Tech debt. Just the phrase can make engineers cringe. But here’s the thing — every engineering team has tech debt. It’s not necessarily a sign of failure. In fact, tech debt is often a natural byproduct of building and shipping products quickly.
The real challenge isn’t avoiding it altogether — it’s managing it wisely.
Smart teams know that ignoring tech debt can lead to slowed releases, frustrated engineers, and mounting operational costs. But when handled well, tech debt can be a strategic tool that helps you maintain agility and meet business goals.
Let’s dive into how the best engineering teams manage tech debt without letting it manage them.
What Is Tech Debt and Why Does It Happen?
Tech debt refers to the shortcuts, compromises, or less-than-ideal code written to meet deadlines or respond to evolving business needs. Like financial debt, tech debt comes with interest — the longer it goes unresolved, the harder it is to pay off.
But not all tech debt is bad. Intentional tech debt — like building a quick MVP to validate a product idea — can accelerate time-to-market. On the flip side, unintentional tech debt from rushed coding or poor design choices can lead to long-term headaches.
Common Causes of Tech Debt:
The key isn’t eliminating tech debt entirely — it’s knowing when and how to manage it.
How Smart Teams Track and Prioritize Tech Debt
📘 1. Maintain a Tech Debt Register
A tech debt register acts like a financial ledger — it keeps track of every shortcut or suboptimal decision made during development. It should include:
🔎 Tip: Use tools like Jira, Trello, or Notion to maintain visibility on tech debt across teams.
📊 2. Quantify the Impact of Tech Debt
Not all tech debt is equal. The best teams rely on quantifiable metrics to measure its impact:
💡 Action Step: Integrate monitoring tools like SonarQube or Sentry to detect patterns in your codebase.
🏗 3. Balance Innovation and Debt Repayment
Smart teams dedicate a portion of each sprint to tech debt reduction. A good rule of thumb? Allocate 10-20% of development time for tackling debt.
Strategies to Implement:
🔎 Tip: Encourage engineers to submit tech debt tickets. Often, the people in the codebase daily know the most about where improvements are needed.
When to Take On Tech Debt (Yes, Sometimes It’s a Good Thing)
Tech debt isn’t inherently bad — it’s a strategic choice. Knowing when to take it on can give companies a competitive advantage.
Consider tech debt if:
The trick? Track it, plan for it, and pay it down once you gain momentum.
Tools That Make Tech Debt Management Easier
To stay ahead of tech debt, modern engineering teams use a combination of:
Final Thoughts
Tech debt doesn’t have to be a bottleneck. Managed well, it can be a sign of a healthy, growing product.
By tracking it diligently, measuring its impact, and balancing repayment with innovation, engineering teams can stay agile without sacrificing quality.
And if tech debt is slowing your team down? Consider bringing in experts. Aumni Techworks helps companies build scalable products, resolve technical debt, and keep their development engines running smoothly.
📩 Let’s talk about how we can support your engineering goals.
