Building design debt tracking systems

Design debt accumulates when teams make quick fixes or compromises that deviate from system standards. Without proper tracking, these small inconsistencies grow into significant maintenance challenges that affect both user experience and development efficiency.

Design debt tracking systems monitor several critical areas:

• Component variations: Documenting unofficial modifications, unplanned customizations, and divergent implementations
• Legacy patterns: Tracking outdated components, deprecated styles, and inconsistent interface solutions
• Technical impact: Measuring performance implications, maintenance overhead, and implementation complexities
• User experience: Recording inconsistent behaviors, confusing patterns, and fragmented interactions
• Migration needs: Identifying high-priority areas for cleanup, standardization opportunities, and systematic improvements