In a recent Forbes Technology Council article, industry experts shared their strategies for reducing technical debt without slowing down the software development process.
Among them, Patrick Emmons— formerly CEO of DragonSpears and now President of Improving Chicago —emphasizes the importance of aligning product and engineering teams to effectively manage technical debt. When teams are under pressure to deliver quickly, addressing technical debt often takes a back seat. But over time, ignoring it can create deeper issues that are more complex and costly to resolve. While prioritizing speed may offer short-term wins, it can quietly undermine the stability of products and platforms if left unchecked. Finding the right balance between addressing technical debt and meeting business goals requires strategic planning and intentional resource allocation.
Patrick offers this perspective:
“Resolving technical debt is development. The Shangri-la of ‘no tech debt’ does not survive contact with reality. It’s a balance of doing what’s right for the business. Making sure the product and engineering teams are on the same page is critical. You should have sprints where tech debt is the focus.”
One of the areas that sets Improving apart is how we work alongside our clients. As an extension of your software team, we solve problems strategically—not just putting out fires. We go beyond surface-level fixes by asking the right questions, uncovering root causes, and focusing on the most impactful issues first. To learn more about how we work, contact us.
Read the full article ‘How to Tackle Debt Without Slowing Innovation’ to learn more.
