I just had a conversation with one of my managers about the need for project managers and specifications. He totally understood the need for careful management of projects and I was very happy to hear that it sounds like he will be taking steps to take the weight of management off my shoulders.

It’s hard because managing all the phone calls and collating demands and verifying problems takes up a lot of my time, but that’s because it needs somebody who’s very familiar with the project to do it and nobody else has been available. I spent as much time on the phone last week as I did coding. Software is complicated and good seperation of roles helps simplify the development process. I get much more done when I’m given a list of tasks and I can just get my head down and do them. It also means that if things need to be rescheduled, it’s not a case of me saying sorry I didn’t get it done, because the project manager is so close to the developers they hold a stake in getting it done right and will help take the responsibility of updating the project plan and make sure it stays workable.

I also sent my first invoice since June. My shares earnings have alleviated the urgency of invoicing. This one was the biggest I’ve ever sent, by a factor of three.