Why the Broken Window Theory Explains Your Codebases Decay

In 1982, criminologists Wilson and Kelling proposed that visible signs of disorder—like broken windows—encourage further crime and antisocial behavior, creating a downward spiral of neighborhood decay. This same psychological phenomenon devastates software projects: one quick hack leads to another, a single TODO comment multiplies into dozens, and a small violation of coding standards signals that “anything goes.”

This talk explores how the Broken Window Theory applies to programming teams and codebases, examining why that “temporary” workaround from six months ago is still there, why code quality seems to collapse suddenly rather than gradually, and how teams can break the cycle of technical debt accumulation. We’ll dive into the psychology behind why developers make compromises, the social dynamics that normalize bad practices, and most importantly, proven strategies for maintaining code quality through the “zero tolerance” principle.

From automated quality gates to cultural practices that reinforce excellence, you’ll learn how to keep your codebase’s windows unbroken.

This talk would resonate with developers and managers alike, providing both the psychological understanding of why code quality degrades and practical strategies for maintaining and improving it.

• Programming
• Tech Debt