Comment by jackfranklyn

The tech debt question from _def is interesting. In my experience quantifying it actually misses the point.

The real cost isn't the time lost - it's decision avoidance. Teams stop touching certain modules. New features get built around the problem instead of through it. You end up with architectural scar tissue that shapes every future decision.

I've seen this play out where a 2-week refactor that everyone knows needs to happen gets deferred for years because nobody can attach a dollar figure to "we're scared to change this code." Meanwhile every sprint planning becomes a creative exercise in routing around the scary parts.

The tell is when your estimates have a silent "...assuming we don't have to touch X" attached to them.