Managing Technical Debt 📝

// TODO: comments can highlight required code improvements. However, TODOs have downsides:

• Easy to forget and omit reviewing
• No visibility outside code
• No tracking of priority

Use Backlog Items Instead

Creating stories/issues for tech debt is better than TODOs:

• Visible to whole team
• Prioritized with other work
• Progress tracked
• Part of definition of done

Grooming Agreements

Teams should have agreements to regularly review and groom technical debt:

• Review longstanding tech debt items
• Add size estimates
• Schedule time to address it
• Downgrade priority if unchanged
• Delete if no longer relevant

Benefits

• Improved visibility
• Measurable progress
• Part of team culture
• Avoid neglected TODOs

Treating tech debt as visible stories improves accountability and urgency. What gets scheduled gets done!