As a longtime knitter, I have dealt with my fair share of tangled yarn. Years of untangling knots has forced me to develop a system - I look at the knot as a whole, identify a spot that needs untangling, then focus on improving that spot until I get stuck. I repeat this process until, almost magically, the yarn is fully untangled and ready to become a scarf.
I’ve found that this system of zooming in and out also works when understanding, evaluating, and refining any complex system, including my career. I started out as a software developer and, after becoming comfortable with code, I took a step back to figure out where to go next. I chose to focus on learning user research and design since it is an important (and sometimes overlooked) precursor to writing code. The next time I took a step back, I realized I needed to figure out where I can best apply my skills and experience.
This re-evaluation happened to coincide with my Code for America fellowship, introducing me to the wide world of civic technology. The Code for America fellowship and subsequent work with my own startup allowed me to zoom in on the issues that cities face, especially within housing departments. Aware that my experience with cities was only one small piece of the puzzle, I began to think about how I could fill in the other pieces. Luckily, TechCongress entered the picture.
I spotted the description of the Congressional Digital Service Fellowship in a list serve and was immediately interested. This was exactly what I had been looking for - a chance to zoom in on a new branch of government at the federal level to see if I could help untangle some of the issues there. Not only do I get to expand upon my knowledge of the complex system that is government, but I also get to do my part in helping Congress build systems to function more effectively during these unprecedented times. I feel incredibly lucky to be part of this process and am excited to see what our team can accomplish with our time here.