First step to avoid tech debt is to admit that tech debt is inevitable for a software development and engineering company and there are some debts in your codes as well. Whatever you do you cannot escape tech debt but what you can do is avoid the debt trap by implementing some easy and useful ways in identifying it and managing it properly. It is essential to keep tech debt within manageable limits so that it does not be the potential danger to the survival of the company on the whole. You may find that a little debt is better for tactical benefits and for fast development of codes but for that you have to keep it within manageable limits.
Phase Based Developmental Approach
There are different phases and features of development of a code which includes alpha, beta and golden master. Such approaches are maintained when new features are released and the existing features are addressed properly to make sure that there is no bug in it. This cycle starts as soon as the code is ready to release and reaches the alpha stage when it is ready for testing. When the bugs present are fixed and customer feedbacks come in the code reaches the beta stage. Golden master is the last stage when there are no open bugs present in the code. This stage is achieved when some known issues are fixed and the others are deferred until further release.
Continuous And Chronic Issue
The process is not as smooth as it appears to be as creation of bugs is inevitable and a continuous process becominga chronic issue for the developers of the codes. This is due to the fact that when the team works on the beta stage and fixes the existing bugs, new bugs can already creep into the code. It is now these bugs that are to be addressed making it a continual process. Therefore, it is required to address such issues on a regular basis because procrastination will result in further accumulation which might spiral up to unmanageable heights.
Do Not Let It Accumulate
Allowing the debt to accumulate is the most costly mistake for a product owner as it jeopardizes the mere existence of the company on the whole. Moreover, if you do not address your codes on a regular basis you risk the leaving of the customers experiencing a death due to such unaddressed and unattended codes. Your schedules will all get derailed as you will have to devote more time than usual for the refactoring process. It will also affect the development process of your company which will slow down to a drastic level and potentially signal the inevitable end of your company.
Take More Responsibility
You should take more responsibility to train your team so that no one blames the other for the issue but takes responsibility to address it and pledge not to release a code early in the future without running proper test on it. Knowledge of debt and its consequences is most significant in managing it and thereby avoid the debt trap. Visit here to know how tech debt affects your business.
