Patterns: Grease the wheels

Also Known As

• Feed the navigator

Context

The navigator is unsure of what to do next.

Purpose

• Make sure the Navigator is never at a loss for what to do.
• Support a navigator who is new to the technology or domain.
• Un-stick a stuck navigator

How To

As a navigator, when you are unsure: ask the mob for ideas and pick one.

As the mob, think about what the navigator could do next so you’re ready with ideas when called upon. Think about what they might get stuck on next and how they could navigate around it.

Consequences

• Navigator is stuck less often
• Less experienced or knowledgeable team members are equipped to navigate from day 1

Look out for parroting

If the navigator’s lack of technical and/or domain knowledge is so much that he or she is unable to turn high level suggestions from the mob into actionable steps for the driver to take, then the navigator can’t actually navigate – they are only repeating suggestions from other members of the team. This is boring and uncomfortable. Consider My turn is for learning.

Collaborators

• Navigate the Navigators (a more formalized version of Grease the wheels)
• Laptops? Yes!
• High-Performing Mob