Technical debt is an incomplete or inadequate aspect of a software project that risks increased maintenance costs if not addressed. It includes imperfect designs, code that does not meet quality standards, lack of documentation, and missing or incomplete tests. While technical debt can increase productivity in the short term, it risks higher maintenance costs over time as interest accumulates. It is important to prioritize repaying high interest debt first while continuing to deliver customer value. Managing technical debt requires tracking it in a backlog and addressing it incrementally.

1. Saket BansalSaket Bansal
Agile Coach , iZenBridgeAgile Coach , iZenBridge
www.izenbridge.com 1

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A metaphor, NOT a theory or a scientific
concept

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Definition
•Incomplete, immature, or inadequate artifact
in the software development Lifecycle
(Cunningham, 1992)
•Aspects of the software we know are wrong,
but don’t have time to fix now
•Tasks that were left undone, but that run a
risk of causing future problems if not completed
•Imperfect design and code implementation

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Benefits
Higher software productivity in the current release
Lower cost of current release
Costs
“Interest” – increased maintenance costs
The risk that the debt gets out of control

6. 6
Principal
The cost of eliminating a Technical Debt instance RIGHT NOW
Interest
The cost, over any period of time, of NOT eliminating a
Technical Debt instance
Interest is where the risk lies
Unlike financial debt, Technical Debt interest will change over
time

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•Unfit design
• Defects
• Insufficient test coverage
• Excessive manual testing
• Poor integration and release
management
• Documentation debt

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•Strong technical
Practices
•Strong definition of
Done

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•Business level
•Defects
•Product backlog item
•Technical debt backlog

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•Not all needs to be paid
•Repay the High Interest debt
first
•Repay Incrementally
•Repay while working on
Customer Valued work

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/lindsaydeebunny/5067199371/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurensteffen/5504621461/

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QuizQuiz

17. A. Progressive Elaboration
B. Rolling wave planning
C. Emergent design
D. Technical Debt
www.iZenBridge.com 17
0%0%0%
100%
Votes
A
B
C
D

18. A. Defect
B. Technical debt in
Product Backlog
C. By creating special
technical debt backlog
D. All of the above
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10%
53%
0%
37%
Votes
A
B
C
D

19. A. Higher velocity in the
current Iteration
B. Adaptable product
C. Low Maintenance cost
D. None of the above
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33%
17%
6%
44%
Votes
A
B
C
D

20. A. The cost, over any period
of time, if not eliminating
a Technical Debt instance
B. The cost of eliminating a
Technical Debt instance
right now
C. The cost of maintaining
the technical debt
product backlog items
D. The cost of tracking
defects for technical debt
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41%
41%
6% 12%
Votes
A
B
C
D

21. A. Product component which
requires frequent changes
B. Product Component
which is rarely used and
almost never modified
C. Product Component
which is going through
implementation
D. Product Component yet to
get implemented
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53%
0%
35%
12%
Votes
A
B
C
D

22. 1. http://www.technicaldebt.umbc.edu/
 2. Essential Scrum: A Practical Guide to the Most Popular Agile
Process By: Kenneth S. Rubin
1. http://www.technicaldebt.umbc.edu/
 2. Essential Scrum: A Practical Guide to the Most Popular Agile
Process By: Kenneth S. Rubin
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Saket Bansal
Saket.Bansal@iZenBridge.com
M: +91-9910802561
Web: www.iZenBridge.com
LinkedIn:
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Twitter: Saket_tg