UX debt, analogous to technical debt, is that accumulation of negative effects on a product experience resulting from unavoidable constraints in time, resources, and technology and is often exacerbated by teams working in silos and incompletely implemented design systems. We’ve all seen these them. They’re the cringeworthy flaws that your CEO, or brother-in-law, point out to you.

These effects are especially frustrating because the problems seem so obvious, the answers seem so easy, and it’s hard to understand just how nobody has fixed that by now.

The problem with small problems, is that the friction in solving them isn’t much different from large problems. Things need to get prioritized, roadmapped, discussed, re-discussed, argued about, escalated, resolved, etc. And, for something as trivial as most UX Debt issues, it’s just not worth the effort.

The secret is in simplifying the process and removing the friction. And in focusing on only those problems that are in fact easy to solve.

• An obvious problem - anyone can create a ticket.

• A problem worth solving - the ticket needs a champion to keep it moving across the board.

• A simple answer - as soon as it gets controversial or difficult, it’s taken off the board to make room for another ticket.

• Public celebration - Solved problems are worthy of cupcakes.

In the end, solving these minor problems can be the difference between a functional product and an award-winning experience.

At SumoLogic, the UX Debt Kanban Board took up space on a very public wall. Anybody, from Dev, to Product, to Sales, to Support, could create and champion a ticket. And, progress, or lack of progress, was transparent to everyone. As a result, the UX/Dev team closed 10-20 tickets each quarter, without incremental resources or impact to the core roadmap.