Question 1

What is technical debt?

Accepted Answer

Technical debt is the implied cost of additional rework caused by choosing an easy solution now instead of a better approach that would take longer. It accumulates over time and can slow down development, increase bugs, and reduce team morale.

Question 2

How do you calculate the cost of technical debt?

Accepted Answer

The cost of technical debt can be estimated by measuring the percentage of engineering time spent on maintenance vs. new features, multiplied by your team's total salary cost. Industry benchmarks suggest healthy teams spend 15-20% on maintenance, while debt-heavy teams can spend 40-60%.

Question 3

How can a fractional CTO help with technical debt?

Accepted Answer

A fractional CTO can help assess your current technical debt, create a prioritized reduction roadmap, implement sustainable engineering practices, and coach your team on avoiding future debt accumulation - all without the cost of a full-time executive.

Technical Debt Calculator

What This Calculator Measures

Annual Waste

Productivity Impact

CTO Insights

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