Help stakeholders understand technical debt
Have you ever heard this from a stakeholder?
"The engineering team keeps talking about technical debt. I don't understand what they mean, and all I get is vague technical explanations."
Unclear requests to handle technical debt create a rift between stakeholders and engineering teams. The technical leader must bridge this gap. How?
- Align with Business Goals: The engineering team exists to deliver customer value and help achieve business objectives. Technical debt management is vital to consistently and efficiently delivering new features.
- Make It Visible: Technical debt should be visible on the roadmap. Make it tangible by clearly outlining the work needed and its impact.
- Tie It to Business Cases: Instead of asking for months to work on abstract "technical debt," connect it to specific business needs. For example: "To add a new authentication method for our customers, we need to upgrade our framework first. This update will support multiple authentication methods, saving significant custom development time."
- Break It Down: Don't ask for large chunks of time. Split technical debt work into smaller, more digestible increments. This helps clarify the necessary steps and makes it more understandable for non-technical stakeholders.
- Quantify the Impact: Help engineers articulate the consequences of neglecting technical debt. How will it affect future feature development, system stability, or customer experience?
Instead of asking for extended periods solely for technical improvements, engineering teams should align them with tangible business value. Frame technical work in terms that resonate with non-technical stakeholders. When they understand how these improvements ultimately benefit customers, they're much more willing to agree and spend time on them.