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I went from software engineering to navigating people through German bureaucracy. It started as a simple blog, but applied a lot of software engineering knowled
by nicbou 2y ago
I went from software engineering to navigating people through German bureaucracy. It started as a simple blog, but applied a lot of software engineering knowledge to the problems I face. Simple things like using calculated variables in my content, monitoring German legal texts for changes, and building calculators and letter generators for my readers. I also implement more complex things like a custom static site generator that lints content. It keeps the work varied and fun.
More and more, I also build contacts in and around Berlin's government to effect change at a lower level, instead of building a nice layer on top of a crap bureaucracy.
It has been my full time job since 2020, and it's still going pretty solid. I absolutely love it, in part because the work itself is fun, and in part because I have a kind and grateful audience.
I describe the why and the how here: https://nicolasbouliane.com/projects/all-about-berlin https://nicolasbouliane.com/projects/all-about-berlin
- haakonhr 2y agoReally cool, but as a foreigner in Germany it also saddens me that there is a need for so many apps and softwares to deal with bureaucracy.
- nicbou 2y agoSame here. The German government is painfully effective at digitalisation and it is becoming more painful every year. That being said, things are meaningfully moving since around 2 years in Berlin, even though the 2025 budget cuts digitalisation by around 25%.