Design Debt

The accumulated cost of inconsistent or shortcut design decisions that make a product harder to maintain and evolve, similar to technical debt.

Why it matters

Like its financial cousin, it compounds: every inconsistent component makes the next screen faster to build wrong than right. Paying it down is invisible work — which is why it only gets paid when someone gives it a number.

The numbers

  • Interest, not principal — the real cost is every future screen built on top

Ask your assistant

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