1. Technical Debt The good and the bad Copyright © 2017 Curt Hill
From a paper by Harry Roberts and Wikipedia
Copyright © 2017 Curt Hill

2. Introduction
Technical debt is a concept that those of us who work in a non-perfect world must deal with If
All of our designs and code were complete and perfect
Requirements never changed
Deadlines were not an issue
Then there would be no technical debt
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3. Definition
Technical debt is the amount of time and work required to bring the design or code to a level where maintenance is reasonable and enhancements may be applied
Copyright © 2017 Curt Hill

4. General Statements
Technical debt results from poor design which is easy to implement rather than good overall design
Like monetary debt it grows with time
However, nobody profits from the interest
Not all technical debt is bad code
Not all bad code is technical debt
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5. Again
Technical debt often results from premature deadlines forcing design and code that is below normal standards
It may also come from poor original design
Which may in itself be from not knowing how a new problem should be solved
Alas, we all live in a world where we need to get the product out the door
Copyright © 2017 Curt Hill

6. Legacy Code Might or might not be technical debt
If the legacy code has been maintained and accurately reflects the business processes
Then it is not technical debt
Often we just need a smart interface to the modern internet
However, older code that has not been maintained has fallen out of sync with reality is technical debt
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7. What to do? Technical debt is like financial debt It accrues interest
It must eventually be dealt with
Ultimately there are only two solutions to debt:
Pay it off
Declare bankruptcy
Both of these have pros and cons
More cons than pros
Which is why it is always best to avoid
Copyright © 2017 Curt Hill

8. What to do again?
Typically you also have two solutions both of which are costly
Redesign the system
Stop new development and enhancements
Get the product to an acceptable state
Limp along until it is no longer maintainable then abandon the project
Copyright © 2017 Curt Hill

9. Redesign This is the repaying of the technical debt
It typically requires backing up in the process
Thus it costs money and time
When you are done the redesigned system should be far more robust
Copyright © 2017 Curt Hill

10. Limping Along This is ignoring the debt
You market the product as well as you can
The poor design likely results in a fragile system
Extending it with any improvements will likely make it more fragile still
Ultimately this system will collapse under its own weight and be abandoned
This usually results in a poor reputation
Copyright © 2017 Curt Hill

11. Good and Bad Financial debt may be good and bad
If the debt is acquired for a good reason and there is the clear understanding that it must be repaid then it is good
House mortgage
Auto, business or student loans
Using that loan for something temporary generally makes it bad
Spring break trip
Latest gadget
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12. Good and Bad Again
Sometimes the external pressures force technical debt
You are required to come up with something quickly that is debt
If you are committed to do it right after the fact then it is generally good debt
Otherwise bad debt
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13. Students
There is a technical debt of sorts that particularly applies to students
Within a single course it is usually procrastination
Postponing projects and then doing a shabby job on them
In majors or courses with prerequisites
Not learning the needed stuff in original course
Needing to learn it later when not the topic
Copyright © 2017 Curt Hill

14. Finally
Cutting corners is not necessarily bad if there is some compelling reason to do so
Similarly technical debt is not all bad
Failing to repay the technical debt is all bad
Copyright © 2017 Curt Hill