Ok, so I’ve started a new job, and rather than the more technical work I thought they wanted me to do, it’s turning out to be more of a development role. While I’m fairly confident about being able to actually do it, I’m not at all familiar with tools that will help me manage and document the process. Does anyone have any practical advice about project management? Not only how to go about it, but usefull resources (preferably on the internet) and/or software that you know of that might help? Some former co-workers have mentioned IDEF, and I’m looking into that, also something called UML which (as I understand it) is a more software based project management item. So, any Dopers know of a good place to start? While I’m a good “doer”, I’ve never had to develope any management skills, this is as good a time as any to start I suppose, but I’d like some ideas on a place to start. Thanks for any help you can give.
Uml is the “Universal Modeling Language” and is a high-level object-oriented design and process modeling methodology.
Run to your local bookshop (Barnes & Noble or whatever) and pick up a book on it. There’s the following url
http://www.omg.org/technology/uml/index.htm
which may help. Also, Rational Software is one of the major movers behind UML – here’s another link:
http://www.rational.com/uml/index.jsp
Hope this helps
Scruff
UNIFIED not Universal.
Sigh – edit in haste, repent at leisure
Thanks Scruff,
I spent the day yesterday researching, and found the Rational site. I guess what I’m asking is if anyone has practical advice or expiriance with getting started in project manangement. Even the beggining sites get fairly detailed fairly quickly. Is there a good “UML for Dummies” book that anyone knows about?
Well, I’ve used the following books to learn/use UML
The Unified Modeling Language Reference Manual
by: Rumbaugh, Jacobson, Booch
Addison Wesley Object Technology Series
This is the definitive UML book, by the people who invented it!
UML in a Nutshell
by: Sinan si Alhir
O’Reilly
This is a good desktop reference while you are banging away on your UML diagrams.
As to project management – well, there is a Software Project Management for Dummies book by those fine folk at IDG. I don’t know how good it is, but it would sure be eyecatching on a desk. Also the American Society for Quality hsa a bunch of good books on project management and stuff like that. They cover software and non-software projects, which may be to your need.
Thanks Scruff,
I’ll go and see if I can find those books tonight. The problem with a lot of the sites I’m finding is that they assume you’re already familiar with the basics of project definition. I’m hoping that I can figure out enough to be able to use the tools that are out there correctly, and learn enough to talk intelligently about it during an upcoming presentation. Thanks for the help.
So why CAN’T we edit our responses in this damned forum???
Let me try that again:
The American Society for Quality is at http://www.asq.org; they haev a good assortment of books on project management.
I mis-typed the URL a couple o’replies ago, and ended up pointing at the American Sewing Guild http://www.asg.org.
Grumble mutter can’t read mutter great oogly moogly :o