SPaMCAST 301- Technical Debt Essay

Software Process and Measurement Cast number 301 features our essay on technical debt. Technical debt is the work not done or the shortcuts taken when delivering a product. We all take shortcuts, but at what cost? The essay begins: Technical debt is a term coined by Ward Cunningham to represent the work not done or the shortcuts taken when delivering a product. In almost every circumstance there are multiple paths than can be taken to deliver a functional product. For example, when documenting the code you are writing there is a difference between explaining exactly what the code does in detail and being terse and a bit oblique (I can hear the rationalization, “they can just read the code”). The code runs, but if there is ever a problem it will take longer to diagnose the problem. Whether fixing a defect or rewriting the code, if there is a delay caused by figuring out the code, that represents the 'debt' of technical debt. Technical debt is applied to software, but the phrase can be extended to any deliverable or product. The work that is not done may or may not be fixed in the future. Until the technical debt is paid back, the debt accrues interest. Whether or not that interest is important depends on your situation. Listen to the rest on the Software Process and Measurement Cast 301 Next Software Process and Measurement Cast number 302 will our interview with Larry Maccherone of Rally Software. We talked about Agile and metrics. Can you combine Agile and metrics without creating an oxymoron? Upcoming Events I will be presenting at the International Conference on Software Quality and Test Management in San Diego, CA on October 1. I have a great discount code!!!! Contact me if you are interested! I will be presenting at the North East Quality Council 60th Conference October 21st and 22nd in Springfield, MA. More on all of these great events in the near future! I look forward to seeing all SPaMCAST readers and listeners that attend these great events! The Software Process and Measurement Cast has a sponsor. As many you know I do at least one webinar for the IT Metrics and Productivity Institute (ITMPI) every year. The ITMPI provides a great service to the IT profession. ITMPI’s mission is to pull together the expertise and educational efforts of the world’s leading IT thought leaders and to create a single online destination where IT practitioners and executives can meet all of their educational and professional development needs. The ITMPI offers a premium membership that gives members unlimited free access to 400 PDU accredited webinar recordings, and waives the PDU processing fees on all live and recorded webinars. The Software Process and Measurement Cast some support if you sign up here. All the revenue our sponsorship generates goes for bandwidth, hosting and new cool equipment to create more and better content for you. Support the SPaMCAST and learn from the ITMPI. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: “This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team.” Support SPaMCAST by buying the book here. Available in English and Chinese.