Let’s assume, a team didn’t include the apt code annotation and testing automation in the assigned deadline. One developer began a module, but another should keep it all through the program. In fact, the primary developers need to maintain the code for several months and often they may forget how and why few things were added. Testing will be done manually and will be more expensive, or you may have to do partial testing. And, amidst all this, the present clientele is using the software. It will have three major consequences:
- Slow paced delivery- with the growth of the business, usage multiplies; the expenses of the change grow exponentially. Badly maintained code leads to poor development which calls for longer testing, development and development cycles.
- Greater risk- after the software has been used in the production; all the amendments have a poor impact on your business and customer base. It creates a rift between usability and customer satisfaction.
- Poor quality- with poor documentation and test coverage, time and consumer pressure, quality is surely at stake.
Handle debt
Going in for a debt should be a practical decision and one that you can efficiently manage. When you suitably manage a fiscal loan, you lower down your interest payouts. Technical debt is same! you can start by basically focusing on three major dimensions:
- People – raise a sense of accountability and responsibility in your Information Technology, development and product teams. Also go for organizational awareness. Find out how did you end up with tech debt, where does it actually exist and how do you plan to pay it out.
- Procedures- make sure you add every incomplete job to your backlog as and when they arise, whether the work is related to automation, documentation, technology or any other stream. Discipline and visibility helps you to rank the tasks and complete them effectively and efficiently.
- Technology- keep the tools in their place to acquire visibility and get a control on the management of your technical debt. You can make use of a reporting system which gives you detail about code coverage, task related to tech debt, test coverage and more.
Manage the debt
Just like credit card debt management, addressing tech debt also requires constant effort. You cannot think of it as a one-go project. At any point, you may be needed to make a well-informed decision about whether to get into tech debt or not and whether cutting out the corners is important in the given deadline or any other limitation.
Just like you need to go for best credit card consolidation loan for your credit card debt, you need to find the best tech consolidation loan for your technical debt. Going for tech debt is fine as long as you can manage it and pay it back within the stipulated time period. All you need to do have is visibility and awareness. Determine the time when you need to pay it back and keep it in your backlog. It will surely help you keep a track of all the incurring debt and its efficient management strategies.
