Product Debt Audits
Product debt, similar to technical debt, encompasses all the compromises and shortcuts taken in product management and design that, if left unaddressed, can hinder product scalability, usability, and evolution. Product-debt audits are systematic reviews aimed at identifying, quantifying, and prioritising these compromises to inform strategic decisions.
Goal
The primary goal of product-debt audits is to ensure that the quality of the product remains high by identifying and addressing accumulated product debt. By conducting regular audits, teams can maintain a competitive, relevant, and user-friendly product that aligns with business goals.
Context
Some features fail to deliver the expected benefit but they clutter up and make your product as a whole harder to use and maintain. Product debt audits help identify these features and prioritise them for improvement or removal. By conducting regular audits, teams can ensure that the product remains competitive, relevant, and aligned with user needs.
In addition, some boundary areas between teams, such as a setting menu, can be a dumping ground for features that don't fit elsewhere. Regular audits can help identify these areas and ensure that they are kept clean and easy to use.
Inputs
| Artifact | Description |
|---|---|
| Product Metrics | The usage metrics and feedback from the product's features. |
Outputs
| Artifact | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Tasks | Granular work items that need to be completed. | Track the improvement effort. |
| Improved Product Outcomes | Feedback can lead to higher quality deliverables and fewer defects. | Improved customer satisfaction and reduced rework costs. |
Anti-patterns
- Ignoring User Feedback: Focusing solely on new features while neglecting user feedback about existing issues.
- Over-Prioritisation of New Features: prioritising new feature development over the resolution of product debt can lead to a bloated and unsustainable product.
- Lack of Cross-Functional Communication: Failing to involve all relevant stakeholders in the audit process can result in an incomplete understanding of product debt.
- Infrequent Audits: Conducting audits too infrequently can allow product debt to accumulate to unmanageable levels.