In any custom development environment, balancing new features with technical debt is an ongoing challenge. No matter the stack, architecture, or design choices, debt is inevitable—as the saying goes, 'today's solutions are tomorrow's problems.' Prioritizing begins with addressing debt around core platform security, as it’s foundational. Next, it’s critical to perform an objective ROI analysis to weigh the business and user impact of a new feature (and its adoption path) against the benefits of reducing technical debt to boost stability and performance. Throughout, maintaining open, bidirectional communication with stakeholders enables absolute transparency, ensuring alignment on the reasons behind each decision.

Balancing between New features vs technical debt needs strategic planning and decision. “Build now, fix later “ is necessary sometimes to meet deadlines. However some parameters need to be considered to avoid poor outcomes. 1. Intentional vs unintentional debt 2. Clear documentation and communication for intentional debt 3. Assess the impact of technical debt and prioritise it along side new feature development 4. Allocating time slots to reduce technical debt in your product development before its accumulation.

There is a way to combine. Each release has to include: - hygienic (tech debt + bugs) - something to catch up / stay ahead of competitors - something to wow / delight user If you don’t pay off tech debt you will become a bankrupt.

Juggling new features and tech debt requires balancing immediate needs with long-term sustainability. Here’s how I decide what takes priority: ⚪ Tech Debt as Business Value: I view tech debt as a business outcome—it affects product stability, scalability, and brand reputation. ⚪ Customer and Brand Impact: If tech debt impacts customer experience or compliance, it takes priority to safeguard reliability and trust. ⚪ Balance Short- and Long-Term: I weigh new features against the long-term health of the product, preventing future disruptions by tackling key tech debt now. ⚪ Transparent Discussions: I align stakeholders on trade-offs, explaining why tech debt or features should take precedence.

Prioritizing new features and technical debt is about balancing immediate impact and long-term stability. I start by assessing each item’s value, urgency, and alignment with business goals. New features drive innovation and attract users, but technical debt, if left unmanaged, can lead to performance issues and higher future costs. I gauge each task’s impact on customer experience and team efficiency. High-impact, high-risk debt often takes precedence, as it prevents bottlenecks. When aligned with strategic goals, low-risk, high-value features also gain priority. Ultimately, a balance between enhancement and maintenance ensures sustainable progress.

To decide between new features and technical debt, start by looking at the impact of each on the product and users. =>Consider the impact on the product and users of each option. Technical debt that slows development or could cause user issues may need to be addressed first. New features that improve the user experience or meet high demand may take priority. =>Consider business objectives when setting priorities. =>Regarding user feedback, gather insights from users on their most pressing needs. =>Consider the technical feasibility of each option. =>Communicate clearly with stakeholders about the challenges of balancing user requests and technical debt.

Definitely any decision needs to be taken through timely data analysis. With the data, determine first which one has more impact in your long term results; secondly, which one can impacts directly in your revenue; third, how they help you achieve your main business goals/success key metrics; and fourth, the risk associated on not taking the decision. The one that has more weight in your real needs, should be the path taken. Just make sure that the technical debt doesn’t have a new feature that’s substitute its capabilities, because if that’s the case, you already have your answer.

Value of New Features: Evaluate how much new features will enhance user experience, drive revenue, or improve market competitiveness. Use metrics like user engagement, conversion rates, and customer feedback. Cost of Technical Debt: Consider the long-term costs of not addressing technical debt, such as slower development cycles, increased maintenance, and potential system failures. Quantify these in terms of time, money, and resources. Look at Long-Term Goals: Align with Vision: Ensure that your priorities align with your company’s vision and strategic goals. Sometimes, addressing technical debt is essential for future scalability and innovation.

Technical debt isn't bad, it's useful! We create it when we value usable software over a perfect execution. However, we need to allocate time to address it; and shouldn't let it build up too much. Other than that, I don't think this is complex. Include technical debt within your prioritization system.