Engineering Culture by InfoQ
Techniques to Tackle Technical Debt with Dustin Thostenson
Sep 20, 2024
Dustin Thostenson, a seasoned expert in technical debt management, shares impactful strategies for identifying and addressing technical debt in software teams. He emphasizes the need for both technical skills and personal responsibility, highlighting how individual actions can drive team improvement. The conversation also delves into fostering effective communication between technical and non-technical stakeholders. Additionally, the importance of empathy, mentoring, and alignment in overcoming challenges is explored, providing valuable insights for collaborative success.
24:26
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Quick takeaways
- Acknowledging issues like complex code and flaky builds, and using simple techniques such as refactoring empowers developers to combat technical debt effectively.
- Fostering collaboration through pair programming and engaging in practice katas enhances team dynamics and promotes collective responsibility for addressing technical debt.
Deep dives
Understanding and Addressing Technical Debt
Technical debt is a significant concern for many software teams, hindering their ability to effectively deliver projects. It can stem from issues such as complex code, flaky builds, and slow pipelines, all of which can be mitigated through both technical and interpersonal strategies. Simple techniques like acknowledging problems, identifying code smells, and practicing refactoring can empower individual developers to combat technical debt actively. Resources such as books on design patterns and code repositories designed for practice provide valuable tools for developers to enhance their skills and improve team efficiency.
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