Business Continuity
Reframing Technical Maintenance for Better Business Understanding
In technology, how we communicate maintenance needs can significantly impact their prioritization. Two perspectives from the developer community particularly resonated with me.
You need to have a Keeping The Lights On (KTLO) budget. Think of it, if you ran a zoo, you’d need to spend some time and money to replace and maintain the fences every now and then or all the monkeys and tigers would be roaming free otherwise.
This zoo analogy perfectly illustrates why budgeting for system maintenance isn't optional. While "upkeep" rarely tops priority lists, neglecting it leads to inevitable consequences.
Stop calling them “technical debt” because it sounds like a new coat of wax on a car... which seems to address ego needs more than business needs. Start calling them “Business Continuity” projects, like a car needs an oil change or brake maintenance.
This shift in terminology is crucial. By framing technical needs in business terms, we enable stakeholders to better grasp their critical nature and why they deserve proper prioritization in our planning cycles.
