What is Design Debt?
Design Debt refers to the accumulation of design decisions that compromise the quality and consistency of a product’s user experience over time. Like technical debt, design debt occurs when shortcuts are taken during the design process, leading to a product that may be functional but lacks polish, cohesion, and scalability.
The longer design debt is left unaddressed, the more challenging it becomes to fix, often requiring significant redesign efforts. Regular design audits and updates are essential to managing and reducing design debt, ensuring that the product remains user-friendly and aligned with the brand’s identity.