Technical debt slows the rate at which new functionality can be built and pushes more of the budget into maintenance. Both directly reduce the value a Product Owner can deliver.
Exam Question
To what extent does technical debt limit the value a Product Owner can get from a product?
(select the best two answers)
- A. Technical debt is not a Product Owner concern, because technical debt is only an issue for the Developers.
- B. Technical debt does not influence the delivery of value.
- C. The velocity at which new functionality can be created is reduced when you have technical debt.
- D. Technical debt causes a greater percentage of the product’s budget to be spent on maintenance of the product.
Correct Answer
C and D.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Technical debt is the hidden cost of shortcuts in design, code or testing. Each new change takes longer because the team must work around or fix weak foundations, so new features arrive more slowly. More of the team’s time also goes into defects, workarounds and upkeep, which in Evidence-Based Management terms raises the share of cost spent keeping the product running. Since the Product Owner is accountable for maximizing value, both effects matter. That is why debt is a whole Scrum Team concern and why a strong Definition of Done, which stops new debt from forming, is in the Product Owner’s interest.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
A. Technical debt is only a Developer concern. It affects speed, cost and value, which are the Product Owner’s concerns. The whole Scrum Team should be transparent about it.
B. Technical debt does not influence the delivery of value. Slower delivery and higher maintenance costs reduce the value the product can provide.
Exam Tip
PSPO questions on technical debt reward answers that connect it to value: speed of delivery, cost and risk. Options that call it a purely technical matter are traps.
Key Takeaways
- Technical debt slows future delivery.
- It shifts budget from new value to maintenance.
- Product Owners have a stake in quality.
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