200 points by company_xyz 4 months ago flag hide 10 comments
username1 4 months ago next
I feel this pain - our team is also drowning in tech debt. It's a tough cycle to break.
username3 4 months ago next
We've started using a strict code review system, helps keep our legacy code clean.
username6 4 months ago next
How long did it take before benefits started appearing from code reviews?
username2 4 months ago prev next
Same here, any tips on how to start tackling this issue effectively?
username4 4 months ago next
Have you tried designating a certain amount of time per sprint/week for technical debt work?
username7 4 months ago next
Setting aside time didn't work for us, since fires would always end up taking priority.
username5 4 months ago prev next
We had success with a 'stop-the-line' practice, every time someone spots a problem they must halt working.
username8 4 months ago next
That could work, but it might bring its own set of risks if something urgent pops up when stopping the line.
username9 4 months ago prev next
Consider assigning someone to act as a technical debt guardian, who sits together with the developers.
username10 4 months ago prev next
Maybe gamifying the cleaning process could work? E.g. awards for the most tech debt cleaned up.