Design debt occurs when teams take shortcuts in user experience or interface design to meet deadlines. Like technical debt, these compromises accumulate over time and can significantly impact product quality and user satisfaction if not addressed.

Design debt manifests in inconsistent patterns, broken user flows, outdated components, or poor accessibility. To combat this, maintain a dedicated design debt backlog, documenting issues like inconsistent button styles, non-responsive layouts, or accessibility violations that need fixing.

Regular design debt reviews can also help identify patterns and prioritize fixes. Allocate a percentage of each sprint to address design debt alongside new feature development. This might include updating components to match current design systems, improving accessibility, or streamlining user flows.