The Order of Technical Debt

Every shortcut taken to hit a deadline gets paid back eventually, with interest.

Award it to someone today. Your own email app sends it.

Choose a format Metal challenge coin Coming soon 1.75" antique-bronze coin with a 3D high-relief front, raised rim lettering and a beaded edge. Ships in a clear capsule with a backing card. Plastic challenge coin Coming soon 1.75" soft PVC (rubber) coin with 2-3 levels of relief, painted in antique-bronze tones. Lighter and lower-cost than metal. Ships in a clear capsule with a backing card.Available once the artwork is finished. Die-cut vinyl sticker Coming soon 3" die-cut vinyl sticker of the coin artwork with a UV- and water-resistant laminate. Laptop and water-bottle grade.Available once the artwork is finished.

Physical coins and stickers are coming soon. Until then, you can email this coin for free.

Meaning

Every shortcut taken to hit a deadline gets paid back eventually, with interest.

Design

Front (Obverse)

Top rim: THE ORDER OF TECHNICAL DEBT
Bottom rim: COMPOUND INTEREST DIVISION
Center: A muscular figure in a toga pushes an enormous boulder labeled "TECH DEBT" up a steep hill. The boulder is clearly larger than it was at the bottom.

Back (Reverse)

A ledger book with the inscription "WE'LL PAY IT DOWN NEXT SPRINT".

Finish & Style

Antique bronze challenge coin, ~1.75" diameter, high-relief center scene, raised rim lettering, beaded outer edge. Matches the existing ITChallengeCoins series.

How to Earn It

Complete a refactor or cleanup that removed a significant chunk of technical debt.
Or convince leadership to fund a sprint dedicated to paying down debt.
Or delete more lines of code than you added in a month.

Citation

For pushing the boulder uphill, and for getting it a little closer to the top each time.