Taming Technical Debt: A Path to Conscious Management
Understanding Technical Debt
Technical debt, a term often used to explain why “things take so long,” can be both a hindrance and a helper. When managed properly, it can speed up the development process and deliver results faster. However, its ambiguity and the fear surrounding it can make it difficult to manage.
What is a Technical Debt Register?
A technical debt register is a backlog of all known technical debt. It’s not a separate entity, but rather an integral part of the product backlog. By filtering out technical issues from the product backlog, you can create a register of all your technical debt. This register brings transparency and clarity to the type and amount of debt you have, helping you make better decisions in the future.
Building a Technical Debt Register
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- Define What You Consider Technical Debt
Defining technical debt is crucial, as it varies from team to team. There’s no formal definition, and it’s essential to have a cohesive and aligned definition within your team. Consider what constitutes technical debt for your team, such as bugs, lack of automated tests, or performance issues.
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- Estimate Technical Debt
Estimating technical debt is essential to making the register actionable. Use the same estimation methods you use for other product work, such as hours, story points, or t-shirts. While it’s challenging to give precise estimates, aim for a general scale of the technical debt register.
Managing a Technical Debt Register
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- Monitor Technical Debt Ratio
The technical debt ratio indicates how many sprints you need to pay off all known debt. Calculate the ratio by dividing the technical debt by your average velocity. This ratio helps you understand the scale of your debt and make informed decisions.
const technicalDebt = 100; // hours
const averageVelocity = 20; // hours per sprint
const technicalDebtRatio = technicalDebt / averageVelocity;
console.log(`Technical Debt Ratio: ${technicalDebtRatio}`);
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- Perform Regular Debt Reviews
Regular debt reviews help you discuss and manage technical debt. Schedule regular sessions to review the register, discuss new debt, and adjust your debt range as needed. These discussions are often more valuable than the register itself.
Conscious Technical Debt Management
Technical debt can be your best friend or worst enemy, depending on how you manage it. By defining what technical debt means to you, capturing all known debt, estimating its size, controlling the debt ratio, and having regular discussions, you can bring your technical debt management to the next level. Remember, it’s not about specific numbers, but about the conversations these numbers bring.