Episode 19 – Managing debt
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Technical Debt is a powerful concept, first described by that name by Ward Cunningham in 1992. It is readily understood and easily communicated. It’s useful even to a non-technical audience, because we all broadly understand about financial debt.
As argued by Cunningham, as soon as you deliver your first code, you have a set of implied commitments. From that point, the code which you have shipped will incur an on-going cost. Effectively you have incurred a debt from releasing that code.
This podcast is AI-generated based on material from the “Agile Plays” website and book .
Transcript
Hey there, deep diver. Ready for a deep dive into a topic that's, kinda sneaky, but really important in tech. Oh, yeah. I know what you're gonna say. We're talking technical debt.
Right on. You know, that code shortcut that seems awesome today, but might bite you later. Uh-huh. Yep. We've all all been there.
We've got a whole stack of sources for this one from agile guides to stories about Boeing bombers. Wow. Boeing bombers. That's interesting. Yeah.
And we'll even touch on some of Google's secrets to team success. Ready to unpack all of this. Absolutely. What always gets me about technical debt is, well, it's kinda 2 faced. Right?
Yeah. Like, sometimes it's the bad guy. Sometimes it's a hero. Right. It's often seen as this big problem, but it can also be a strategic tool, almost like financial leverage.
Interesting. I like that. The real trick is mastering how to manage it. Well, let's go back to the beginning again. Ward Cunningham, the guy who came up with the term technical debt, he had this financial analogy that I think really explains it well.
Oh, yeah. What was it again? He said, and I quote, shipping first time code is like going into debt. A little debt speeds development so long as it is paid back promptly with a rewrite. I like that.
So simple, but it really gets the point across. Right. It's like that perfect balance between moving fast and keeping things maintainable. Sometimes you gotta sprint ahead to grab an opportunity knowing you'll come back and clean up the code later. Like a startup rushing to get their MVP out there.
They know they might need to rebuild it down the line, but speed is everything in the beginning. Exactly. It's a calculated risk like using debt to invest in growth. And that makes sense. But what happens when you don't manage that debt?
That's when things get really messy. It's like letting those credit card balances just pile up and the interest starts to eat you alive. And for software, that means development slows to a crawl, your support team is drowning in tickets, and you're stuck constantly patching things up. The product ends up feeling like it's barely held together. Yeah.
Like it's one big duct tape fit. Like a house with a crumbling foundation. One good storm could bring the whole thing down. Yikes. That's a scary thought.
Yeah. So how do we avoid that software meltdown? Well, our sources point to some really good strategies. Like what? One that really stood out to me was the focus on having a good, well organized backlog, like one that's actually prioritized.
Oh, yeah. That makes sense. Prioritizing seems like it would be crucial. Absolutely. Some sources suggest methods like Moscow where you categorize tasks as, like, must have, should have, could have, and won't have.
It really forces you to think about the trade offs and make tough decisions. Because if everything is high priority, nothing really is. Exactly. You end up just chasing after whatever's loudest or the latest emergency. And then nothing actually gets done.
Right. And another crucial part of this is having a really solid definition of done. Meaning. The source materials are very clear on this. The whole team needs to be on the same page about what finished really means.
It's not just about the code working. Right? Of course not. It means it's actually ready for customers tested, reviewed, documented, the whole 9 yards. Exactly.
Otherwise, you've got a backlog full of tasks that look done but actually have a ton of hidden work before they can be released. And that hidden work is like hidden interest on a loan. It seems small at first, but then all of a sudden, bam. Reality hits you hard. So a clear definition of done is key for avoiding those surprises.
For sure. But how do we actually tackle that debt? Our sources suggest working it into our normal flow, even dedicating maybe 15% of each sprint to address it. Like routine maintenance. Exactly.
You wouldn't wait till the roof caves in to fix it, would you? Not if I could avoid it. But that 15%, it seems like a lot when there's so many new features we could be building. It's an investment though. Addressing technical debt head on reduces the need for rework later, which leads to faster, smoother development down the road.
It's about playing the long game. Exactly. And here's where it gets really interesting. The sources strongly recommend giving teams a lot of autonomy in choosing which technical debt items to work on within that 15%. Autonomy, meaning, like, letting the team decide.
Yep. They're often the ones closest to the code. They know where things are fragile and where a little refactoring could make a big difference. Giving them that ownership makes them feel more responsible, and the work is usually better quality too. Yeah.
It makes sense. Trusting the team's judgment probably leads to better solutions as well. Totally. But it's not just about code, is it? Our sources also talk about the importance of the human side of things, the people, and the learning.
Right. Like the team itself. Exactly. The source material really stresses that continuous learning is crucial, not just for people's growth, but for managing technical debt well. So a team that's always learning new technologies and best practices is less likely to create unnecessary debt in the first place.
You got it. Investing in the team's education actually pays off by reducing technical debt later on. Who knew professional development was such a powerful tool for this? It's like compound interest in a knowledge bank. The better the team understands things, the tougher the challenges they can handle, which means even more learning and better products.
A total win win. And speaking of unexpected tools, one source really surprised me by emphasizing, checklists. Checklists. Really? Yep.
Checklists. You'd think those belong more in, like, a pilot's cockpit or an operating room. Right. But the source material had this really interesting case study about Boeing bombers back in the 19 thirties. Wow.
Boeing bombers. That's a blast from the past. What do bombers have to do with software? It shows that even the most skilled people can make mistakes under pressure. The Boeing model 299, this revolutionary bomber back then, it crashed during a test flight because the pilots forgot to disengage a crucial control lock.
Oh, no. Just from forgetting one thing. Yeah. They were overwhelmed by how complex the plane was, and they just missed it. And it turns out a simple checklist could have prevented that crash.
Wow. So a checklist could have saved the day. Exactly. It would have ensured they didn't miss any crucial steps even with all that pressure. So how do we apply that kind of thinking to software development?
Think about things like code reviews, testing, deployments, basically any process where consistency and attention to detail are critical. I see. So it's not about mindless bureaucracy, but using checklists to constantly improve catching those little bugs before they turn into major headaches. Precisely. And just like prioritizing technical debt, the source material emphasizes that these checklists should be living documents.
They should evolve as the team learns and the product changes. It's about making that knowledge clear and accessible for everyone on the team. It's about making sure everyone is on the same page and working together effectively. And it's amazing how such simple tools like checklists and prioritize backlogs can have such a big impact on the quality and efficiency of software development. It challenges the idea that the best solutions have to be super complex or cutting edge.
Right? Sometimes it's just about mastering the basics. Absolutely. It's about having a culture of constant learning and improvement, trusting your team, and really focusing on those core principles that lead to success that lasts. That's a great way to put it.
It's funny, isn't it, how we talk about technical debt, kinda like it's money we owe. Yeah. It's a pretty powerful analogy. Right. And what I find interesting is how the sources stress that it's not about getting rid of all deck.
Like wiping the slate clean. Yeah. Yeah. Especially in software development, things change so fast that it's practically impossible. It's like trying to live your life without ever owing anything.
Sounds nice, but Not really realistic. Exactly. It's more about making smart decisions along the way, knowing what you're taking on and balancing, you know, getting those features out there with making sure your code base doesn't totally fall apart down the line. It's like that difference between good debt and bad debt they talk about with personal finances. You know, like, taking on debt for school or buying a house.
Yeah. That can be a good investment even if it costs you in the short term. Right. But then you've got that credit card debt from all those impulse buys. Oh, yeah.
That's when you gotta worry. Exactly. And it's kinda similar with technical debt. If you take it on strategically to get ahead of the competition or meet a big deadline That can be a calculated risk. Yep.
But when you're always cutting corners, writing messy code, ignoring all those little problems That's how you end up in bad debt territory. And it can spiral out of control so fast. One source even mentioned that technical debt can actually be a sign that there are bigger problems in the organization. Oh, that's interesting. What do they mean by that?
Well, they suggest that if technical debt is constantly building up, it could mean teams aren't communicating well. Makes sense. Or that priorities are all mixed up, or maybe quality just isn't a big focus. So it's like a symptom of something deeper. Yeah.
So you can't just fix the code. You have to look at the systems and processes that caused the debt in the first place. We've got to fix the root of the problem. Exactly. And you mentioned earlier that the sources offer a lot of practical strategies for managing this debt.
What are some of the things they recommend? Well, they really emphasize having a well maintained backlog, you know, one that's organized and prioritized. Using methods like Moscow must have, should have, could have, won't have can really help teams figure out what to tackle first. I like that. It makes things so much clearer.
Right. And they also stressed having a super clear definition of done. Making sure the whole team is on the same page about what finished means can save a lot of trouble later on. So no more almost done or 90% there? Nope.
Everyone knows exactly what's expected. And I remember you mentioned retrospectives earlier. How do those fit in? They're great for creating a space where the team can look back and see what worked, what didn't, and how to improve things. Really valuable for catching technical debt early on.
So it's all about constantly learning and getting better. Right? Yep. Moving away from blaming each other and towards a culture where everyone is learning and growing together. It's like we've been saying this whole time.
Technical debt can be a really powerful tool. Totally. And what really stood out to me from the sources was how they emphasize that it's not about wiping out all technical debt. Yeah. Like starting with a completely clean slate.
Right. Especially in software development, things change so rapidly. It's practically impossible to have 0 debt. It's kinda like in life. Aiming for 0 debt sounds great, but But it's not very realistic.
Exactly. It's about being smart, understanding what you're taking on, and balancing shipping new features with keeping the code base maintainable in the long run. Yeah. It's like choosing your battles. When do you sprint ahead, and when do you need to slow down and make sure you're not building on shaky ground?
Right. Like in a marathon, you might need to burst the speed at times, but if you keep sprinting the whole way, you're gonna crash and burn. Exactly. You gotta find that sweet spot. And, you know, it's interesting.
Some of the sources even pointed out that technical debt can actually be a symptom of bigger problems. Oh, really? Like what? Well, they said that if technical debt is constantly piling up, it could be a sign that teams aren't communicating well. That makes sense.
Or maybe priorities are unclear or quality isn't emphasized enough. So it's like technical debt is the canary in the coal mine. Yeah. It's telling you something's not quite right with the whole system. So it's not enough to just fix the code.
You gotta look at the root causes. Right. It's about creating a culture where everyone feels responsible for quality, where technical debt is discussed openly, and everyone understands the long term impact of their decisions. And moving away from that understands the long term impact of their decisions. And moving away from that firefighting mentality.
Exactly. It's about being proactive, not reactive. And remember, the sources gave us some really practical strategies for doing this. They did. Do any of those come to mind?
Oh, yeah. Tons. Yeah. They talked about the importance of a well maintained and prioritized backlog using methods like Moscow, you know, must have, should have, could have, won't have to really get clear on what needs to be done first. Like having a road map.
Exactly. And they emphasize having a crystal clear definition of done. Making sure the entire team understands exactly what finished means can save so much headache later on. So we're all on the same page from the start? Exactly.
And don't forget those regular retrospectives. They're super valuable. Yeah. Those give the team a chance to step back and see what's working, what's not, and brainstorm how to improve things. They can really help catch technical debt early on before it becomes a huge problem.
It's like a regular checkup for your code base. Exactly. It's all about that constant feedback loop, always learning and improving. And, you know, I think the key takeaway here for our deep divers today is to really be mindful of technical debt even in those subtle ways it can creep in. Subtle ways.
Like what? Well, it might not always be a big chunk of messy code. It could be a process that's gotten way too complicated or maybe teams aren't talking to each other like they should, or even just not having enough time for learning and development. Like those little cracks in the foundation that you don't notice until Until it's too late and the whole thing starts to crumble. Exactly.
So deep divers, as you go back to your work, keep an eye out for those sneaky signs of technical debt. Think about the processes, the communication, the time you spend learning and growing. It all adds up. It's about always looking for ways to improve, even in small ways. Remember, those small changes can have a huge impact over time.
And it's not just about building something that works. It's about building something that truly thrives, that can adapt and grow and keep getting better. And that's what this deep dive has been all about. So until next time, deep divers, keep exploring.
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