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Technical debt is not just a buzzword in IT industry jargon; it’s an essential concept that every organisation needs to understand and manage effectively.

In a nutshell, technical debt is the future cost of making short-term technology decisions. It can take many forms, such as obsolete code, obsolete solutions, or out-of-date processes.

Ignoring this ‘debt’ can have damaging consequences for a company’s performance and competitiveness: high maintenance costs, low productivity and, ultimately, reduced competitive advantage. In this article, we take an in-depth look at what technical debt is and how Microsoft Power Platform offers an effective solution for dealing with it.

What is Technical Debt?

Définition and origin

This technique represents a set of compromises made in the development process of a software or IT project. These compromises are often made to speed up development or meet tight deadlines, but they have negative long-term consequences. The analogy with financial debt is apt: taking out a loan can be useful to make a major purchase quickly, but it involves future repayments with high interest. Computer scientist Ward Cunningham introduced the concept of this technique in 1992 and explained it in this video.

To illustrate this concept, let’s imagine that a business needs a rapid solution in response to a business requirement. In the absence of a budget or solution, they improvise an Excel-based solution. This may meet an immediate need, but as a result of various changes, the solution shows its limitations to the point where it has to be completely overhauled: the debt then has to be repaid.

Types of debt techniques

There are several types of these techniques:

• Deliberate: These are decisions taken with full knowledge of the facts in order to speed up development. For example, responding to a business need with Excel or with a specific development without taking a step back and looking at the architecture.
• Unintentional: This is the result of a lack of knowledge or technical skill, leading to the production of an unsuitable solution.
• Strategic: Some companies may choose to postpone important tasks in order to concentrate on functions that are more visible to users, with the aim of becoming more competitive.
• Obsolescence: a business solution deployed on a platform that is relevant at the time may, after a few years, require a major overhaul because the platform is no longer supported.

Examples of these techniques

Each type of technical debt has its own implications and requires a different strategy to resolve. The most important thing is to identify it as early as possible and plan its resolution. Here are a few examples to help you identify them, depending on the project:

👨‍💻 Software development

• Poorly structured code: Code that is not clean or that does not follow coding conventions.
• Incomplete documentation: Lack of comments in the code or external documentation.
• Obsolete dependencies: Use of libraries or frameworks that are no longer maintained.
• Code duplication: The same piece of code is copied to several places.
• Insufficient testing: Lack of unit, integration or functional tests.

🏢 IT infrastructure

• Outdated hardware: Servers or other hardware that needs updating.
• Neglected security : Lack of security measures such as encryption, firewalls, etc.
• Lack of redundancy: Lack of backup or redundancy systems for critical data.

🦸 Project Management

• Incorrect prioritisation: concentrating on functionality to the detriment of code quality or architecture.
• Lack of training: The team is not trained in the new technologies or methodologies used.
• Ineffective communication: Lack of clear communication between team members or with the parties involved.

📊  Datas

• Rigid data models: Database schemas that are not flexible enough to accommodate changes.
• Data quality : Inaccurate or incomplete data stored in databases.

Consequences of Technical Debt

Technical debt, often underestimated, has profound repercussions on an entire organization. Understanding its consequences is essential to assess the urgency and importance of addressing it. Here is an overview of the major impacts it can have on a company’s performance, security, costs, and flexibility:

📉 Performance

A system with significant technical debt can become slow and inefficient, negatively impacting employee productivity and customer experience. As technical debt accumulates, usage slows down along with the business.

🔐 Security

Outdated systems are often more vulnerable to cyberattacks, which can jeopardize the company’s sensitive data.

💸 Increasing Costs

Technical debt generally leads to additional costs. It becomes necessary to dedicate time and resources to fix technical problems that are increasingly complex to resolve.

🤸 Flexibility

This technical debt can make it difficult for a company to quickly adapt to market changes or new regulations, affecting its responsiveness to the market.

In the face of these challenges, effective management of technical debt becomes crucial. Fortunately, solutions like Low Code, especially through Microsoft Power Platform, offer innovative and accessible ways to tackle this complex issue.

Managing Technical Debt with Low Code (Microsoft Power Platform)

Low Code is an application development method that minimizes the need for manual coding. Microsoft Power Platform is a suite of Low Code tools that allows you to create applications, automations, and data analyses more efficiently.

With Microsoft Power Platform, you can create custom applications that meet your company’s specific needs without having to write thousands of lines of code.

It is therefore one of the effective ways to effectively reduce technical debt. For example: an old Excel-based pricing/simulator becomes a hindrance to agility and scalability? A Low Code redesign can be done quickly, take advantage of the latest authentication mechanisms while improving mobility.

Strategies to Reduce Technical Debt

There are several strategies to reduce technical debt, ranging from complete system overhauls to incremental improvements. One of the most effective methods, as you might expect, is the use of Low Code solutions such as Microsoft Power Platform.

But before discussing that, here are three things you can do to identify and reduce technical debt within your organization:

🔎 Audit

Not all techniques are equal! Before taking steps to reduce your technical debt, it is essential to conduct a comprehensive audit of your existing systems. Identify the solutions where debt is highest and prioritize them based on their impact on the business.

💼 Business Needs Review

A solution that is no longer suitable and represents technical debt is often accompanied by obsolete functionalities, as the business has evolved since its implementation. Therefore, it is often necessary to verify that the solution still meets the business needs, which will determine whether it requires a redesign or an update, as well as the reasons (technical or business-related).

🛠️ Identification of Available Technical Resources

Once the solutions are identified, you can then evaluate the appropriate technological response. This is often where the Low-code approach comes in: an old Excel simulator or an outdated .Net application can often be reviewed/redesigned at a lower cost using solutions like Power Platform.

Best Practices for Implementing Microsoft Power Platform in a Company

With Microsoft Power Platform, you can create custom solutions to automate business processes, which can significantly reduce technical debt. For example, you can replace an outdated solution with many digital breaks (manual steps) with a fully automated application, thereby improving efficiency and reducing errors.

Successfully implementing Microsoft Power Platform in an organization requires careful planning and strategic execution. Here are some best practices to guide you through this process.

👨‍🎓 Employee Training

• Prior Awareness: Before deploying the platform, raise your teams’ awareness of the advantages and features of Microsoft Power Platform.
• Targeted Training: Offer training tailored to different roles within the company, whether they are developers, data analysts, or business managers.
• Ongoing Support: Establish technical and educational support to help employees resolve any issues they may encounter.

🔌 Integration with Existing Systems

• System Evaluation: Take inventory of existing systems and assess their compatibility with Power Platform.
• Governance Plan: Develop a detailed plan to manage these new solutions and maintain control over the long term.
• Testing: Before full deployment, perform integration tests to identify and fix any potential issues.

👀 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to Monitor

• Operational Efficiency: Measure the platform’s impact on the efficiency of business processes.
• User Adoption: Track the adoption rate among employees to assess the success of training and deployment.
• Return on Investment (ROI): Evaluate ROI by comparing the benefits gained to the costs incurred for implementing the platform.

By following these best practices, you maximize the chances of success for your digital transformation project with Microsoft Power Platform. Remember that the key to success lies in a collaborative approach, where every member of the organization has a role to play.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Low-Code

Let’s examine the pros and cons of using Low-Code, such as Microsoft Power Platform, to effectively manage this technical debt. This approach will allow us to clearly understand what these tools can bring to your company, but also to understand their limitations.

Advantages of Low-Code:

• Development Speed: Low-Code tools accelerate the development process, which is crucial for quickly reducing technical debt.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Less development time also means lower associated costs.
• Flexibility: Low-Code platforms are generally easier to modify, allowing for greater agility.

• Disadvantages of Low-Code:

  • Functional Limitations: Although Low-Code tools are powerful, they can have limitations in terms of advanced functionalities. Sometimes, you need to know how to make compromises and accept the tools as they are. And in cases where a functionality is absolutely necessary, you add a specific development tweak to obtain the perfect solution! 😉
  • Vendor/Publisher Dependency: Using a specific platform can lead to dependency on its provider.

Use Cases:

Let’s explore three typical situations where Power Platform has provided innovative and effective solutions, reflecting real challenges faced by our clients in their digital transformation:

💹 Product Pricing/Configurator:

You have a pricing/configuration Excel file. You have no guarantee that everyone has the same version, and finalizing a simulation requires many manual operations (data entry in CRM, writing an email, formatting a quote).

➡️ A PowerApps application will modernize the generation of your offers and can directly automate the transmission to CRM, the client, and the generation of a quote.

📊 Automating Reporting Tasks:

Do you have various data sources, exported as Excel, CSV, or other formats?

➡️ Automate the extraction of this information and consolidate it into analytical reports sent via email or Teams. Avoid wasting time on formatting and ensure the reliability of your reports.

⏳ Old Applications like “ ASP.Net  ”:

Imagine you have a solution for managing customer visits to your sites. It was developed in 2009, but this platform will soon no longer be supported as it runs on an old version of Windows Server. The application even allows data entry and processing of requests, with notifications to various stakeholders in the case of a customer visit.

➡️ Rewrite this application with Power Platform to make it mobile, integrate it with Teams, and get rid of hosting and managing the underlying platform. Draw inspiration from SIDEL and see how they improved their on-site visit management.

These use cases perfectly illustrate how Power Platform turns everyday challenges into innovative and accessible solutions. At Qwerio, we are committed to guiding our clients toward these agile and customized solutions, paving the way for a successful and dynamic digital transformation.

Conclusion

To conclude this article on managing technical debt with Low-Code and Microsoft Power Platform, it is essential to emphasize the importance of a proactive and informed approach to managing technologies within businesses. While technical debt is often inevitable, it can be controlled and reduced through strategic choices and appropriate tools.

Microsoft Power Platform presents itself as an ideal solution to tackle this challenge. By offering a flexible and powerful Low-Code platform, it allows businesses to rapidly develop customized solutions, all while reducing the burden of technical debt. This approach not only improves efficiency and productivity but also fosters innovation and responsiveness to market changes.

By integrating Power Platform into their IT strategy, organizations can not only address their existing technical debt but also prevent its future accumulation. This results in a more robust IT infrastructure, optimized processes, and an enhanced user experience—key advantages for staying competitive in an ever-evolving world.

Ultimately, managing technical debt is not just about solving technical issues; it involves a strategic vision and close collaboration between IT teams and business departments. With the right tools and an adapted approach, you can turn your daily challenges into competitive advantages.

➡️ Need support to manage your technical debt? We offer a free, no-obligation one-hour consultation . Contact our experts now!

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

How to measure technical debt?

There are several methods to measure technical debt, including code audits, performance reviews, and interviews with team members.

What is Microsoft Power Platform?

Power Platform is a suite of cloud-based development tools created by Microsoft, allowing users to build applications, automate workflows, and generate analytical reports without requiring advanced coding skills.

Is Microsoft Power Platform suitable for all businesses?

Although highly versatile, Microsoft Power Platform may not be the ideal solution for all businesses. It is important to consult experts to assess whether it is the right choice for your organization.

Resources and Useful Links

• Official Microsoft Power Platform Website
• Improving Visit Management at SIDEL