CAPM Practice: Determine how to prepare and execute task management steps

Technical debt is the implied cost of rework caused by choosing a quick solution now instead of a better approach that would take longer. Examples include: code that works but is hard to maintain, missing test coverage, undocumented APIs, or incomplete refactoring. Technical debt accumulates over time, slowing future development velocity as the team must work around or pay back the debt.

**Why not B:** Money owed to software vendors is a standard financial payable, not technical debt. Technical debt is a metaphor specifically describing the consequences of suboptimal technical decisions, not literal financial obligations to third parties.

**Why not C:** The total cost of a technology stack is a capital or operational expense, not technical debt. Technical debt refers specifically to the future rework burden created by past shortcuts, not the legitimate investment in tools and platforms.

**Why not D:** Budget overruns from scope additions are a project cost management issue, not technical debt. While technical debt can contribute to budget overruns by slowing development, the two concepts are distinct — technical debt is about the quality of the implementation, not the size of the scope.