That "temporary" fix you implemented two years ago? It's now a monster. "Tech debt" is a term that is used to describe the implied cost of rework caused by choosing an easy (limited) solution now instead of using a better approach that would take longer.
It's a common problem for SMEs, who are often forced to make trade-offs between speed and quality in order to get their products to market as quickly as possible. But while taking on a small amount of tech debt can be a valid strategy in the short term, it can quickly spiral out of control and become a silent killer of SME growth.
The High Cost of Tech Debt
The cost of tech debt is not just the cost of the rework itself. It's also the cost of the lost productivity, the missed opportunities, and the decreased morale that come with working on a codebase that is difficult to maintain and extend.
"With borrowed money, you can do something sooner than you might otherwise, but then until you pay back that money you will be paying interest. I thought borrowing money was a good metaphor for technical debt." - Ward Cunningham, creator of the first wiki
The Different Types of Tech Debt
There are two main types of tech debt:
- Intentional tech debt: This is the type of tech debt that is taken on intentionally, as a strategic decision. For example, you might decide to release a new feature with a few known bugs in order to get it to market as quickly as possible.
- Unintentional tech debt: This is the type of tech debt that is taken on unintentionally, as a result of poor design, sloppy coding, or a lack of understanding of the problem domain.
How to Manage Tech Debt
The key to managing tech debt is to make it visible. You need to track your tech debt, measure its impact, and make a conscious decision about when and how to pay it down.
Here are a few tips for managing tech debt:
- Create a tech debt backlog. This is a list of all the tech debt that you need to address.
- Prioritize your tech debt. Not all tech debt is created equal. Some tech debt is more critical than others.
- Schedule time to pay down your tech debt. Don't let your tech debt backlog grow indefinitely. Schedule time in each sprint to pay down your tech debt.
- Don't be afraid to refactor. Refactoring is the process of restructuring existing computer code without changing its external behavior. It's a great way to pay down tech debt and improve the quality of your codebase.
Kyro Hub: Your Partner in Tech Debt Management
At Kyro Hub, we're experts in helping businesses to manage their tech debt. Our team of expert developers can help you to identify your tech debt, prioritize it, and create a plan for paying it down.
If you're ready to get your tech debt under control, then it's time to learn more about Kyro Hub.