Forms, forms and more forms

摘要

When we are born, a form is filled out by an official and a certificate is issued. When we die, another from is filled out by yet another official and another certificate is issued. In between, we are given the opportunity to fill out hundreds more forms - both in our personal and professional lives. How many people get fed up with completing forms? Come on, hands up. Okay, so it now looks like a Mexican wave at the World Cup! In the pre-computer days, not so long ago, it seemed that form filling was a way to keep civil servants in a job. Nowadays, and with the ease of online completion, it seems that someone has decided that a very long and repetitive form is required for everything from buying a toothbrush to applying for a tender. It is the latter point that I would like to address here.