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I think that metaphor is not very apt, because it doesn't capture the drag on future work. Bridges and roads are stationary. This is why I don't like this kind

I think that metaphor is not very apt, because it doesn't capture the drag on future work. Bridges and roads are stationary. This is why I don't like this kind of metaphor, and I don't like the Technical Debt metaphor. Because it doesn't convey the right concept. It conceals, obfuscates actual truths. - Bad code - Bad decisions - Bad design - Lack of maintenance - Lack of proper business concept understanding Those things mean something, you can make them more precise, but they could be actionable. Technical debt always needs a follow up question: so what is actually going on?

deleted 6y ago
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karthikb 6y ago
I use the example of publics works projects in San Francisco. There's a road called Van Ness that is going to have a bus rapid transit lane running down the middle of it. Should be really easy to do. But it's been about a decade and they're just hitting the last steps now. Why? Well, they needed to also upgrade the utilities below. But when they dug they found layer after layer of abandoned utilities, undocumented utilities, etc. So what should have been a simple operation dragged out for years because each action revealed something new. The city now wants to add bike lanes to Market Street and is anticipating the same issues.
- louwrentius 6y ago
  I think it doesn't convey any new information by calling those utilities technical debt. The issue at hand is self-explanatory.
webmaven 6y ago
> I think that metaphor is not very apt, because it doesn't capture the drag on future work. Bridges and roads are stationary. Poorly maintained roads and bridges ARE obviously a drag on future work, since nearly all other work depends on them for transportation, it drives up costs (eg. potholes start to drive up maintenance costs for vehicles and increase commute times), and reduces tax revenues (whether it is through depressing real estate prices or other mechanisms).

deleted 6y ago

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karthikb 6y ago

I use the example of publics works projects in San Francisco. There's a road called Van Ness that is going to have a bus rapid transit lane running down the middle of it. Should be really easy to do. But it's been about a decade and they're just hitting the last steps now. Why? Well, they needed to also upgrade the utilities below. But when they dug they found layer after layer of abandoned utilities, undocumented utilities, etc. So what should have been a simple operation dragged out for years because each action revealed something new. The city now wants to add bike lanes to Market Street and is anticipating the same issues.

louwrentius 6y ago
I think it doesn't convey any new information by calling those utilities technical debt. The issue at hand is self-explanatory.

webmaven 6y ago

> I think that metaphor is not very apt, because it doesn't capture the drag on future work. Bridges and roads are stationary. Poorly maintained roads and bridges ARE obviously a drag on future work, since nearly all other work depends on them for transportation, it drives up costs (eg. potholes start to drive up maintenance costs for vehicles and increase commute times), and reduces tax revenues (whether it is through depressing real estate prices or other mechanisms).