Four remote operations centres in WA managed 38% of global iron ore supply in 2019 and are projected to contribute A$64 billion to the Australian economy by 2025. All software systems have technical debt and while this is well-understood in software companies, there is little visibility of technical debt or its risks in remote operations centres (ROC).  

This study, based on interviews with technical and management personnel in a remote operations centre, identifies 7 elements that contribute positively or negatively to managing technical debt. David will describe how these elements were selected and the implications of their interactions. The use of a system dynamics causal diagram make visualisation of these elements accessible to operational and technology decision makers with a goal of creating greater awareness and open discussion on the creation and management of technical debt risk in ROCs.