History

OUR HISTORY

2002
  • Launched services as a new division of Daishinsha Inc.
    2002_01
  • Learned Alan Cooper's persona methodology from Forrester Research
  • Acquired innovation methods using ethnography from innovation consulting firm Doblin
2003
  • Learned design innovation methodology from Prof. Vijay Kumar of the Illinois Institute of Technology Institute of Design (IITID) and partnered with Prof. Kumar as an advisor
    2003_01
2004
  • Launched a patient journey map through Saiseikai Kumamoto Hospital’s Patient Experience Enhancement Project at the 2004 International Modern Hospital Show
  • Advanced our design thinking approach from The Division (a UK design company from former IDEO product designer) and established ongoing partnernship
2005
  • Honored as a finalist for Daiwa House's EDDI'S House Marketing Program at Forrester Research- sponsored VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER AWARDS
2006
  • Hosted a healthcare design seminar with speakers from Architects Hawaii who designed the architecture and interior of Kameda Medical Center, and Ergonomidesign (currently Veryday)
2007
  • Launched Persona Design Consortium
  • Contributed the article "Customer Experience" to the Fall 2007 issue of Hitotsubashi Business Review
  • Planned and published "Persona Strategy" from Diamond Inc.
    2007_01

 

2008
  • Participated in EPIC 2008 in Copenhagen
  • Awarded the  University of Tokyo's Morikawa Laboratory  Excellence Award for spatial design at the AICA SHOP DESIGN CONTEST
  • Contributed to "Constructing the Ultimate Customer Image - Introduction to Persona Marketing" in the March and May 2008 issues of Nikkei Information Strategy
  • Led "UX Design for Embedded Systems" at Embedded Systems Tekijuku, a training course for engineers sponsored by the Embedded System Industry Promotion Organization
2009
  • Contributed the Hospital Experience Innovation Project case study to the US "Journal of Business Strategy"
  • Conducted the workshop "Focus on Emotions to Provide More Actionable Insights for Business Designers" and presented artifacts in "Empathic Design Process" at EPIC 2009 in Chicago
2010
  • Conducted the workshop "The (DO) of Service: Japan's Traditional SHINISE Businesses" and presented artifacts in "Transmitting the Empathy" at EPIC 2010 in Tokyo
  • Contributed to "Ethnographic Marketing" in the October 2010 issue of Diamond Harvard Business Review
    2010_01

 

2011
  • Learned the Clue Scan method from Experience Engineering
  • Presented "Cheerful Humor: Changes in Japan after the Disaster" at the Pecha Kucha component of EPIC 2011
  • Obtained a ZMET method license from Olson Zaltman Associates
    2011_012011_02

 

2012
  • Hosted an innovation seminar for emerging countries with design research firm INSITUM
  • Joined the Service Design Network (SDN)
  • Conducted the workshop "Secrets of Long Established Businesses - Experience Design from Japanese Culture" at the 1st SDN Japan Conference
  • Taught the "Introduction to Ethnographic Marketing" program at a management academy sponsored by Diamond Inc. and Cicom Brains, Inc.
2013
  • Hosted an India-focused innovation seminar with design research firm Convo
  • Developed a service design kit and held workshops with Jaimes Nel of Livework, a service design firm
  • Sponsored the "101 Design Methods" seminar by Professor Vijay Kumar (co-sponsored by Diamond Inc. in cooperation with the Japan Institute of Design Promotion)
    2013_012013_02

 

2014
  • Co-authored "Practical Persona Marketing" with Nikkei Inc.
    2014_01
  • Taught "Design Thinking" in Cicom Brains, Inc.’s ISL program
  • Sponsored a "Co-Creation" seminar by Professor Liz Sanders (co-sponsored by Diamond Inc. in cooperation with the Japan Institute of Design Promotion)
  • Planned and managed "Uemachiza," a members-only innovation study group in the Kansai region
  • Learned co-design mindsets, methods, and techniques from Professor Liz Sanders of The Ohio State University, and partnered with Prof. Sanders as an advisor
    2014_022014_03

 

2015
  • Renewed the mct’s corporate logo & branding
    2015_01
  • Joined the Design Innovation Consortium
  • Conducted the "Service Design for Foreign Tourists to Kyoto" workshop at Kyoto University’s Summer Design School 2015
  • Held "Key Takeaways for Japanese Firms from Businesses in the US" seminar with Aranca, a strategic research firm
  • Spoke about "An Omni-Channel Experience to Increase Customer Loyalty" at the mif Forum 2015, hosted by Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc.

 

2016
  • Conducted the workshop "Service Innovation Based on Foreigners' Experiences and Understanding of Japanese Sweets" at Kyoto University’s Summer Design School
  • Lectured on business design at the Osaka City-sponsored AIDOR, a program for nurturing entrepreneurs through IoT
  • Planned and managed DMN (Diamond Design Management Network), sponsored by Diamond Inc.
    2016_012016_02
  • Established salon-styled exchange study gathering events for professionals under the name of ‘Convivial Salon’
    2016_03

 

2017
  • Led the "Customer Experience" at Diamond Inc.'s DMN business design course
  • Hosted a remote ethnography workshop for Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Vietnam
  • Conducted the global branding seminar "Introduction of Methods for Building an Overseas-focused Brand and Key Points Regarding International Trademark Registration"
2018
  • Conducted the seminar "Design the Moment which Appeals to 5 Senses -Tourism in Kyoto from a Stand Point of Micro Interaction" at Kyoto University’s Summer Design School 2018, and was awarded 3rd prize
    2018_012018_02
  • Planned and conducted Design Management Expo 2018
    2018_032018_04

 

2019
  • Conducted the workshop "Designing Kyoto’s Emotional Connection" at Kyoto University’s Summer Design School 2019, and was awarded 3rd prize
  • Conducted a Social Innovation Boot Camp on "Solving Social Issues in Colombia" (in cooperation with Next Leaders’ Initiative for Sustainability [NELIS] and SocialLab)
  • Founded PlayfulNetwork (a community for practicing the future of work) with Nobuyuki Ueda, professor emeritus at Doshisha Women's University and director of the NeoMuseum
    2019_012019_02

 

2020
  • Launched a social innovation support venture with Next Leaders’ Initiative for Sustainability (NELIS)
  • Conducted the "Post-COVID-19 Visioning: Making New Things" multi-client research project with 10 supporting companies
    2020_01

  • Facilitated a cross-continental online event for the 4Revs Global Summit

 

2021
  • Hosted the live session "Evolving Design Practices, People, Platforms" with InVision (a design systems solutions company) and released a supplementary podcast

  • Formed a business alliance with CSA Research, Inc. and launched a localization report and data services

    2021_01

  • Conducted the "Opportunities and Risks of Globalization for Japanese Companies" seminar with CSA Research, Inc.

  • Released "CX4DX" (a practical learning app) to promote Digital Transformation from a CX perspective
    2021_02
  • Became the first Japanese company to receive certification as "Miro Experts" by Miro, a provider of cloud-based whiteboard applications
    2021_03

  • Renewed the corporate logo & branding

2021_04

 

2022
  • Acquired the DMN business from Diamond Inc.
  • Led a sustainable innovation program at 4Revs
  • Sponsored the INNOVATION LEADERSHIP seminar by Roberto Verganti, author of Overcrowded: Designing Meaningful Products in a World Awash with Ideas
    2022_012022_02
  • Selected as one of the "Top 50 Creators" by miro
    2022_03

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