book? Most developers havenātābut itās a game-changer. We explore:
Debugging as problem-solving, not just "stepping through" in an IDE
The 9 Debugging Rules: From reading the manual to never throwing away a good test tool
How to gamify debugging in a mob & introduce a "debugging auditor" role
The anti-pattern of multiple experiments at onceāand how to avoid it
Why debugging is like navigating a labyrinth with a million wrong paths
š Reviving XP & Software Crafting After the Scrum Backlash
XP fills Scrumās missing middle: Building the right thing (Scrum) AND building it right (XP)
How Scrum without XP leads to a āBall of Mudā in just 18 months
Why XP + Lean is the ultimate combination
Breaking free from sprints & pressure cookersājust focus on continuous iterations
Can XP stand without Scrum? Or does Scrum need XP?
š” Donāt miss this high-energy, insight-packed conversation with Garrick West!
š¢ Comment below: Whatās YOUR experience with XP, Agile, or debugging challenges?Ā Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/vxLDm-13Ny4Ā



Monday Mar 17, 2025
Monday Mar 17, 2025
š How do Game Jams accelerate learning? Can mobbing make game development more effective? In this episode of the Mob Mentality Show, we dive deep into Game Jams, Mobbing, and Game Dev Collaboration with James Herrāa full-stack developer, game dev enthusiast, and published game creator on Steam.
š® What You'll Learn in This Episode:
š¹ What Are Game Jams and why theyāre a must-try for devs?š¹ The tech stacks and tools commonly used in Game Jamsš¹ How themes shape a Game Jamās creativity and constraintsš¹ How James is bringing mobbingĀ into Game Jamsš¹ The difference between solo development, swarming, and full mobbing?š¹ Pros & Cons of Mobbing Game JamsāDoes it boost creativity or slow things down?š¹ How Discord & Twitch fuel real-time game dev collaborationš¹ Can Twitch chat act as a ānavigatorā in game development? Does the live audience guide decisions?š¹ How Game Jams reveal code smells faster and teach refactoring & design patternsš¹ Why public game dev can be a game-changer for learning speedš¹ How Game Jams can simulate real-world software challenges and improve teamworkš¹ Mob timer tools & Git handover techniques for smoother collaboration
š¤ Why This Episode Matters:
Mobbing isnāt just for software teamsāitās transforming game development, learning, and onboarding. James shares his firsthand experience mobbing with kids, running Game Jams with cross-discipline teams, and teachingĀ mobbing roles in game dev. Whether youāre a seasoned developer, indie game creator, or just curious about Game Jams, this episode is packed with actionable insights!
š¢ Want to Join the Game Dev Community?James discusses how Discord and Twitch connect developers worldwide, making it easy to collaborate, get feedback, and learn from others. Checkout James' communities here: https://jamcraft.io/Ā
š§ Subscribe & Listen Now!Donāt miss out! Subscribe to the Mob Mentality Show and get notified when this episode drops:š https://www.mobmentalityshow.com/Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/AZEH_FmBBKsĀ



Wednesday Mar 12, 2025
TDD, Misconceptions, and Better Testing with Jason Swett
Wednesday Mar 12, 2025
Wednesday Mar 12, 2025
š Why is there so much confusion around Test-Driven Development (TDD) and Automated Testing? Why do many developers struggle with testing, and what are they getting wrong? In this episode of the Mob Mentality Show, we sit down with Jason Swettāauthor, speaker, and a go-to expert on Rails testingāto unpack the most common misconceptions, challenges, and best practices in modern software testing.
š Topics We Cover:ā
Why Jason Swett is passionate about Automated Testing and why he wants to help the development communityā
Misconceptions about TDD (Test-Driven Development)ānot liking TDD itself vs. not liking something called "TDD"ā
The reality of software testingāwhy most developers aren't doing it well and how to improveā
Testing vs. verification vs. specificationāwhat is a test really? What is code?ā
Red, Green, Refactor vs. Specify, Encode, Fulfillāwhat do these different ways of thinking about TDD highlight?Ā ā
Why software changeability matters and how to reduce the cost of ownershipā
What are you actually testing? The difference between testing the product (e.g., squirt gun) vs. testing the system that builds itā
The role of automation in developmentāis code like factory machinery?ā
How testing connects to broader software and team dynamicsābeyond just writing testsā
Common pitfalls in testing and how to ensure your tests actually add valueā
Logical debates vs. ego-driven argumentsāhow to have productive discussions about TDD
š” Key Takeaways:š¹ TDD is often misunderstoodābefore rejecting it, understand what it really isš¹ Many developers struggle with writing the right kind of testsāknowing what to test is criticalš¹ Automated tests donāt just verify code; they help manage change and reduce long-term costsš¹ Good testing and TDD are about more than just codeātheyāre about communication, clarity, and better software development
š Who should watch/listen?If youāre a developer, tester, software engineer, or tech lead who wants to improve your testing skills, understand TDD better, and learn from a Rails testing expert, this episode is for you!
š§ Subscribe & Listen: Donāt miss an episode! Subscribe to the Mob Mentality Show on your favorite platform:š https://www.mobmentalityshow.com/
š„ Join the Conversation! Have thoughts on TDD and Automated Testing? Share them in the comments!
Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/_kL_tXiNcl4Ā



Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
Agile Principle #12: Continuous Reflection & Adjustment in Mobbing
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
How often should Agile teams reflect and adjust? Is your team on a road with switchbacks but they are not turning the wheel? In this episode of The Mob Mentality Show, we take a deep dive into Agile Principle #12, which states:
"At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly."
From a Mob Programming perspective, we explore what "tuning and adjusting" really looks like in high-uncertainty, high-interdependence work. Is it like steering a car, constantly making small adjustments, or is it something that requires far less steering? How do different approachesāWaterfall, 2 Week Scrum, and Mob Programmingāeach handle batch size and feedback loops with continuous improvement?
In This Episode, We Discuss:
ā
Agile Principle #12āHow it drives continuous improvement in teamsā
"Regular Intervals"āComparing Waterfall, 2-week Scrum sprints, and healthy mobbingā
Batch Size & EffectivenessāHow small adjustments impact team agilityā
Single vs. Double Loop LearningāWhich leads to deeper team growth?ā
Diversity & FocusāDoes learning together accelerate improvement more than learning separately?ā
The Cynefin ModelāNavigating uncertainty and complexity in Agile workā
Liminal ThinkingāHow belief structures and assumptions impact team reflection
Many teams go through the motions of retrospectives, but are they truly adjusting their behavior effectively?Ā
Join us for this insightful discussion where we challenge assumptions, explore deeper learning, and uncover the best ways to reflect, adapt, and improve as a team.
š§ Subscribe & Listen:Don't miss this episode! Subscribe on your favorite platform here:š https://www.mobmentalityshow.com/
š© Connect with UsLet us know your thoughts in the comments! How does your team reflect and adjust?Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/ikmWgj44g28Ā



Monday Feb 17, 2025
Monday Feb 17, 2025
How do you balance small, iterative progress with the vast unknowns of research and development (R&D)? Can test-driven development (TDD) literally or "in spirit" still provide value when you're navigating uncharted territory? In this episode of the Mob Mentality Show, we dive deep into the intersection of R&D Mobbing and software development, exploring real-world scenarios, strategies, and challenges teams face when innovating under uncertainty.
What Youāll Learn in This Episode:
š¬ Chris's Journey with Mob Randori & R&D: From "we donāt know what weāre doing" to "we know what weāre doing"āhow mob programming helped transform uncertainty into effective delivery.
š ļø R&D vs. CD? Can teams practice continuous delivery (CD) even when tackling complex, unknown problem spaces? If so, is there a change in what is "delivered"?Ā
š Keeping Small Steps & Feedback Loops in R&D: TDD is known for its rapid feedback and endorphin kicksābut how do you retain those benefits when exploring an unfamiliar landscape?
š Adjusting Your Mobbing for the Task at Hand: When should you modify your mob programming approach to fit the nature of research-driven work versus production-level development?
š§āāļø Clean Code Spelunking & Navigating the Unknown: Techniques for digging deep into existing codebases while ensuring safety and maintaining forward momentum.
š© Feature Flags & Safety in R&D: How to experiment with new ideas and do Trunk Based Development (TBD) without introducing instability to production.
š Transparency, Visualization & Business Buy-in: Addressing stakeholder fear of an "infinite problem space."
š§ The Inverse of ZOMBIES in R&D Mode: How do you maintain focus, momentum, and value delivery when dealing with high levels of uncertainty?
ā” Real-Life R&D Success Stories & Lessons Learned: Practical examples of mob programming driving R&D innovation in high-unknown environments.
If youāve ever wondered how to keep experimentation structured, learning fast, and delivery continuousāeven when dealing with complex unknownsāthis episode is for you!š Watch More Episodes & Subscribe on Your Favorite Platform: https://www.mobmentalityshow.com/š Donāt miss future episodesāhit the subscribe button!Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/nipbhFopqMMĀ



Monday Feb 10, 2025
The DDD Dream? A Domain Expert Full-Time in a Mob š
Monday Feb 10, 2025
Monday Feb 10, 2025
Is the ultimate Domain-Driven Design (DDD) dream having a domain expert fully embedded in a Mob? Or does it come with hidden trade-offs? In this thought-provoking episode of the Mob Mentality Show, we explore the benefits, challenges, and real-world experiences of having a domain expert (or product owner) participate full-time in a Mobānot just as a consultant but as an active driver and navigator.
š¹ What We Discuss in This Episode:ā
Quick Access vs. Full-Time Participation ā Is it better to have a domain expert available when needed or fully immersed in the Mob?ā
Real-World Stories ā Chris shares insights from four product owners with different availability levels and how that impacted effectiveness. Austin reveals what happened when a domain expert became a full-time Mobber.ā
The Pros of a Full-Time Domain Expert in a Mob ā Faster decisions, deeper collaboration, improved knowledge transfer, and more!ā
Natural Synergy with DDD ā How DDD experts seamlessly jump into code naming, improving model alignment.ā
Testers & Domain Experts: A Similar Integration? ā The parallels between merging testers into a Mob and embedding domain experts.ā
Potential Downsides ā Does being in the Mob full-time reduce a domain expertās ability to stay ahead in their field?ā
Autonomy & Learning Diversity ā How does this setup impact team growth and decision-making?ā
Is This the DDD Dream? ā With fewer moving parts (like event storming), does a domain expert in the Mob make DDD even more effective?ā
The Power of Different Perspectives ā Why having a built-in devilās advocate can enhance team decision-making.ā
The Truth About Cryptic Code ā Can a domain expert help clarify unclear code in real time?
š§ Donāt Miss This Insightful Discussion!Hit Subscribe and turn on notifications so you donāt miss future episodes! Find us on your favorite platform here š https://www.mobmentalityshow.com/
What do you think? Would you want a domain expert full-time in your Mob? Drop a comment below! ā¬ļøVideo and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/7__ghFw_Z3gĀ



Tuesday Feb 04, 2025
LLMs, DSLs, and the Art of Generating Generators for Leaner Systems
Tuesday Feb 04, 2025
Tuesday Feb 04, 2025
Can a combo of Large Language Models (LLMs) and Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs) streamline development by automating repetitive patterns across teams? In this Mob Mentality Show episode, we dive deep into the intersection of AI-driven automation, code generation, and lean software development.
Join us as we explore:ā
The "Generator for the Generator" Concept ā How AI-powered tools and Mob Programming can create DSLs that automate code generation at scale.ā
Handling Cross-Domain Development with DSLs ā How DSL arguments can be leveraged to generate applications across multiple domains while maintaining usability.ā
Serverless Infrastructure as Code (IaC) & Auto-Generated Apps ā How to use DSLs to automate cloud deployment with Angular or Streamlit apps.ā
The Challenge of UI/UX in Generated Code ā When UI is too generic, does it hurt usability? Can a DSL strike the right balance between automation and user experience?ā
Regeneration vs. Continuous Development ā Should teams work exclusively in the DSL, or also refine the code it generates? How to handle sync issues when regenerating applications.ā
Turning Docs into Code with a DSL Converter ā Automating workflows by transforming team documentation into executable code.ā
Mob Automationist Role Inception ā Is the next evolution of Mob Programming automating the automation?ā
ZOMBIE Test Generation & Nested Python Dictionaries ā How automated testing fits into the DSL-driven workflow and whether a DSL can be as simple as a structured Python dictionary.
šÆ Whether youāre a software engineer, an agile practitioner, or just fascinated by AI-driven development, this episode is packed with real-world insights into DSLs, LLMs, and the future of lean automation.
š Don't miss out! Subscribe to the Mob Mentality Show on your favorite platform:š https://www.mobmentalityshow.com/Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/0q3jaX6_bfwĀ



Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
Explore the exciting intersection of human collaboration and artificial intelligence (AI) in software development with this insightful episode of the Mob Mentality Show. Recorded for the 2024 UACon Winter: The Future of Product Development Summit on December 10, 2024, Aaron Griffith and Parker Barrett joins Austin to dive deep into how Mob Programming and AI are reshaping the way we build and test software.
This episode is packed with practical insights, real-world examples, and actionable strategies for leveraging AI with a mob programming style. Whether youāre an AI enthusiast, a software developer, or just curious about the future of collaboration, this session has something for you.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:š¹ What is Mob Programming?š¹ The Origin Story of Mobbing with AI ā Discover how our human teams began mobbing with AI tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot to enhance software development processes.š¹ AI-Driven Test Development in a Mob ā See how AI can streamline test-driven development (TDD) workflows, making testing faster and more effective.š¹ Testing with AI to Find ZOMBIES Test Cases (Zero, One, Many, Boundaries, Interface, Exceptional, Simplicity) ā Learn how AI tools help identify missing test scenarios and code improvements.Ā š¹ AI Limitations and Warnings ā Understand the ethical, technical, and operational challenges when incorporating AI into your workflows.š¹ AI Mobbing Demo Highlights:
AI-generated Flutter app complete with unit tests.
AI-driven identification of ZOMBIES.
Automated Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines powered by AI.
Why This Episode Matters:As AI tools continue to evolve, understanding how they integrate with collaborative programming methods like Mob Programming and Extreme Programming (XP) is critical for staying innovative in the fast-paced world of software development. In this session, we not only discuss the benefits of AI but also provide a realistic view of its limitations and how to navigate them.
Perfect For:
Developers and teams exploring AI-powered tools.
Agile practitioners and extreme programming enthusiasts.
Anyone curious about the future of software development collaboration.
Letās shape the future of collaboration and development together!
Video and Show Notes: https://youtu.be/BsFPbYX4WXQĀ Ā