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Case Study

Here are some examples of actual cases we have worked on.
For each different challenge,
We always approach our work with the attitude of "giving shape to ideas."

Case Study 01 : Major general trading company (energy sector)

Project Theme:

Building a brand identity for entering the power industry

assignment

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As we entered the new power generation business, we sought to differentiate ourselves from our competitors.
Within the company, there was a need to reconsider the company's message and vision.
However, when it comes to internal matters, we tend to focus on easy-to-understand aspects such as numerical superiority and service content.
The brand is unable to find its own unique identity and is unable to envision its next step.
Therefore, I participated in the project to provide a perspective that could not be approached on our own.

approach

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Energy is not just a commodity or service,
We started by rethinking it as the "vitality" that supports our daily activities and lives.
Let's move away from business perspectives such as value for money and functional superiority.
I honestly reexamined the question, "What is the relationship between energy and our daily lives?"
Thinking about it as something that concerns you personally, and taking the first step that you can accept within yourself...
The aim was to intentionally create this state.

Output

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The brand language was reconstructed to connect the theme of energy with everyday life and people's emotions.
What kind of people should the brand reach, and how should they feel about them? Clarify the image of the user and the relationship with them, and organize the company's communication methods and direction of expression.
It established the foundation for a consistent tone and approach that could be shared both internally and externally.

Specific output: Apple Watch app "Koto no Ha"

 

Utilizing the sensing function of Apple Watch, changes in pulse rate are used as triggers

**We have developed an application called "Kotonoha" that displays words that soothe the mind.**
Through the experience of encountering the moment when the energy you emit brings you into alignment,
As a company and a brand,
The message embodies "energy" and how to sincerely interact with people.

  • Brand message/tagline definition

  • Tone & Manner Policy

  • Key visual and concept proposal

  • Development of experience prototype "KOTONOHA"

  • Documents that create a common language among stakeholders

Results and realizations

The company's image as an entity, which goes beyond numbers and functions, becomes clear.
A common understanding and direction was created both within and outside the team.
Think about the business you are running from your own perspective.
This attitude changes the quality of ideas and solution proposals,
This experience made me realize the importance of always being mindful of my own rules and values.

And the moment when you suddenly become aware of the existence of "energy" in your daily life...
This feeling became the core of the brand's convincing message.

Case Study 02 : Medical Startup (Welfare/AI Field)

Project Theme:

UX design support for walking assistance devices using AI

assignment

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Developing a walking assistance device that utilizes AI for people with visual impairments.
Wearable devices equipped with cameras and AI detect obstacles,
They had developed a system that alerted people to danger using a vibrating device attached to a white cane.
However, while system development was progressing, the UX perspective had not yet been fully considered.
In addition to miniaturizing devices and improving sensing accuracy,
There was a lack of verification from a broader perspective, such as "Is it really easy to use?" and "What is optimal for the user?", and the "completeness of the product as an experience" became an issue.

approach

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First, we interviewed actual users,
We listened carefully to the challenges, anxieties, and hopes they face in their daily lives.
While sufficient discussion and consideration is important, in cases like this,
I thought the most important thing was how closely we could empathize with the true feelings of the people involved.

On the other hand, when it comes to the implementation stage,
The voice of the user tends to fade, and business and development logic tends to come to the forefront.
As a result, the unconscious thought of "I'm doing something for you" arises,
This will damage the "relationship of thinking together" that we should be aiming for.
In order to prevent this tendency, we will repeatedly warn people not to become complacent,
We constantly went back and forth between the user's perspective.

Output

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Through the interview survey, we were able to hear users' honest and genuine opinions.
"I don't want to wear anything ugly" -- that one sentence,
It reminded me of the origins of design.

The assumption that they were blind risked diluting that perspective.
The developers thought, "We can fit this much,"
Designers tend to resort to futuristic designs.
But that's not the essence of it.
"Would you wear it?" - Start from that question.
Without drawing a line between able-bodied people and people with disabilities,
We aimed to create something that would be natural for everyone and that they would want to use as a matter of course.

Specific output: Headphone-type sensing camera device

 

It is a style that looks natural and is socially accepted.
We propose a headphone-type sensing camera device.
In addition to functional requirements, we placed emphasis on an appearance that blends into everyday life.
Not "similar" but "almost like it"
We felt that the effort required to achieve this was just as important as the functionality.

Results and realizations

By clarifying the users' true feelings and the direction we were aiming for as an experience, we were able to create a high-resolution design process based on these.

Instead of thinking in terms of "accumulating what can be done," we shifted to thinking in terms of working backwards from the optimal solution for the user.
As a result, development was no longer just for the sake of technology or design, but was now proceeding with a clear goal of "development for people."
The entire project was elevated into a bold challenge.

Case Study 03 : Web service and application development company

Project Theme:

Creating a relaxing experience in the office using technology

assignment

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Based on the experience the president himself has cultivated in the real estate industry,
It all started with the idea of creating a new spatial experience that combines technology.
It is not about improving convenience like the so-called IoT,
Reinterpreting the relationship between space, people, and technology,
We were exploring ways to create comfort and sensory richness.
But the direction is still abstract.
It was not clear how to shape it into a viable experience.

approach

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Based on the experience he gained in new business development at Sony,
We approached the project with an attitude of breaking away from existing values and simply incorporating new sensations into our experiences.
Set in spaces such as offices and apartments,
The design was based on creating a rhythm and emotion that differs from the flow of time there.

Not an extension of everyday life, but an "experience that flows like a different place"
We propose the idea of deliberately superimposing the unconscious sense of elation that lies hidden there onto a place that shouldn't exist.
Rather than simply arranging the space functionally,
The intention was to depict "another time" that quietly affects people's inner selves.

Output

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Specific output: Expansion to office space

（with Another World）

 

The idea was to create an oasis-like corner in a workplace that can be a tense place.
We proposed a space where you can experience various locations from around the world, cut out from a unique perspective, with your whole body.
Multiple displays with different proportions are arranged around a single shelf.
Images are scattered at angles and distances that are not normally considered, such as at your feet, at the edge of your field of vision, or above eye level.
It created an immersive experience that felt like a single scene had been cut out.

The sound, like the video, is also composed with the intention of "being present in the same place."
Environmental sounds such as the sound of the wind, the hustle and bustle of the city were layered on top of each other.
The concept is to bring you into a different country and time.
The experience was created as a service.

Specific output: Development into living space

（with Airport Lounge）

 

In an era where diverse values coexist,
We started from the premise that one place does not necessarily have only one meaning.
An apartment in Saitama prefecture was used as an experimental space.
We are trying to "incorporate airport lounges into everyday life."

The tension and excitement before the journey,
Quiet concentration to face work and life -
The unique scene of an airport where these things intersect,
By layering it in the most private place, the living space,
We proposed an experience that would bring back a little tension and excitement into everyday life.

A space where multiple values, times, and emotions exist simultaneously.
Through this overlapping, we have embodied a "reconstruction of space" that brings a new sense of fluctuation to everyday life.

Results and realizations

The space is not just a place to work or live,
This has given rise to a new perspective on media that changes emotions and sensations.

By allowing multiple times and values to exist simultaneously,
I confirmed that new rhythms and emotional ups and downs were born in my daily life.
It is different from convenience and efficiency.
It showed the potential for experiential value to have an effect on people's inner selves.

Technology is not about providing functionality,
It is a medium for creating a "place" where people can quietly come into contact with their emotions.
This realization became the foundation for subsequent spatial and experience design.

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