Techniques to Tackle Technical Debt with Dustin Thostenson
20 Sep 2024 (3 months ago)
Addressing Technical Debt
- Dustin Thostenson believes that technical debt can be addressed by focusing on improving team flow and addressing issues such as complex code, flaky builds, and slow pipelines. (2m31s)
- Thostenson suggests that acknowledging and identifying technical debt is crucial, and recommends resources like books by Josh Kvi, Martin Fowler, and Michael Feathers to learn about code smells and refactoring techniques. (4m22s)
Improving Coding Skills
- For individual contributors, Thostenson recommends practicing with code katas from resources like Emily Bash's GitHub repository to improve coding skills and address technical debt. (6m22s)
- Design patterns are valuable tools for developers to recognize recurring problems and apply proven solutions. (7m13s)
Influencing Team Members
- Developers can influence their team members by demonstrating good coding practices, such as using keyboard shortcuts, writing tests efficiently, and applying design patterns. (11m8s)
Bridging the Communication Gap
- Technologists should focus on understanding the motivations and perspectives of non-technical stakeholders, such as customers, boards of directors, and marketing teams, to bridge the communication gap and build empathy. (12m49s)
- When communicating technical concepts, it's crucial to understand the audience's perspective, reflect their understanding back to them, and tailor the level of detail to their needs. Start with a concise overview and provide deeper insights only when requested. (14m40s)
Impact of Quality Issues
- Quality issues can negatively impact customer satisfaction, leading to increased defect resolution efforts and delays in other work. This can affect other departments, such as marketing, by hindering their ability to meet deadlines for new feature announcements. (13m20s)
Personal and Professional Growth
- Reflecting on past experiences, identifying areas for improvement, and practicing communication skills are essential for personal and professional growth. Seeking mentorship and actively engaging in conversations about challenges can help develop these skills. (16m59s)
Justifications for Technical Debt
- People often justify technical debt with stories about why it is acceptable. (18m32s)
- They may also blame themselves and feel obligated to work extra hours to compensate. (18m42s)
Finding Technical Solutions
- It is important to analyze the situation objectively, understand the constraints, and find technical solutions that work within those constraints. (23m9s)