About me
I’m Daniel Woste, a software developer, and what I like building most are tools that make other people’s work easier. The problems that interest me most are those of large, distributed teams: how do hundreds of people keep track of requirements, tests, decisions and the knowledge in between?
That’s why I founded useblocks, where I helped build Sphinx-Needs and many other docs-as-code tools as team lead. They run in large engineering projects today, especially in the automotive industry. These days I support useblocks as an advisor.
With danwos I now build my own tools – small, focused, each for exactly one problem – and advise teams that want to get their documentation, their quality and their decisions under control.
I live with my family and our three kids in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, near Dortmund. Outside of work, I volunteer – today on the organizing team of a kids’ clothes and toy market, earlier in refugee support.
Career
- today
Founder · danwos
My own tools like monsterbrain, quawa, deciwa and faktwerk – and consulting for large engineering teams.
- since 2026
Advisor · useblocks
I support useblocks with experience from product, engineering and customer projects.
- 2025–2026
CPO and product owner · useblocks
Responsible for the product of a software solution; feature planning with Sphinx-Needs from customer wish to roadmaps and into the development teams.
- 2011–2025
Founder, CEO and developer · useblocks
Built Sphinx-Needs, Sphinx-Test-Reports and other docs-as-code tools; consulting and toolchains for automotive customers.
- 2016–2025
Maintainer · Sphinx-Needs
Developed and maintained Sphinx-Needs, the Sphinx extension for requirements, specifications and tests as linked objects.
- 2022
Funded project · Prototype Fund (BMBF)
Funding for Open-Needs-DB, a database to share requirements between projects – together with Marco Heinemann.
- 2016–2019
Developer of the Jira plugin HeyQL · useblocks
HeyQL brings metric management to Jira Cloud instances.
- 2016–2019
Maintainer · groundwork
Python microframework for reusable applications built from interchangeable plugins.
- 2008–2011
Engineering consultant · Altran
- 2003–2008
Diplom-Ingenieur (graduate engineer), electrical engineering · FH Oldenburg/Ostfriesland/Wilhelmshaven
Volunteering
- since 2022
Organizing team and IT lead · Kids' clothes and toy market
I help organize the market and take care of its IT.
- 2016–2019
Wiki administrator · Refugee support
Ran a Confluence server with separate spaces for several refugee support networks.