Setting Up a Teaming Session
The initial setup matters more than people expect. The wrong room layout, the wrong tools, or unclear roles will undermine a session before the work even starts.
Goal
To set up an environment where one person types, one person directs, and the rest of the team can see, contribute, and learn — without bottlenecks created by the workspace itself.
The Three Roles in the Setup
| Role | Position | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Driver | At the laptop, hands on the keyboard. | Translates the navigator's instructions into code. Offers suggestions if the navigator gets stuck. Not allowed to think — only types what the navigator says. |
| Navigator | Standing or sitting where they can see the screen and the whiteboard. | Tells the driver how to solve the problem. Thinks ahead about the next step. May use the whiteboard to sketch the approach before describing it. |
| Facilitator | Anywhere in the room. | Ensures the rules are followed. Can jump in if things are going badly. Manages the pace and energy of the session. |
The rest of the team observes. They contribute ideas and offer hints when the navigator is stuck, but the navigator drives the direction.
Equipment
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Single laptop with a keyboard | One driver, one keyboard. This is non-negotiable — multiple keyboards undermines the rotation discipline. |
| Large external screen | Everyone in the room needs to see what is being typed without having to crowd the laptop. |
| Whiteboard or shared digital canvas | The navigator uses this to sketch intent before describing it. Helps when the navigator is working through unfamiliar territory. |
| Rotation timer | A visible timer that signals when to rotate roles. 4–5 minutes is the typical interval. |
Remote Setup
When the team is distributed, the same principles apply but the tooling shifts:
- A single shared screen via screen-sharing, with only the current driver sharing.
- A virtual whiteboard (Miro, FigJam, or similar) for the navigator to sketch.
- A rotation timer that everyone can see. Many teams use a tool like mob.sh or a shared timer in the meeting tool.
- Video on for everyone in the mob, so observers can be acknowledged when they offer hints.
Anti-patterns
- Multiple keyboards on the same workstation. Defeats the point of the driver/navigator separation.
- Driver too small to be seen. If observers can't read the screen they disengage. Use a big enough display.
- No timer. Without a visible timer, rotations slip and the session stalls on whoever is most comfortable driving.
Next Step
Once set up, follow the rules in Running a Session.