Stop Saying 'Technical Debt' — Start Speaking Product

Instead of:

💬 "We need to refactor this technical debt."

Try this:

💡 "This takes 3 extra days now but saves 2 days on every future feature. We break even after the second feature."

🧮 The Magic Formula:

Initial Investment ÷ Time Saved per Cycle = Break-even Point

For example:

"This refactor takes 3 extra days now, but it saves 2 days on every future feature. That means we break even after feature two—and save time from then on."*

🤝 Why It Works:

Product managers think in timelines and ROI, not architecture. Give them numbers they can actually use to make business decisions.

💬 Try This:

In your next planning meeting, translate one technical decision into time/cost terms instead of just calling it “debt.”

It shifts the conversation from “please trust us” to “here’s the business case.”

---

👉 What's your go-to phrase for explaining tech tradeoffs to non-devs?