From Bugs to Bloat: Product Debt, KPIs, and the Cost of Features
How Many CTOs26 Aug 2025

From Bugs to Bloat: Product Debt, KPIs, and the Cost of Features

In this episode of "How Many CTOs Does It Take?" podcast, hosts Scott Porad and Brad Hefta-Gaub dig into the messy reality of product management effectiveness, and what happens when bugs reveal deeper product debt.

They kick things off with a retrospective on a critical login bug that exposed lingering legacy code, sparking a conversation about how product decisions and technical debt intertwine. From there, the discussion expands into the challenges of measuring product management impact, balancing ROI vs. customer friction, and the growing need for KPIs that capture both engineering and product effectiveness.

Along the way, Scott and Brad wrestle with big questions:

  • How do you know if product management is "working"?
  • What KPIs actually measure value delivered versus features shipped?
  • Why do teams struggle to prune software bloat, and what does it really cost?
  • Where should the line be drawn between engineering metrics and product owner accountability?

Whether you're a CTO, product leader, or engineer, this episode shines a light on the cost of keeping old features alive, the hidden tradeoffs behind bug triage, and how better metrics can drive smarter product choices.

  • 00:00 Introduction and Welcome
  • 01:09 Incident Retrospective Discussion
  • 05:26 Challenges in Product Management
  • 16:40 Engineering KPIs and Performance Metrics
  • 18:45 Evaluating Product Management Effectiveness
  • 27:28 Closing Remarks and Outro

Resources:

#TechPodcast #EngineeringPodcast #DevTalks #PodcastForDevs #HowManyCtos #Podcast #Ctos #CtoPodcast #Technology #Engineering #SoftwareDevelopment #Entrepreneurship #TechLeadership #ProductManagement #ProductKPIs #EngineeringMetrics #ProductDebt #SoftwareBloat #ROI

Avsnitt(63)

Engaging Employees in Security Appreciation with Robert Siciliano

Engaging Employees in Security Appreciation with Robert Siciliano

In this episode of "How Many CTOs Does It Take?" podcast, host Brad Hefta-Gaub welcomes Boston-raised security speaker Robert Siciliano, who traces his path into security from early experiences with c...

31 Mars 57min

Building Trust with AI: David Espindola on the Path Forward

Building Trust with AI: David Espindola on the Path Forward

In this episode of "How Many CTOs Does It Take?" podcast, Scott Porad hosts solo and interviews technologist David Espindola about AI. Espindola explains his path from engineer at fast-growing Silicon...

24 Mars 40min

Beyond Transcripts:  Language Nuances and Audio Signals with Carter Huffman of Modulate

Beyond Transcripts: Language Nuances and Audio Signals with Carter Huffman of Modulate

In this episode of "How Many CTOs Does It Take?" podcast, hosts Scott Porad and Brad Hefta-Gaub talk with Carter Huffman, CTO and co-founder of Modulate AI, about his path from machine learning work a...

17 Mars 41min

Introducing the ADLC: The Agent Development Life Cycle

Introducing the ADLC: The Agent Development Life Cycle

In this episode of "How Many CTOs Does It Take?" podcast, hosts Scott Porad and Brad Hefta-Gaub" open with Super Bowl reactions and a meme about non-fans describing plays, then pivot to the ai.com hal...

10 Mars 44min

The Evolving Role of Tech Leadership with Philip Rosedale

The Evolving Role of Tech Leadership with Philip Rosedale

In this episode of "How Many CTOs Does It Take?" podcast, Brad Hefta-Gaub is joined by guest co-host Philip Rosedale to explore the multifaceted role of a CTO, comparing it with the CEO position. They...

3 Mars 53min

Predictions and Reflections: One Year Anniversary of the How Many CTOs Does It Take? Podcast

Predictions and Reflections: One Year Anniversary of the How Many CTOs Does It Take? Podcast

In this episode of "How Many CTOs Does It Take?" podcast, hosts Scott Porad and Brad Hefta-Gaub" reflect on the first year of the podcast's publication, discussing Scott's ongoing questions about tech...

24 Feb 43min

Adapt or Fade: Interviewing for Developers in the Age of AI Assisted Coding

Adapt or Fade: Interviewing for Developers in the Age of AI Assisted Coding

In this episode of "How Many CTOs Does It Take?" podcast, hosts Scott Porad and Brad Hefta-Gaub explore the evolving landscape of interviewing for programmer positions in the age of AI-assisted coding...

17 Feb 30min

From Rave Promoter to SaaS Innovator: Revolutionizing Event Management with Ritesh Patel

From Rave Promoter to SaaS Innovator: Revolutionizing Event Management with Ritesh Patel

In this episode of "How Many CTOs Does It Take?" podcast, hosts Scott Porad and Brad Hefta-Gaub sit down with Ritesh Patel, co-founder of Ticket Fairy. Ritesh shares his journey from coding and organi...

10 Feb 49min

Populärt inom Business & ekonomi

framgangspodden
varvet
badfluence
rss-jossan-nina
svd-tech-brief
rss-borsens-finest
uppgang-och-fall
avanzapodden
rss-svart-marknad
borsmorgon
bathina-en-podcast
fill-or-kill
rss-inga-dumma-fragor-om-pengar
rss-dagen-med-di
24fragor
lastbilspodden
tabberaset
rss-kort-lang-analyspodden-fran-di
kapitalet-en-podd-om-ekonomi
rss-den-nya-ekonomin