Introduction: What You’ll Learn
In this simulation, you’ll practice making a strong case for tackling tech debt to your product team. The goal is to highlight the benefits in a way that resonates with product priorities, ensuring a balance between technical needs and business goals.
You’ll practice:
- Explaining the impact of tech debt with clear examples
- Positioning tech debt reduction as a smart investment
- Negotiating for time and resources effectively
- Building a shared understanding with product stakeholders
Step-by-Step Simulation
Scene 1: Setting the Context
Facilitator: "Hey team, thanks for joining. Today, I want to talk about something important — tech debt. We’ve been noticing some bottlenecks, especially with our deployment times, which have gone up by about 20% due to some older code in the payment module. This is slowing us down and increasing our workload."
Facilitator: "With this in mind, let’s chat about how we can tackle this without disrupting our product goals. Sam, you’ve got some insights on this, right?"
Scene 2: Articulating the Need
Sam: "Yeah, exactly. If we address the tech debt in the payment module, we could cut deployment times by about 15%. This would help us roll out new features quicker and make our system more reliable. I think this fits well with our goal to improve user experience and efficiency."
Facilitator: "Thanks, Sam. Alex, from a product perspective, how do you see this meshing with our current priorities?"
Alex (Product Head): "I get it, but we’re also under pressure to deliver new features on tight deadlines. How do we manage both?"
Facilitator: "That’s a great point. What if we set aside a small percentage of each sprint for tech debt? This way, we keep moving forward with features while also improving our codebase. What do you think?"
Scene 3: Building Consensus
Alex: "I like the sound of that, but can we put some numbers to it? What kind of benefits are we talking about in the next couple of quarters?"
Sam: "Sure thing. By addressing tech debt, we’re looking at a 30% drop in downtime due to bugs and a faster onboarding process for new team members. This should help us get features out the door quicker."
Facilitator: "And by dealing with tech debt now, we’re reducing the risk of major hiccups during peak times, which is key for keeping our users happy."
Alex: "Alright, let’s give this a try. We’ll dedicate part of the next sprint to the most pressing tech debt issues and see how it goes."
Scene 4: Conclusion and Next Steps
Facilitator: "Awesome. Thanks, Alex. Let’s decide which tech debt to tackle first. Sam, can you put together a plan by the end of this week?"
Sam: "Definitely. I’ll outline the key areas and what we expect to achieve."
Facilitator: "Great. Thanks, everyone, for a productive discussion. Let’s aim for a balanced approach that supports both our technical and business goals."
Mini Roleplay Challenges
Challenge 1: Product Head is skeptical about the timing.
- Best Response: “I understand the timing concerns. How about we start with something small to show quick value?”
Challenge 2: A team member doesn’t see the urgency in reducing tech debt.
- Best Response: “Dealing with tech debt now prevents bigger issues later, saving us time and resources.”
Challenge 3: Product Head insists on prioritizing feature delivery over tech debt reduction.
- Best Response: “I hear you. What if we integrate small tech debt tasks into our ongoing feature work to balance both?”
Optional Curveball Mode
- Product Head introduces a new urgent feature mid-discussion.
- A team member suggests a different priority area for tech debt.
- Stakeholders challenge the ROI of tech debt reduction.
Reflection Checklist
Discussion Flow
- Did I clearly articulate the impact of tech debt with specific examples?
- Did I propose a balanced approach that respects product priorities?
Negotiation and Framing
- Did I frame tech debt as a strategic investment?
- Did I provide tangible benefits and examples?
Collaboration and Buy-in
- Did I build consensus among stakeholders?
- Did I ensure everyone had a voice in the discussion?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overemphasizing technical details without business context
- Failing to align tech debt reduction with business goals
- Not providing clear examples or tangible benefits
- Ignoring stakeholder concerns or priorities