What is Technical Debt?

Technical debt is a metaphorical term coined by Ward Cunningham, likening the compromises made in software development to financial debt. Just as financial debt accumulates interest over time, technical debt represents the “cost” a team incurs when opting for quicker, easier solutions over better, long-term ones. This cost manifests as additional work in the future when revisiting and rectifying those decisions.

Technical debt can arise from various sources such as rushed code, lack of documentation, outdated technologies, or skipping best practices in the interest of meeting tight deadlines. While some technical debt might be incurred intentionally due to business pressures, unintentional debt can result from lack of knowledge, foresight, or oversight.

Why Measure Technical Debt?

Measuring technical debt is pivotal for several reasons:

• Visibility: Gaining a clear picture of existing technical debt allows teams to understand its extent and impact on a project.
• Priority Setting: Quantifying debt helps in setting priorities. Teams can decide which “debts” to “pay off” first based on their impact and associated “interest”.
• Improved Decision Making: With a grasp on technical debt, teams can make informed decisions, balancing short-term needs with long-term project health.
• Risk Management: Unaddressed technical debt can lead to significant risks in terms of software reliability, maintainability, and scalability. By measuring it, teams can mitigate these risks.
• Resource Allocation: Understanding the debt landscape helps in allocating resources effectively, be it time, personnel, or finances, ensuring efficient debt resolution.

In essence, by measuring technical debt, teams are better equipped to maintain a sustainable, efficient, and high-quality software development lifecycle.

Key Features:

• Issue Measurement: Every Jira issue contributing to technical debt is identified and evaluated.
• Scoring System: Each issue is assigned a score based on its severity and impact, providing a tangible metric to measure technical debt.
• Monthly Grading: At the end of every month, the cumulative technical debt is graded with a letter (A-F), giving teams a clear picture of their technical debt standing.
• Workbook Definitions: The application comes with a workbook detailing the definitions for assets and liabilities. This ensures a consistent understanding of what contributes to technical debt.
• Optimal Resolution Days: If an issue doesn’t have a specified due date, the application suggests an optimal resolution timeframe, helping teams to effectively manage and reduce their technical debt.

By providing clarity and actionable insights into the technical debt landscape, the Jira Technical Debt Tracker empowers development teams to maintain healthier, more sustainable software projects.