Technical debt — everything you need to know

In software development, speed matters — but cutting corners to deliver faster can lead to long-term issues. That’s where technical debt comes in. Like financial debt, it represents trade-offs that save time now but require "repayment" through extra work later.

For Agile teams, managing technical debt is essential to staying efficient and adaptable. Let’s explore what tech debt means, why it matters, and how you can effectively manage it in your workflows.

What is technical debt?

Before diving into the types and implications of technical debt, it’s important to understand what technical debt is in software development — and why it matters for Scrum and Agile teams. Technical debt impacts how teams work today and how they scale in the future.

Technical debt occurs when developers choose quick, suboptimal solutions over building high-quality, maintainable systems. This might mean skipping testing, writing messy code, or neglecting documentation to meet deadlines. These shortcuts save time now but add complexity and effort to future work.

Why Agile teams face technical debt

Agile emphasizes rapid iteration and frequent delivery, making it easier for tech debt to accumulate. In the context of technical debt in Agile, this fast-paced approach helps teams deliver value quickly but often leads to trade-offs that require careful management. Teams might prioritize delivering functionality over perfecting code in a sprint.

While this is often necessary, it requires proactive management to avoid long-term consequences. This includes examining how frameworks like Scrum handle technical debt, often referred to as technical debt in Scrum.

Is technical debt bad?

Now that you know what tech debt is, it’s time to answer the obvious question: is it bad?

Technical debt can be either a strategic advantage or a liability. Understanding when it’s helpful versus harmful is key for Agile teams.

When technical debt is helpful

Technical debt can be a strategic tool when taken on intentionally. For example, a team might choose to ship a minimally viable feature quickly, knowing they’ll revisit and refine it later. This approach helps Agile teams meet immediate business needs without overengineering.

When technical debt is harmful

When left unchecked, technical debt can cause major problems. Unintentional debt, caused by rushed work or poor planning, often goes unnoticed until it slows development. Over time, unmanaged debt increases bugs, complicates updates, and reduces team productivity.

Are there different types of technical debt?

Technical debt can take many forms, and understanding these types helps teams address debt more effectively. Here are the most common categories.

Design debt

Design debt arises from architectural shortcuts. For instance, skipping scalability considerations in early design phases can lead to complex systems that are difficult to update as the product grows.

Code debt

Code debt happens when developers write inefficient or poorly organized code. Hard-to-read code or excessive duplication makes maintenance and debugging more time-consuming.

Testing debt

Testing debt accumulates when teams skip tests to save time. Inadequate testing increases the likelihood of bugs slipping into production, leading to instability.

Documentation debt

Documentation debt occurs when teams fail to document processes or code properly. This makes onboarding new team members harder and slows updates and fixes.

Process and infrastructure debt

This includes inefficiencies in workflows, such as outdated tools or manual processes. For example, using old CI/CD pipelines can delay releases and frustrate teams.

Manage your technical debt with transparency

Managing technical debt requires visibility and proactive planning. For Agile teams, transparency ensures everyone understands the debt, its impact, and the steps needed to address it.

Track technical debt openly

Use tools like Jira or Miro’s Agile templates to visualize tech debt as part of your backlog. Regularly review debt in retrospectives to ensure it’s accounted for in sprint planning.

Prioritize debt based on impact

Not all debt needs to be addressed immediately. Focus on areas that slow development, affect user experience, or increase risks. Incremental fixes in each sprint prevent debt from becoming overwhelming.

Make debt management a team effort

Debt isn’t just a developer’s problem. Product owners, designers, and stakeholders should align on trade-offs and repayment strategies. Collaborative discussions build accountability and ensure shared responsibility.

How to measure technical debt

Technical debt isn’t always obvious, so it’s important to measure its impact. Clear metrics and tools can help teams identify and track debt effectively.

Metrics to assess debt

Track code complexity using tools like SonarQube to identify areas needing refactoring. Measure the time spent on bug fixes versus new development. Monitor the number of temporary workarounds in your system as an indicator of hidden debt.

Tools to track and visualize debt

Use tools like Jira for backlog management and pair them with Miro for visualizing dependencies and debt prioritization. Miro’s templates make it easy to map technical debt alongside user stories and sprint goals.

How to pay off technical debt

Paying off technical debt involves a combination of proactive fixes and long-term preventive strategies. Let’s look at what teams can do to address it effectively.

Refactor incrementally

Refactor small pieces of code during sprints rather than tackling everything at once. This keeps progress steady without disrupting feature delivery.

Modernize tools and processes

Upgrading infrastructure or automating manual processes can significantly reduce technical debt. For example, moving to a modern CI/CD pipeline saves time and improves reliability.

Prevent future debt

Implement regular code reviews, follow consistent coding standards, and document processes thoroughly. These practices keep debt manageable and prevent it from accumulating unnecessarily.

Examples of technical debt

Technical debt comes in many forms, and it can affect everything from your codebase to your team’s workflows. Here are some common examples that software teams frequently encounter:

Outdated frameworks

Relying on outdated frameworks or tools can make future updates difficult and risky. For example, older systems might not support modern libraries or integrations, forcing developers to create workarounds instead of focusing on innovation. Over time, this slows progress and increases technical complexity.

Poorly written code

When code is rushed or written without following best practices, it often becomes harder to maintain. Duplicated or poorly structured code can slow debugging, delay new features, and make onboarding new team members more challenging. It’s an issue that compounds over time, especially in fast-moving Agile environments.

Skipped testing

Skipping unit tests or integration tests might save time during a sprint, but it creates risks down the line. Without proper testing, bugs are more likely to appear in production, leading to higher support costs and customer dissatisfaction. Over time, the lack of robust testing can undermine the stability of the entire system.

Rushed fixes

Quick fixes, often referred to as "band-aids," address immediate problems without resolving the root cause. While these solutions might be necessary in the short term, they often lead to recurring issues and instability. A rushed fix today can easily turn into a bigger problem tomorrow.

Missing documentation

Incomplete or missing documentation slows teams down. Without clear guidance, developers may struggle to understand existing systems, especially when onboarding new members or revisiting older parts of the codebase. This often results in wasted time and avoidable errors.

Inefficient processes

Technical debt isn’t just about code — it can show up in how teams work, too. Outdated workflows, like relying on manual deployments or unsupported pipelines, can introduce delays and frustrations. Over time, these inefficiencies add up and make it harder to deliver value consistently.

Neglected security updates

Failing to prioritize security updates can expose your system to vulnerabilities. Ignoring patches for outdated libraries or frameworks may save time in the short term, but it leaves the product open to potential breaches. The cost of fixing a security incident far outweighs the effort required to stay current.

Manage technical debt with Miro

Technical debt is part of every software project, but it doesn’t have to derail your team’s progress. It all starts with transparency and prioritization.

Miro’s innovation workspace helps Agile teams track, prioritize, and address technical debt collaboratively. With tools like our customizable Agile templates, collaboration features, and plenty of seamless integrations, you can keep your workflows streamlined while tackling debt incrementally.

Ready to build smarter, not harder? Give Miro a try.