Tools and Techniques for managing technical debt

Abstract

Technical debt refers to the hidden cost of extra work resulting from opting for a quick or less than-ideal solution in software development to achieve short-term objectives. While it allows for faster delivery, unmanaged technical debt can lead to signifcant long-term consequences, such as reduced software quality, increased maintenance costs, and compromised scalability. Manag ing technical debt effectively is therefore crucial to maintaining sustainable software development practices. Much research is already performed to identify technical debt and apply strategies to pay technical debt off. But it is also important to investigate the current strategies and advanced tools in order to provide software organizations with the information that enables technical debt management in practice. This thesis focuses primarily on two aspects: frstly, the identifcation of various types of technical debt (TD) using tools, and secondly, the best practices for successfully managing technical debt in a software organization.

The study reveals that tools for identifying technical debt are underutilized, primarily due to a lack of awareness and limited adoption in practice. While numerous tools are available to assist practitioners, selecting the most suitable tool for a specifc project can be challenging. To ad dress this, the research also explores strategies to help practitioners identify the right tool for their unique needs. Additionally, the tools are evaluated in detail and categorized to provide a clearer understanding of their strengths and applicability in different scenarios.

This thesis also contributes to a deeper understanding of management practices by performing SLR, offering actionable insights and recommendations for organizations to enhance their TDM processes. By leveraging the right tools and strategies, organizations can effectively address technical debt, improve software quality, and achieve better business outcomes.