application development process guidelines

mods, please move this if it's not in the right area.

i've been playing web developer for a few years now, learning as i go.

i'm at the point now where most of my projects are applications, requiring much more beforehand planning.

so here's the request, what are your development process guidelines? where do you begin? anyone know of any good links for reading this?

you begin by going to your local university and taking a class on software engineering.

It'll probably be a 300 level class so you'll have to take some other classes first.

thanks, i was talking more about web application development, i suppose i should've been specific.

i realize the value of formal education, i was just curious on everyone's own web application development process.

but thanks for the advice

I use a modified waterfall method - you'd probably know what that ment if you took my earlier advice.