"zero tech debt", when understanding that tech debt is maintenance efforts at a minimum, is unavoidable. If a workplace has a "zero tech debt" rule, that workplace (the management, assuming they're the ones putting the rules in place) is placing that unachievable purity above the frank and open communication about their very real tech debt.
Where I was at, when "zero tech debt" was the policy, we stopped talking about potential tech debt to management. Decisions were made to avoid short-term debt (good), but no discussion was had about any longer term issues (bad), because we couldn't HAVE those decisions when every choice involves some tech debt.
When tech debt issues arose, we didn't want to surface them, because we'd spend more time trying to justify why this wasn't our fault, wasn't predictable, or taking lumps when it was our decision instead of actually addressing the issue.
Management had placed the ideal above the reality, so they saw the ideal. That didn't prevent the reality, and it left the reality unmanaged. We did what we could - we all took pride in our work and tried to make the best decisions - but the company limited what could be done.
"zero tech debt", when understanding that tech debt is maintenance efforts at a minimum, is unavoidable. If a workplace has a "zero tech debt" rule, that workplace (the management, assuming they're the ones putting the rules in place) is placing that unachievable purity above the frank and open communication about their very real tech debt.
Where I was at, when "zero tech debt" was the policy, we stopped talking about potential tech debt to management. Decisions were made to avoid short-term debt (good), but no discussion was had about any longer term issues (bad), because we couldn't HAVE those decisions when every choice involves some tech debt.
When tech debt issues arose, we didn't want to surface them, because we'd spend more time trying to justify why this wasn't our fault, wasn't predictable, or taking lumps when it was our decision instead of actually addressing the issue.
Management had placed the ideal above the reality, so they saw the ideal. That didn't prevent the reality, and it left the reality unmanaged. We did what we could - we all took pride in our work and tried to make the best decisions - but the company limited what could be done.