Is a closet tech debt?
Last week, my nephew was over to work on a crafting project. While cutting massive pieces of cardboard in the shape of a sword, my nephew looked up and said, “Auntie, what’s that?”
He was pointing to the Elfa custom shelving supplies I had purchased and yet not installed. They had been mocking me for months, creeping into my workout space, reminding me daily of that project. Well intentioned, I hadn’t seen it through.
That was it. I carved out time a few days later to do the dreaded task of demolishing the old built in shelves. While it wasn’t easy (those shelves were caulked and painted, making them a bit tricky to remove), the project only took a weekend.
Now when I walk past that hall closet, I sometimes open the door just to admire how well my suitcase fits upright, under shelves neatly filled with folded blankets and quilts made by beloved family members.
So what does this have to do with tech debt?
A term commonly used by software development teams, technical debt (aka “tech debt”) refers to the present day consequences of decisions made in the past. Some are intentional, such as taking an easier but less ideal path to hit a deadline or work that was left part way done when priorities shifted. Often, it happens by accident, such as decisions that were made that now make it harder to build a new feature that was just conceived, or components that are no longer supported.
This kind of debt occurs in our own lives as well. It might not be the custom closet supplies taking up space. Instead, it could be the number you have to report in two different places because the systems didn’t talk to each other when the policy was developed. The weekly meeting that often gets canceled because it really should be monthly. The recycle bin you keep tripping over in the garage because that workbench just needs to be moved over a few inches.
So what should we do with tech debt?
Every product team handles it differently, often impacted by the composition of the team, current priorities, and autonomy.
For the tech debt in our lives, the first step is to identify it and prioritize it. If it’s important and can’t just be eliminated, there are three things you can consider:
Address It Incrementally
Some tech debt can be addressed when a team works on a story or feature related to the debt. This same concept can apply in our own lives. When you’re working on something related, also take on the tech debt.
This could be eliminating the redundant data sharing when you’re updating the policy to address a new reporting requirement. Or dropping the Amazon return off on your way to the grocery store.
Carve Out Time
I’ve been on teams that carve out “bug squash” days to tackle product defects and tech debt in a concentrated fashion. Like my closet, you may need to carve out dedicated time to tackle a project or other tech debt.
Maybe you and your team dedicate 30 minutes to review all of your recurring meetings to decide what stays and what goes, what the agenda should look like (check out my tips for meetings here). Or dedicate those two hours to reconfiguring your workout space to fit the new equipment you bought.
Build Systems
Sometimes, the best way to address the debt isn’t to actually address it, but to keep it in tolerable levels.
Perhaps you create a process to batch approve expense reports and timesheets, so it’s just a minor inconvenience to go through the system login process. Or you make it a family tradition to tidy up the common space at the end of each day.
Tech debt haunts us all - it’s part of the human condition. But when we accept that it happens, identify and prioritize it, then actually do something about it, it becomes manageable and we can focus on what we really want to be focused on.
What tech debt will you address this week?
As you think about how you got to your current state of tech debt, you probably realize there’s opportunity to explore this further. Want some help? Book your free strategy session and let’s dig in.
How will you iterate towards the person you’re becoming?
August 29, 2024
About the author:
Christina Von Stroh is a leadership coach who helps her clients become wildly successful by applying iterative software development practices to achieve their dreams. Want to work with Christina to help you iterate towards the person you’re becoming?
Book your free strategy session.
