The best way to planning software

I believe Use Case diagram, Entity-Relationship model and flowchart to design a software. It is extremely useful because I loose less time to program and correct the mistakes. I would rather planning during two months than programming during two months. Why? Because a software with good planning is cheap, fast and flexible unlike a software with bad planning that is expensive, slow and inflexible to possible changes.


All my academic life, I got used to program more hours than planning. My works were not awesome but also were not bad. It was enough to pass in evaluation. Finishing my course, I did an internship at the software company. Bringing old habits, I programmed more than planned. I had a project to finish in beginning of December but I finished in end of January. Why? Bad planning! My boss was angry with me for I did not meet deadline. I confess that is not good to see my boss angered!


I learned a lot with that mistake. From that, to develop any software, I always make Use Case diagram, Entity-Relationship model and flowchart. Use Case diagram is very abstract and easy to understand what the actor's goal. Entity-Relationship is used to define tables on database. Without this model, I would be lost. The flowchart is used to define software's logic.


With those three tools of planning, I spend less time to program, more time to planning, I am able to meet deadline and my boss will be happy with my work.