Extreme Programming Fosters Motivation

I am starting this page to brainstorm about motivation (again!).

While discussing with my wife (she's a first grade teacher), we introduced me to Reading Levels (see http://www.willapabay.org/~thelewis5/section3.htm for more information).

I saw again how challenge and motivation are related. And I believe that ExtremeProgramming is fostering motivation by always giving the right challenge to the team members.

Let me define what I call the right amount of challenge by defining three levels of challenge: too low, too high and the right level of challenge. A challenge that is lower than the right level of challenge will lead to boredom and low motivation to achieve a task. A challenge that is too high will lead to frustration and may lead to giving up. The right level of challenge is normally composed of potential learning and growth. (This may be mapped to the instructional reading level.)

How is ExtremeProgramming helping to keep the motivation? Simply by always providing the right amount of challenge.

I will choose a task from the task list because either I will learn something or I am to help someone else. The teaching/learning experience will give me support when I will be in the frustration level (be able to have help from the other peer) or will exchange with my peer when I may be in the autonomous level (analogous to independent reading level).

In an extreme programming environment, I will always be able to learn something or teach something. This is what really drives the challenge to the right level.

Challenge too big: Leads to frustration. To get out of this situation: get help or do research (in the hope you can receive enough help or be able to get.

Challenge too low: leads to boredom. To get out of the situation: add some higher challenge (e.g. teach).

Right challenge: will learn and grow.

This challenge scale is for sure a function of the individual, the domain (e.g. I am not interested by learning dentistry and will probably never be: it is not a challenge for me), the environment and so on...

What do you think?

To be developed: Challenge, Expectation, Motivation.

To be developed: Motivation, Sense of Accomplishment.

-- JeanMarcHeneman

You are talking about the MentalStateCalledFlow. -- FrankGerhardt

If the hill is too steep, I can't climb it.
If the hill isn't steep enough, I don't get any stronger, nor do I feel very proud when I reach the top.
If the hill is steep enough to make me work a little, but not so steep that I can't climb it, I get stronger and I'm proud to make it to the top.

PairProgrammingFostersMotivation? by creating new contexts each time you switch with another peer. In Mindfulness, Ellen J. Langer underlines the importance of changing context to keep the mindfulness. Being mindful, you tend to be more motivated and better at what you are doing.