Tech Debt: The silent killer of your software development (and how to tackle it)

Technical debt isn’t a new concept, but its impact on modern software development is more pronounced than ever before. For businesses navigating complex supply chains and fast-changing markets in competitive industries, tech debt is no longer just an IT concern—it's a factor that can determine your competitive edge in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.?

Understanding the concept of technical debt?

Put simply, technical debt refers to the future costs and limitations incurred when businesses prioritize quick fixes or expedient solutions over high-quality, maintainable code. Think of it as the “interest” on trade-offs made during development. While some tech debt is strategic—allowing organizations to seize market opportunities quickly—too much can become an insurmountable obstacle, stifling growth, efficiency, and innovation.?

The challenge is particularly evident in what we call “The 24-Month Trap”: a scenario where software investments lose their value after just two years due to factors like rapidly advancing technology, outdated codebases, shifting market demands, and escalating maintenance costs.?

Why tech debt matters?

Unchecked tech debt doesn’t just slow down IT teams—it impacts the entire organization.?

• Reduced developer productivity: Time is wasted on navigating outdated and complex code rather than building new features
• Escalating maintenance costs: Outdated systems cost more to update, fix, and secure?
• Competitive disadvantage: Businesses burdened by technical debt are slower to adapt, falling behind agile competitors?
• Security vulnerabilities: Neglected systems are prime targets for cyberattacks?
• Employee dissatisfaction: Developers feel demoralized working on outdated technologies instead of focusing on innovation?

The global petroleum company case study?

A leading international petroleum company tackled Salesforce technical debt, showcasing the real-world impact of addressing such issues. While Salesforce has shared this example, the company’s name was not disclosed.

The Problem:?

The company faced significant challenges, including costly manual code reviews, poor software quality, escalating maintenance costs, and a high risk of performance issues. Left unaddressed, the debt threatened critical business KPIs.?

The outcome:?

With a mix of automation, code reviews, and improved practices, the company achieved incredible results:

• 30% reduction in technical debt despite expanding Salesforce implementation
• 10% increase in developer productivity
• 35% reduction in system outages and incidents

This case highlights how addressing tech debt can transform productivity and operational efficiency.?

Strategies to manage technical debt?

Technical debt is inevitable—but it can be managed strategically. By treating tech debt as a business priority, rather than a technical hurdle, your organization can keep pace with evolving industries.?

1. Enhance development practices?

• Code Reviews and Pair Programming: Regular reviews and collaborative coding catch issues early
• Continuous Refactoring: Allocating time in each sprint for refactoring prevents long-term accumulation of debt
• Automated Testing: Implement unit, integration, and end-to-end tests to catch issues early and enable quick rollouts
• CI/CD Pipelines: Automate building, testing, and deploying to reduce bottlenecks and streamline workflows

2. Create a tech debt plan?

• Track and Prioritize Debt: Use tools like Jira, Azure Boards, or GitHub Issues to consolidate known issues. Create a technical debt backlog for regular review
• Budget for Maintenance: Dedicate 20%–25% of sprint capacity to addressing tech debt??????
• Measure Impact: Use metrics such as Technical Debt Ratio (TDR) and team velocity to quantify debt and communicate its importance to stakeholders

3. Foster a culture of quality?

• Education and Awareness: Train development teams to understand the long-term impacts of poor practices
• "Clean as You Go" Mentality: Encourage teams to fix minor issues as they arise to avoid larger problems down the line?
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Facilitate collaboration between IT teams and business stakeholders to make tech debt a shared responsibility

4. Leverage modern architectures?

• Microservices: Modularize applications, making it easier to update individual components without overhauling entire systems
• Tech Stack Evaluation: Regularly assess your tech stack to ensure it aligns with current needs and future scalability

Measuring tech debt effectively?

Managing technical debt requires tracking its impact using objective metrics:

• Code Quality Tools: Platforms like SonarQube and CodeClimate access code complexity and duplication
• Technical Debt Ratio (TDR): Calculate the ratio of fixing costs versus development costs to gauge the health of your code
• Bug Backlog Analysis: Identify recurring issues caused by tech debt to prioritize fixes
• Velocity Measurement: Track productivity over time; decreased velocity may indicate growing debt

Turning tech debt into opportunity?

Technical debt doesn’t have to be a liability—it can be treated as an opportunity for continuous improvement. The goal isn’t to completely eliminate debt, but to manage it strategically to maximize long-term value while maintaining the flexibility to innovate at speed.?

Key takeaways for organizations:?

1. Tech debt is both a challenge and an opportunity. Managing it strategically ensures that it doesn’t undermine growth or innovation?
2. Collaboration between technical and non-technical stakeholders is critical to managing debt effectively
3. Staying proactive in software development—through regular refactoring, team education, adoption of modern tech stacks, and ongoing monitoring—can transform tech debt into a measurable, manageable aspect of your business strategy

What’s next??

Organizations in fast-moving industries have the opportunity to set the standard for future-ready solutions. By tackling technical debt head-on, businesses can foster innovation, cut costs, and maintain a competitive edge.

What's your organization’s biggest challenge with technical debt, and how have you navigated it?

We invite you to share your experiences in the comments below.