How is it possible for a team to collaborate better than they ever have before, all while never commuting to an office again? How can you increase code quality while also intentionally fostering a sense of community and human connection? And, even if it is possible, how do you convince people to give it a try?

I am an introvert, and, for nearly 3 years now, I have preferred to write code in all-workday-long video calls. It seems like a contradiction, with so many software developers able and encouraged to write code completely solo, but I feel that the benefits of remote mob programming are worth a deep dive exploration, and anyone who is curious how it could even be possible to work in such a way is sure to learn something interesting.

Come learn what mob programming is and how it can possibly be effective in an organization. Listen to stories of how this style of work is possible in a remote job, and understand not just the potential benefits but also the technical and social challenges. And even if you prefer to work on your own or are not even a software developer yourself, you will gain a new perspective in how creating and maintaining things together—both within teams and across departments—can deliver better results and instill a sense of connectedness.

This talk has been given at Atlanta Developers’ Conference 2023 but has been reworked a bit since. In the coming weeks, I will also have been on a podcast (Mob Mentality Show) to discuss this talk and its contents. It is one part an explainer of what remote mob programming is, one part personal story of how different kinds of programmers prefer different ways of working, and one part an appeal to community and empathy and how that can be done in a remote job. It is meant to appeal to experienced programmers, aspiring programmers, and non-programmers (designers, product owners, managers, et al.) alike.