The forgetting curve shows us how we forget information over time. How we consume information affects the rate at which information is forgotten.
We all know Pair Programming has a number of benefits. The forgetting curve is one piece of information that supports the importance of pair programming.
Why? Well, here are some stastics about memory:
What people remember after 30 days:
90% of what they learn when they teach someone else/use immediately.
75% of what they learn when they practice what they learned.
50% of what they learn when engaged in a group discussion.
30% of what they learn when they see a demonstration.
20% of what they learn from audio-visual.
10% of what they learn when they’ve learned from reading.
5% of what they learn when they’ve learned from lecture.
Human interaction is CLEARLY a key factor in memory retention. Pair programming makes you a better programmer because the information you learn will be retained more than a reading a book, blog post, or watching a conference.
When pairing, have your pair explain back to you a newly learned concept as if they were teaching you. Why? The individual will remember 90% of what they learned, and the fact that you taught them.
Resource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forgetting_curve
Resource: http://www.psychotactics.com/blog/art-retain-learning/
If you would share this article on twitter I'd greatly appreciate it.
http://abetterdeveloper.com/articles/the_forgetting_curve_pair_programming
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