The Process debt management in software development teams: a systematic review of the literature

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15665/rp.v24i1.3741

Keywords:

Software processes, process optimization, strategies, management, process debt, artifacts

Abstract

Process debt refers to the occurrence of deficiencies in the design or infrastructure of suboptimal processes that; although they may be beneficial in the short term, can generate a negative impact in the long term for the stakeholders in the process, for example: cost overruns, delays, team demotivation, among others. Several solutions proposed in the literature were analyzed, including evaluation frameworks, automation tools and predictive models, as well as the challenges inherent to process debt management, such as: lack of standardization, difficulty of identification, among others. The interrelationship between process debt and other types of debt, such as: technical, social and documentation debt, was also noted, highlighting the need for more comprehensive approaches. The findings suggest that further development and empirical validation is required, as well as a concerted effort to align industry practices with emerging theoretical models. This review offers researchers and practitioners the opportunity to recognize artifacts, gaps and
research techniques present, which will allow them to analyze, refine, improve or strengthen their own contributions, as well as deepen those already established.

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Published

2026-03-14