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February 7, 2025Most organisations don't know that technical debt exists, let alone understand that it can be critical to their success.
Technical debt is a concept in information technology, that refers to the future costs and consequences of choosing quick or cheap, less optimal solutions over more robust, long-term approaches. Like financial debt, where you borrow money that has to be repaid over time and costs more in the long run, technical debt will be repaid with additional work, maintenance and expenses further down the line.
Technical debt can accumulate due to poor development practices, cutting corners, opting for the cheapest route, or oversight. Common examples include:
- Prioritising speed over quality.
- Choosing cost-effective, limited solutions to meet tight budgets.
- Rushing to meet deadlines.
- Taking shortcuts in development.
- Neglecting ongoing updates or code maintenance.
The worst-case scenario of technical debt is reaching a point where an organisation's entire IT infrastructure, including all software and hardware, requires replacement. Believe it or not, this isn't as uncommon as you may think... We have seen scenarios where systems have been neglected for decades, operating beyond their intended lifespans, and technical debt accumulates to the point where maintaining or updating them becomes impossible. We have also seen massive integration failures where organisations have repeatedly implemented quick fixes or poorly integrated solutions, and the IT infrastructure has become so fragmented that a clean slate is the only viable option.
Other scenarios include technological obsolescence, where rapid changes in technology, combined with a lack of investment, have rendered legacy systems incompatible with the business needs or today's security standards. Another scenario is where mergers or acquisitions result in incompatibilities between systems during large-scale restructuring, requiring a complete overhaul. And then, there are situations where severe security breaches or persistent vulnerabilities stemming from outdated systems force the replacement of an organisation's entire infrastructure to meet modern security requirements.
There are many ways a company can avoid or minimise technical debt, proactively managing it by introducing best practices. By incorporating best practices, companies can manage their IT systems proactively, reducing the accumulation of technical debt and maintaining a sustainable, efficient infrastructure and operation.
If left unaddressed, technical debt can pose significant challenges, jeopardising the long-term success of a project. It diverts resources away from innovation and new development, leads to missed opportunities, and reduces workforce productivity. Over time, this accumulation can result in stagnation, hindering a company's growth and eroding its competitive edge.
Economit helps its clients to take advantage of the technology at their disposal and maximise their return from technology investments. We are an IT partner that is compliance first, and support businesses via an in-house team of experts that build robust strategies and assist in implementing, maintaining, and continually developing them.
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