Managing Power Gaps as an Element of Pair Programming Skill: A Grounded Theory
Abstract
Background: In pair programming, Togetherness (the partners understand each other's mental state well) is a main success factor. Maintaining high Togetherness is an element of pair programming skill. Some sessions appear to go badly although Togetherness appears good. Objective: Understand under what circumstances this is possible. Method: Grounded Theory Methodology based on 21 recorded pair programming sessions with 22 developers from 5 German software companies and 6 interviews with different developers from 4 other German companies. Results: We explain how a Power Gap can make a session dysfunctional despite the presence of high Togetherness, how it comes into existence due to a Knowledge Gap and Hierarchical Behavior, why its consequences (Defensive Behavior and Disengaging Behavior) are problematic, and how it can be reduced or prevented by Equalizing Behavior. Conclusions: Pair programming practitioners can improve their pair programming skill by unlearning problematic behaviors related to Power Gaps and by learning to recognize Power Gaps and apply Equalizing Behavior.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2508.00462,
title = {Managing Power Gaps as an Element of Pair Programming Skill: A Grounded Theory},
author = {Linus Ververs and Janina Berger and Lutz Prechelt},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2508.00462},
year = {2026}
}