The Tafel Deutschland e.V. plays a major role in Inspired’s everyday life ever since our first collaboration in 2019. The project Tafel macht Zukunft is mandatory in creating improvements in the daily routine of all the Tafel volunteers in Germany trying to make a difference for the ones in need.
To gain a deeper understanding of their daily operations and challenges, Sophie, one of our UX designers, joined Tafel Beelitz last December for a day as a volunteer. This hands-on experience gave her valuable insights into how volunteers use the current software, which is crucial for Sophie and her team as they’ll update the application. We asked her a few questions about her experience, and here are the insights she shared with us.
Hey Sophie, thank you for your time! How did you experience your day at Tafel?
My day started early at 8:30 AM. I was warmly welcomed by two very kind colleagues and the head of the local Tafel. After a tour of the Tafel facilities, we set off for the first markets. It was a cold day, but that didn’t affect the positive atmosphere. The entire day was marked by intense teamwork as we inspected and sorted food at the loading dock.
Was there a moment that particularly stuck with you?
One moment that really stuck with me was seeing the sheer amount of food we collected from just a few markets. So much fruit and vegetables that would have ended up in the trash simply because of minor imperfections. It made me realize how much food waste exists even on a local level – and how overwhelming the numbers must be on a global scale. This experience reinforced for me not only how essential the Tafel’s work is in helping people in need but making use of surplus food as well.
What did you take away from this experience, both personally and professionally?
Professionally, I gained insights into how the driver team works with the current application and got a better understanding of which information is relevant to them and which is not. Personally, I was deeply impressed by the work of Tafel, as it has such a direct and positive impact on the community. At the same time, I also saw the challenges involved – while sorting, we occasionally came across moldy or already heavily spoiled fruit and vegetables.
Want to learn more? Check out our case study on our collaboration with Tafel Deutschland.
If you want to support the Tafel Deutschland e.V. you can do that here.
Sophie Rauhut
Sophie works as a UX designer at Inspired Consulting. She supports and accompanies clients in the conception and realization of digital products. To keep the feedback loop short, she relies on clickable prototypes and prompt testing through user tests.
