Guaranteed Advantages of Addressing Technical Debt Promptly
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Chapter 1: Understanding Technical Debt
Technical debt refers to the remnants of previous modifications in code. For example, some developers tend to comment out unused code and leave it behind, which is one of my major frustrations. Moreover, there can be methods that are no longer in use but still linger in the codebase.
Despite its prevalence, we often struggle to find a suitable analogy to explain technical debt to non-technical team members. In this blog, I will use the kitchen analogy. A cluttered kitchen makes cooking challenging, whereas a tidy and organized space allows you to prepare meals with ease.
How can we effectively manage technical debt? It requires deliberate effort and several steps, much like maintaining a clean kitchen that needs regular tidying up after use.
Section 1.1: Prioritizing Technical Debt Reduction
It's crucial to make reducing technical debt a priority within your team’s agenda. As a developer, I can advocate for this clean-up effort. However, it is equally vital to convey its significance to others, including the Product Owner and organizational leaders.
Section 1.2: Refactoring Code Regularly
Encourage your development team to incorporate code refactoring into every sprint. As Martin Fowler discusses in his literature, it's essential to clean up regularly. Consider establishing a book club to explore these concepts together.
Subsection 1.2.1: The Kitchen Analogy Revisited
Section 1.3: Maintenance as an Analogy
The kitchen analogy is compelling, but another way to understand technical debt is through maintenance. For instance, just as your car requires regular oil changes to function optimally, we can use this analogy to relate the concept of technical debt to non-technical stakeholders.
Chapter 2: Monitoring and Managing Technical Debt
Section 2.1: Tracking Technical Debt
Explore methods to monitor technical debt effectively. You might consider using some Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to reflect this data. Automated testing can offer insights into performance issues. For instance, I once dealt with a slow API, and our automated tests quickly highlighted the problem.
Don't allow technical debt to linger unnoticed. Keep it as a priority and strive to address it consistently. If neglected, it can accumulate and impede progress significantly. A well-maintained codebase facilitates a smoother workflow for developers.
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