Comment by johnnyanmac

>this is a bizarre model where one programmer does no individual work and does all the helping.

Sounds like a lead or manager. He definitely works like a lead in spirit. Cheaper for the company to delineate it like this.

>Surely there are easier stories for those who need the most help, and Tim should be taking on the hardest stories by himself?

difficulties don't signify priorities. Maybe all the hard stories are low priority. Maybe the energy is focused on onboarding newer hires. Maybe there was a semi-looming headline and getting others' tasks done was more important than his individual module (or perhaps he was ahead of pace already).

I can see a dozen of scenarios this comes up in organically. I experienced a few of these firsthand.