Michal Witkowski’s Post

Have you heard of technical debt? It’s a hot topic right now among tech leaders and an important conversation. Technical debt can be compared to credit card debt. Cutting corners in hopes of making something easier on the front end leads to higher costs and more headaches down the line. With credit card debt this can be seen in accrued interest. With technical debt this can be seen in software that’s difficult to maintain, innovate, or customize. It’s a tale as old as time. Speed to market over everything, right? Unfortunately, companies taking short cuts in favor of hitting deadlines ends up costing more in the long run. We recently surveyed over 700 technology leaders on topics like technical debt and other challenges that are top of mind. Want to see the data? Shoot me a message (no catch).

Technical debt. Today, I read an amazing definition for technical debt. It’s code written by someone else. A lot of other wisdom about technical debt in this article https://lnkd.in/d5E_c6-g

Hey my dear nerds—uh, I mean, my dear friends! 🤓 This time, I’m breaking down what technical debt really is. It's not something to fear or be ashamed of, but it does require careful management. Think of it like financial debt: it can help you move faster now, but if you don't pay it off, it can really slow you down later. Check out my latest blog post where I explain how to balance short-term wins with long-term stability. Let’s make tech debt work for us, not against us! https://lnkd.in/ermHrkzK #TechnicalDebt #SoftwareEngineering #WebDevelopment #CodingTips

The Silent Drain 😶 : Why Ignoring Tech Debt Costs You Big Time We all know tech debt exists – that ever-growing pile of outdated code, clunky processes, and legacy systems. But what if I told you this debt isn't just slowing you down, it's costing you real money? Here's how tech debt silently drains your resources: * Delayed Time to Market ⏲ 📉 : Features take longer to build because of inefficient code and processes. Every day a feature is delayed translates to lost revenue. * Maintenance Headaches 🤕 : Debugging and fixing tech debt eats into valuable developer time. That's time they could be spending on innovation and new projects, not fighting fires in the codebase. * Spaghetti Code = Higher Costs 🍝 💰 : Tech debt leads to messy, hard-to-maintain code. This means more time and resources spent fixing bugs and making changes, further increasing project costs. Think of tech debt as a hidden tax on your development process. Ignoring it might seem like the easy option, but it's a recipe for wasted time, lost revenue, and ultimately, a less competitive product. Ready to break free from the silent drain? Check out my latest blog post where I'll share actionable tips for tackling tech debt across teams and explain the impact to your cross functional partners. https://lnkd.in/ee3Nc5BA

Ever wondered what lies beneath technical debt? ➡️Financial Implications: Hidden costs grow over time, like interest on a loan. ➡️Cultural Impact: Quick fixes spread, hurting quality and planning, like weeds in a garden. ➡️Team Morale: Constant fixes frustrate and kill creativity, like a craftsman fixing tools instead of creating. ➡️Innovation Cost: Debt makes it hard to adopt new tech, slowing progress, like running with weights on your ankles. How to Fix It: ✅ Regular code reviews to catch issues early. ✅ Refactor code to improve structure. ✅ Prioritize long-term solutions over quick fixes. ✅ Invest in continuous learning and training. Practice: ✅ Maintain clear documentation. ✅ Foster a culture of quality and accountability. ✅ Set realistic deadlines to avoid cutting corners. ✅ Regularly update and review technical debt. Address it now for a healthier, more innovative future! #technicaldebt #innovation #teamwork #productivity #growth

Technical debt isn't just a glitch in the matrix. It's the silent killer of your data product's time-to-delivery. Imagine launching your data product ahead of schedule. Your team is energized, your users are thrilled, and your competitors are left wondering how you did it. This isn't a pipe dream. It's entirely possible when you tackle technical debt head-on. Most see technical debt as a necessary evil. A byproduct of rapid development. But here's a perspective you might not have considered: managing technical debt is an opportunity. An opportunity to refine processes, improve efficiency, and significantly boost your team's delivery speed. How, you ask? Begin by embedding quality control from the get-go. Make debt reduction a part of your development cycle, not an afterthought. Invest in continuous education for your team, ensuring everyone is up-to-date with the best practices and tools that prevent debt accumulation. Lastly, make it a team mission to regularly refactor and optimize code, turning this practice into a norm rather than a nuisance. Transforming how you handle technical debt can dramatically shorten your time-to-delivery. It's about shifting perspectives, refining processes, and embracing a culture of continuous improvement. Ready to leave your competitors in the dust? Start viewing technical debt not as a hindrance but as a catalyst for innovation and efficiency. Your data product—and your customers—will thank you for it. Let's revolutionize the way we approach technical debt. Who's with me?

Managing Technical Debt in a Technology World

If you’re in a room full of engineers and CEOs and want to start an argument, just bring up technical debt. “I waste so much time fighting fires due to outdated infrastructure, it’s crazy we haven’t fixed it yet!” “But like, how much time exactly?” Both perspectives are valid. The problem is that tech debt is notoriously difficult to measure. The pain is real, but engineers lack the tools to put a dollar sign on it. You can actually measure tech debt. I have done it and others have done it too. This article outlines three manual approaches for measuring tech debt you can use today (along with real numbers from two years of data) and shows how to establish automated tech debt reporting in your organization.

While there are no easy fixes to eliminate technical debt, it's worthwhile to investigate the potential gains from reducing it. This blog post will help you with: 1️⃣ Understanding Types of Technical Debt: Gain insights into different types of technical debt and learn how they can impact your projects and teams. 2️⃣ Effective Debt Management Strategies: Discover practical tips and strategies for managing technical debt within your projects, enhancing overall development efficiency. Click the link below to explore the nuances of technical debt management and stay ahead in your tech endeavors! #TechnicalDebt #SoftwareDevelopment #TechManagement #Deegloo

Reading over this, I can't help but think about how this applies to MarTech stacks as well as product/SaaS/development. "Tech debt is the cost of choosing quick solutions over better ones, requiring future rework. [...] Technical debt is hard–if not impossible–to avoid. The best IT leaders will plan on tackling tech debt ahead of time, making smart choices like organizing a “tech debt week” dedicated to reducing buildup. Reducing tech debt may not have an immediate impact on your business, but you will see benefits over time."