Nonprofits Face Hidden Risks from Technical Debt, Experts Warn

Technical debt can be a significant issue for nonprofit organizations, posing security and operational risks. Bhaskar Jayakrishnan, senior vice president of engineering for customer experience at Cisco, notes that technical debt is a systemic issue, not just a one-off hardware or software problem.

For nonprofits using Android devices, it's essential to review their environments as Android 10 and 11 have reached end-of-life. This includes not only smartphones but also warehouse scanners, kiosks, tablets, and frontline mobility fleets.

Jayakrishnan recommends a structured strategy with three phases to reduce technical debt: visibility and stabilization, strategic alignment, and proactive lifecycle management. The plan involves developing an inventory of hardware and software versions, categorizing assets based on their operational impact and risk profile, and building a staggered refresh plan to harden the entire ecosystem.

A technology partner can provide the necessary visibility and expertise to help nonprofits manage technical debt. Jayakrishnan calls it a 'hidden tax on mission delivery' that can lead to unpredictable risks, including staff struggling with slow systems, broken integrations, and manual workarounds.