Technical debt is one of those terms that every business using software will eventually encounter, but it often goes unnoticed until it starts causing problems. At its simplest, technical debt refers to the long-term consequences of choosing speed over quality in software development.
When developers take shortcuts, like skipping tests, writing messy code, or delaying documentation; to meet deadlines, it creates debt that must be “repaid” later through extra work, bug fixes, and maintenance. Commercial Networks regularly helps clients tackle these challenges, ensuring their systems are both agile and sustainable.
What is Technical Debt?
The phrase was popularised by Martin Fowler, a well-known software engineer, who compared it to taking out a loan: you get quick results in the short term, but you “repay” it later, with interest, in the form of extra rework and higher costs.
For example, rushing to release a new feature without proper testing might speed up delivery, but when bugs surface, fixing them will take much longer than if the work had been done properly from the start.
Common Causes of Technical Debt
Some of the most frequent contributors include:
- Tight deadlines → Shortcuts are taken to meet delivery schedules.
- Poor documentation → Developers spend more time figuring out old code.
- Changing requirements → Business goals shift, leaving code misaligned.
- Inadequate testing → Issues slip through and stack up over time.
- High staff turnover → New developers inherit poorly structured systems.
The Impact of Technical Debt on Businesses
Unchecked technical debt can have a serious knock-on effect:
- Rising maintenance costs – More developer time needed to fix old issues.
- Lower productivity – Slower delivery of new features.
- Scalability problems – Systems become harder to adapt and grow.
- Frustrated teams – Developers spend more time firefighting than innovating.
- Delayed innovation – Businesses lose their competitive edge.
How to Manage and Reduce Technical Debt
While technical debt can’t be avoided entirely, it can be managed:
- Acknowledge it – Track known areas of debt in your codebase.
- Refactor regularly – Improve structure and remove redundancies.
- Follow best practices – Strong coding standards and documentation.
- Automate testing – Catch errors early with CI/CD pipelines.
- Engage stakeholders – Help decision-makers understand the trade-offs.
- Adopt Agile – Review and address debt iteratively in retrospectives.
- Upskill teams – Train developers in modern coding approaches.
The Balance Between Speed and Quality
It’s important to note that not all technical debt is bad. Sometimes, taking on “strategic” debt makes sense, for example, releasing an MVP quickly to test the market. The crucial part is ensuring there’s a plan to “repay” that debt before it becomes crippling.
Conclusion
Technical debt is a natural part of software development, but without a strategy, it can slow innovation and increase costs. By managing it carefully, through best practices, automation, and team collaboration, organisations can keep their systems scalable and efficient.
If your business is struggling with technical debt or legacy systems, Commercial Networks can help you get back on track. Call us on 0333 444 3455 or email sales@cnltd.co.uk for advice tailored to your IT needs.
Read More
- Martin Fowler on Technical Debt
- Atlassian Guide: What is Technical Debt?
- Red Hat: Managing Technical Debt
