Purpose
Ensure technical debt is identified, classified, tracked and addressed systematically.
Identification
- Code area exhibits frequent defects or regressions.
- Changes in this area are slower than expected.
- Tests are missing, brittle or slow.
- Code is difficult to understand or modify.
- Duplicated logic exists across multiple locations.
- Dependencies are outdated or unmaintained.
- Architectural boundaries are violated or unclear.
Classification
- Debt type is identified: strategic or accidental.
- Severity is assessed: low, medium, high, critical.
- Impact is understood: velocity, quality, risk.
- Effort to remediate is estimated.
- Business value of remediation is articulated.
Tracking
- Debt is recorded in the team's tracking system.
- Context and rationale are documented.
- Responsible team or owner is identified.
- Related issues or areas are linked.
Remediation Planning
- Remediation is scheduled in a future iteration.
- Incremental approach is preferred over rewrite.
- Tests exist to prevent regression during remediation.
- Stakeholders are aware of the debt and plan.