Software Design Methods

Does anyone here use a method learned (out of a book or from a class) when designing software? Or do you write like I do; give a little bit of thought to the desired output and then start typing and testing and tweaking until the desired outcome is reached?

Most times when I start a project, I need to write a few little test programs to understand how things might be made to work. Often times, the last test program winds up getting expanded and re-written to produce the final deliverable. All of the time, my programs interface with one-of-a-kind hardware that others here in the office design and build (interface using RS-232). I (and others here) are wondering if there is a more sensible/efficient way to design and complete projects.

Any comments?

Outline what you need to accomplish.

Then while you program there's as little ambiguity as possible.

Also, commenting where you need to, avoiding comments if you can though(through making your code readable).

It often saves time to type out variable names than trying to figure out what a particular acronym/abbr. means.

Procedure headers help out quite a bit.

Try to functionalize as much code as you can. That way you pretty much create your own 'API' that can be fairly standardized, and highly optimized.