I have and have had so much tech debt. I spent a bunch of time this fall and winter re-evaluating tech decisions and the debt they created. In doing so, I got rid of a bunch:
--Otter.ai (it was fine, but, BlueDot doubles up on a few needs, integrates better with Google Workspaces for me, and gives me a better summary and action items)
--Proposify (great software and 100% recommend it. But it took the same number of steps for me to get things to the client as moving to using tools I already have and was more steps to make the things I need than using tools I already have)
--Fellow (it's also great software and I 100% recommend it. But my meetings are with clients, tend not to be interactive in the manner that using Fellow makes sense, and Google Workspaces has upped its game with Meeting Notes and Building Blocks so I can get what I need).
--UltraTax. This one was hard. It was a divorce for sure. I love the program itself, but, its cost wasn't providing the value I needed, especially when it came to access and usability. I've migrated to Intuit's ProConnect Tax while pinching my nose for paying Intuit. The product is fine. It does 90% of what I want it to, and everything I need it to. It's 1/3 the cost. And doesn't have the outage issues UltraTax does.
--RightSignature was a tech debt I wasn't super thrilled with, but knew I needed for last year as a stop-gap solution. I have a couple of options for this year and I'll select one in the net few days.
Things still giving me some amount of tech debt:
--MemberVault - it's amazing and wonderful. I've been paying for it for three years without using it because it's not been a burden and then it's there for me when I'm ready for it. I finally am, and am finally pushing out things on it I've wanted (and need to) for years. I had my own mental block.
--Substack/ConvertKit - I need to use them to their advantages. It's probably an after tax season thing at this point.
--Google Apps Scripts - I should have dove into this years ago. I've already got it doing a ton for me, but the code itself isn't efficient. It's messy. And I have one more script to write.
I’m so glad you wrote about this, and I knew of tech debt, but I didn’t know the term for it, thank you!
I’ve had my fair share of not-great tech decisions that affected my work and my client experience.
There is no such thing as the perfect platform--for project management, for email, etc. I had to come to terms with that instead of tech-hopping nearly every year, especially with client-facing tech...😳
You and me both! It’s exactly why I came back to Notion - I just had to accept that it does what I need it to do in the best way possible for what I need. I was so stoked when I learned this term because I finally have the language to describe a big issue I see in myself and clients.
I have and have had so much tech debt. I spent a bunch of time this fall and winter re-evaluating tech decisions and the debt they created. In doing so, I got rid of a bunch:
--Otter.ai (it was fine, but, BlueDot doubles up on a few needs, integrates better with Google Workspaces for me, and gives me a better summary and action items)
--Proposify (great software and 100% recommend it. But it took the same number of steps for me to get things to the client as moving to using tools I already have and was more steps to make the things I need than using tools I already have)
--Fellow (it's also great software and I 100% recommend it. But my meetings are with clients, tend not to be interactive in the manner that using Fellow makes sense, and Google Workspaces has upped its game with Meeting Notes and Building Blocks so I can get what I need).
--UltraTax. This one was hard. It was a divorce for sure. I love the program itself, but, its cost wasn't providing the value I needed, especially when it came to access and usability. I've migrated to Intuit's ProConnect Tax while pinching my nose for paying Intuit. The product is fine. It does 90% of what I want it to, and everything I need it to. It's 1/3 the cost. And doesn't have the outage issues UltraTax does.
--RightSignature was a tech debt I wasn't super thrilled with, but knew I needed for last year as a stop-gap solution. I have a couple of options for this year and I'll select one in the net few days.
Things still giving me some amount of tech debt:
--MemberVault - it's amazing and wonderful. I've been paying for it for three years without using it because it's not been a burden and then it's there for me when I'm ready for it. I finally am, and am finally pushing out things on it I've wanted (and need to) for years. I had my own mental block.
--Substack/ConvertKit - I need to use them to their advantages. It's probably an after tax season thing at this point.
--Google Apps Scripts - I should have dove into this years ago. I've already got it doing a ton for me, but the code itself isn't efficient. It's messy. And I have one more script to write.
--
It sounds like you’ve figured out rust you need and what to get rid of.
I’m so glad you wrote about this, and I knew of tech debt, but I didn’t know the term for it, thank you!
I’ve had my fair share of not-great tech decisions that affected my work and my client experience.
There is no such thing as the perfect platform--for project management, for email, etc. I had to come to terms with that instead of tech-hopping nearly every year, especially with client-facing tech...😳
👋
Hiiii Megan!! Such a lovely surprise to see you here!
Same!
You popped up somewhere recently and I was so thrilled to see you there. And here.
You and me both! It’s exactly why I came back to Notion - I just had to accept that it does what I need it to do in the best way possible for what I need. I was so stoked when I learned this term because I finally have the language to describe a big issue I see in myself and clients.
Tech debt is huge - not just as a software company founder - but as someone who uses software every day myself.
We should all evaluate what tools we're using, whether they are serving us well, and what to do about it either way.