Pairing sessions are definitely a huge part of Dev Bootcamp -- or the field of software development in general. Before DBC, I was not too fond of group work. In school, group work was something I dreaded, with all the awkward conversations, determining who does what, constant feedbacks and updates. The way I used to do work was alone. I do my best work when I work alone while letting my mind wander freely. As far as programming goes, I feel more comfortable trying new things without a set plan or pseudocode. Therefore, pairing sessions were at first daunting. The thought of losing control of my own work style and finding the middle ground while exchanging feedback constantly. As I got to pair more throughout Phase 0, I began to realize how important pairing is. It allowed me to time box, explain my logic clearly, and open up my perspective on how to approach a challenge. The most rewarding thing about pairing is the process of solving a problem and eventually succeeding. Discussing various possible ways to code something, trying new things we had just learned, failing and debugging until we passed the test was very enjoyable. At times, it was difficult to follow the partner's logic if he/she was unable to express their thought process concisely. I had no choice but to watch them show me their code and ask questions about them.
Another great thing about DBC is the feedback system. Every time we paired up with someone, we were required to give positive, yet specific feeback. We call it ASK -- Actionable, Specific, and Kind. Reading the feedbacks my pairing partners had given me was very enlightning. I learned what I was good at, why some of the things I did were appreciated, and how I can improve as a developer. I felt like ASK feedback system is the definition of positive and constructive criticism. My strengths were appreciate and encouraged, whereas my weaknesses were specifically pointed out (without hurting feelings) and given actionable advice to improve on them.
According to the feedbacks I have gotten so far, the way I compliment my partners made them feel respected. Whenever they do something right or bring a great idea to the table, I simply said "Good Job!". Something as small as saying "Good Job" could make the entire mood of pairing session enjoyable. Now I learned to say positive things about my partners as much as possible. Things I was told to improve on was to take a step back and planning my actions instead of letting my mind freely wander. I tend to lack skills to explain my logic behind my actions, so I will try to let my partner in on every step of my thought process. This way everyone is on the same page and can work while staying synchronized. When giving ASK feedbacks to my pairs, the hardest part was to tell them what they need to work on. It is never a good feeling to be told what one lacks. Telling them that they can improve some aspects without sounding like mere criticism was difficult. That is why I specifically write out 'Actionable: ', 'Specific: ', and 'Kind: '.