LOOK UP WHEN NEEDED
Technical debt
Future maintenance cost caused by today's implementation choices.
An everyday example
Temporary wiring saves time now but needs rework later.
See how these concepts connect
- Improve a homeProject brief
- Agree rooms and usesRequirements
- Order the workDevelopment plan
- Inspect against criteriaAcceptance criteria
A brief explains purpose, requirements define scope, a plan orders work, and acceptance criteria define success. Names vary; the information still matters.
Where this term is useful
These are related contexts, not prerequisites.
Back in the project
When it comes up: When describing an idea and defining version one.
What to do next: Record users, the problem, first-version scope, and observable outcomes; ask AI about gaps.
Open the related method and stepsWhat can this analogy leave out?
A clickable prototype need not be functional; an MVP still needs its core flow.
Everyday examples explain roles and relationships; actual behavior follows the tool, language, or platform.