A study conducted in Uruguay delves into how professionals in the country perceive, understand, and undertake efforts to manage technical debt. The findings reveal potential optimizations that local companies could integrate to enhance their operations.

Diego Vallespir, Head of Pyxis Research, alongside Uruguayan researchers Cecilia Apa and Martín Solari, along with Guilherme Travassos from Brazil, recently published an article shedding light on this issue. Their work encompasses the results of an extensive survey conducted among software professionals in Uruguay.

Technical debt in software development represents the accrued cost or rework stemming from deficient internal quality, directly impacting the software’s future evolution.

At Pyxis Research, our commitment extends beyond internal investigations; we aim to contribute valuable insights to the broader IT industry. Specifically, we embarked on this study to grasp the current landscape of technical debt within Uruguayan IT firms and identify avenues for advancement.

In the pursuit of enhanced productivity or rapid deployment, developers often resort to «shortcuts» that yield short-term gains but create a burdensome technical environment, making future software evolution arduous and costly.

The study findings highlight a significant knowledge gap concerning technical debt, with only 58% of respondents claiming familiarity with the term. Moreover, there’s a lack of consensus regarding its definition and the software development challenges it encompasses.

This knowledge deficit and subsequent lack of perception regarding technical debt could be a primary catalyst for its emergence, often leading to belated detection where the accumulated debt becomes insurmountable, resulting in project cancellations or the need for redevelopment.

Furthermore, technical debt management in Uruguay exhibits unique characteristics and notable deficiencies:

– Only a minority of respondents (32%) engage in technical debt management.

– Participants prioritize management activities disparately, hindering cohesive efforts.

– Despite their perceived importance, activities like measuring and monitoring technical debt witness low adoption rates.

– Systematization and supportive tools for management activities are lacking, with many participants relying on manual or ad-hoc approaches.

– Interestingly, participants from startups demonstrate marginally higher levels of technical debt knowledge and management compared to counterparts in other organizations. Conversely, individuals from government entities exhibit lower awareness and minimal adoption of management practices.

– Moreover, stakeholders responsible for software product oversight and evolution showcase greater technical debt awareness, underlining the imperative of isseminating awareness among stakeholders.

The study culminates in a mapping of tools and technologies utilized by participants for various management activities, serving as a resource for industry professionals.

In summary, the findings underscore challenges in adopting and systematizing technical debt management activities. Unanswered questions surrounding the systematic adoption of these practices and companies’ understanding of the costs and benefits necessitate further research. Future endeavors will involve field research within the Uruguayan software industry, aimed at devising tailored strategies to support companies in effectively managing technical debt.

Watch the full research here.