Spaghetti code and cumbersome integration methods are just forms of tech debt. Tech debt in any form isn't inherently good or bad. Just like financial debt it's

Spaghetti code and cumbersome integration methods are just forms of tech debt. Tech debt in any form isn't inherently good or bad. Just like financial debt it's a tool that can be used to achieve a desired business goal. When misused it often harms the company but won't be fully realized for several months or years. Things taking a week when they could take 30m is your company paying interest on that debt. To determine if taking on that debt was a good idea you need a lot more context. e.g. the Cobol mainframes that run the financial system are difficult and expensive to maintain, but it's still cheaper than the alternative: rewriting those systems. Most startups take on massive amounts of tech debt because it helps them move faster and the company not failing is way more important. Once a company is out of startup mode it should balance goals a bit more thoughtfully.