BLOG POST ·
4
min read ·
March 31, 2021

What Is Technical Debt?

The technology sector always has issues with code quality, especially when corporations are encouraged to make mistakes as part of their process. But as the standards for consumer demands and software quality assurance get even steeper, it’s high time you understand the repercussions of tech debt. Feel free to use this article as your guide to learning more about what you and your team have to consider. 

Tech debt visual illustration


What is technical debt? 

Technical debt is a concept associated with programming, which correlates heavily with the “high-risk, high-reward” process of creating new technologies, primarily to advance previous versions but can also be seen among new projects. 

Tech debt is mainly noticeable when the code delivered doesn’t live up to long-term expectations, resulting in a waste of coding resources. Over time, debt can also arise if you take the short-term route for software development. 


Why does technical debt happen?

Consider the following reasons as to why your development stages fall into technical debt: 


Developers are rushing to release into the market

The technology market is a fast-paced environment, meaning you either have to sink or swim if you want your software to succeed. It may pressure you and your team to take coding shortcuts that can get the task accomplished faster. However, it can also cause issues that affect the end-users or shareholders of the projects. 


Poorly made coding 

Although you can expect your software to run seamlessly, programming issues through human errors can affect the outcomes, leading to oversight. After all, since your team is looking for quick solutions to finish the job, you resort to shortcuts. 

Landing into debt on purpose 

You and your employees can choose to fall into tech debt as a means to follow a strategy. For instance, you may be willing to bet on a technical loan since you believe that your investment can lead to success, especially under pressure.

Sometimes, taking out technical debt can lead to promising results. However, you should navigate through it carefully, so ensure you consult with an experienced software development company. 

What should I do about my technical debt? 

Since not all software development projects and programming setups are the same, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to your situation, especially when dealing with technical debt. As such, consider the following tips as possible solutions to your operations and consult with specialists if you feel stuck or puzzled:  

Identify and assess

Start by auditing your code, understand the decisions behind your existing tech debt, and like your delivery backlog, prioritise it according to effort and user value.

Rework what you can immediately

If you have weak coding in your midst, you should address it. Otherwise, it can lead to more issues, affecting the overall user experience and your corporation’s credibility. Therefore, you must fix code problems and make your technical debt worth it.

Don’t go all out and organise your workload properly

Since you are operating on a schedule and pressure from different sources, you may look into cramming all your programming tasks into one day. This move can affect your quality of work and the final output. 

Additionally, users may get concerned by the poorly executed designs and limited functionality. As such, learn to divide and conquer your coding and think about outsourcing from a professional software development company. 

Prevent tech debt

Your team’s expertise is core to bulletproof code, so it is crucial to invest in your team’s capabilities aligned with your target technical architecture. It’s also essential to define a governance model for newly introduced architecture changes or technologies. And lastly, incorporate tech debt management in your DevOps model.

Conclusion 

Technical debt can be a cause for concern for software developers and investors. If not appropriately addressed, it can lead to costly mistakes and even bankruptcy. Fortunately, you now have a better understanding of what it entails and how you can handle it. Just take a moment to assess your current situation and make informed decisions. You can also consult with experts, like our team. 

Fabric Group is your software development company to address all your programming needs. We are your dedicated team of technology experts, combining innovative design, analysis, and quality automation principles. With our help, you can learn to manage technical debt properly. Consult with us today!

Related CONTENT

Sign up to our newsletter

Want to receive our blog posts on your email? Sign up here and we will regularly send you updates.

Tick (success) icon
Thanks for your message,
we will be in touch soon!
Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later.