Project Management For Beginners?

lawpoop writes "At my current workplace, I'm tasked with creating a rather complicated and metastasizing web-database application. I've mostly been the sole 'IT guy' at my workplaces in the past, so I've never had to, nor taken the time, to learn proper project management routines — code comments mostly got me through it. Now for this project, it's getting somewhat hairy and I'm sensing that I need to start doing things in a more organized manner. What resources would you direct me to? Books? (I wouldn't mind buying one good one.) Websites? What do proper 'specs' look like? Must I use UML (seems complicated and unintuitive) or a simpler ER diagram? For this job, I just need to provide better estimates for completing features, but what will I need if/when I would be working with a team?"

Agile Software Development and Planning

[jeroen8]

I would suggest to look at Agile Software Development and planning tools. These are lightweight and highly effective, especially in constant changing environments (read requirements).

Re:ITIL

[Anonymous Coward]

There's no I in TEAM but there is a ME!

just say no

[pr100]

Project management is a way for middle management who know nothing about programming to make themselves feel useful and screw up your programming project....

Re:ITIL

[Anonymous Coward]

and there's no u in "winning team"

All my management skills I learned

[wiredog]

in Army Basic Training.

Which is why I'm not in management...

Metastasizing?!

[MaerD]

At my current workplace, I'm tasked with creating a rather complicated and metastasizing web-database application.

I don't think that word means what you think it means, unless the "web-database application" moves to new hosts on it's own..

Metastasis
a. the transference of disease-producing organisms or of malignant or cancerous cells to other parts of the body by way of the blood or lymphatic vessels or membranous surface.
b. the condition produced by this.

Wait, you're trying to tell us you work for skynet, aren't you? Carry on, then.

Re:ITIL

[Anonymous Coward]

and there's no u in "winning team"

No, but there is "me".

Re:All my management skills I learned

[Lumpy]

Because you cant lob a grenade in the direction of the problem to make it go away.

Corporate America frowns on that.

Re:All my management skills I learned

[geminidomino]

Because you cant lob a grenade in the direction of the problem to make it go away.

Corporate America frowns on that.

Pussies.