How outsourcing IT specialists reduces technical debt 

Technical debt can not only put a significant strain on the budget but also put the entire business at risk. We explain why many companies are tackling it by hiring IT talent. 

According to a Statista analysis, the outsourcing of IT specialists will be worth $778 billion by 2028. Of course, it is key for saving projects with a burning deadline.  

‘For example, we helped one of our clients add four senior Java programmers and two ICT analysts to their team. We were able to do this within ten days of the request, although the standard recruitment of such employees takes six to eight months,’ says Marek Greško, CEO and co-founder of TITANS.  

As a leader in outsourcing IT talent in the Slovak market, we are now trusted by respected names such as Zurich Insurance, Sygic, Swiss Re, Erste Group, Accenture, Telekom, O2, Orange and Siemens. In recent years, we have identified a specific group of our clients who, unlike their competitors, have adopted a more efficient approach to managing technical debt.  

Technical debt costs brands almost half their budgets 

Technical debt refers to the cost of additional software development rework that is incurred when a company prioritises delivering a project faster over producing quality code. This can result in unidentified bugs, poor user experience, unstable code or unmaintainable software. Moreover, according to the OutSystems report, approximately 40% of big brands’ expenses are for technical debt.  

‘We consider technical debt to be a pressing problem that few companies are approaching proactively. Although the process of eliminating it can be unpleasant, if companies ignore it completely, they often have to deal with very risky consequences,’ says Róbert Dusík, co-founder and CEO of TITANS.  

Although each brand requires a different strategy, some approaches have proven effective over time. Sonar recommends that companies automate testing and use internally defined programming standards. TechTarget also argues that any technology initiative should look at an architecture that includes mechanisms to secure, manage and support it, as well as integrate it with related technologies. 

IT projects will be boosted by professional support 

The key to eliminating technical debt is to identify where it comes from and quantify its impact. Consequently, it is recommended to take its cost into account in any IT service development. It is also a good idea to put in place an operating model to systematically optimise this area, where a trade-off can be made between investment in business development and repaying technical debt.  

This is where the outsourcing of IT specialists comes into play. Since it reduces costs and increases revenue for brands, it is a popular strategic solution. In addition to saving in-house people’s time and energy, it is also a source of innovative ideas. ‘It’s not just about finding the best IT specialists for the best projects, it’s about finding the connections that will create quality and stable partnerships,’ explains Róbert Dusík.  

Organisations and their teams are also advised to regularly review all ongoing projects and ensure that they do not clash with each other. Furthermore, any technology should be designed to be neatly discarded. 

McKinsey highlights that technical debt is a fundamental problem that slows down any technology-based project. A survey by Software AG found that up to 58% of brands do not have a formal strategy for addressing technical debt. Therefore, companies that do develop such a strategy gain significant competitive advantages by implementing innovation. ‘At TITANS, we are delighted to be able to continue to help our clients do this by supplying them with experienced IT specialists,’ says Marek Greško. He explains that the best minds tend to operate on a freelance basis, and it doesn’t pay off to lower high standards when selecting them.