History
2026
- Became a Solution Partner of Miro
- Became a Solution Partner of Qualtrics
2025
- Released "CX Management Survival Game"
- Published "Ichiban Yasashii CX Keiei no Kyokasho" (The Friendliest Guide to CX Management) by Hideaki Shirane (Shoeisha), which won second prize at the Marketing Book Awards 2026, chosen by practitioners
2024
- Entered into a capital and business alliance with NTT DATA
- Attended PHARMA CX SUMMIT 2024 in North America and held a debrief session to share key insights
2023
- Planned and hosted "CX Day," a customer experience event
- Daishinsha Inc. listed on TOKYO PRO Market
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
- Selected as one of the "Top 50 Creators" by miro
2021
- 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
- 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
- Became the first Japanese company to receive certification as "Miro Experts" by Miro, a provider of cloud-based whiteboard applications
- Renewed the corporate logo & branding
2020
- Conducted the "Post-COVID-19 Visioning: Making New Things" multi-client research project with 10 supporting companies
- Launched a social innovation support venture with Next Leaders’ Initiative for Sustainability (NELIS)
- Facilitated a cross-continental online event for the 4Revs Global Summit
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
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
- Planned and conducted Design Management Expo 2018
2017
- Hosted a remote ethnography workshop for Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Vietnam
- Led the "Customer Experience" at Diamond Inc.'s DMN business design course
- Led the "Customer Experience" at Diamond Inc.'s DMN business design courseConducted the global branding seminar "Introduction of Methods for Building an Overseas-focused Brand and Key Points Regarding International Trademark Registration"
2016
- Planned and managed DMN (Diamond Design Management Network), sponsored by Diamond Inc.
- 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
- Established salon-styled exchange study gathering events for professionals under the name of ‘Convivial Salon’
2015
- Renewed the mct’s corporate logo & branding
- 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.
2014
- Co-authored "Practical Persona Marketing" with Nikkei Inc.
- 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
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)
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.
2011
- Obtained a ZMET method license from Olson Zaltman Associates
- 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
2010
- Contributed to "Ethnographic Marketing" in the October 2010 issue of Diamond Harvard Business Review
- Conducted the workshop "The (DO) of Service: Japan's Traditional SHINISE Businesses" and presented artifacts in "Transmitting the Empathy" at EPIC 2010 in Tokyo
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
2008
- Contributed to "Constructing the Ultimate Customer Image - Introduction to Persona Marketing" in the March and May 2008 issues of Nikkei Information Strategy
- 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
- Led "UX Design for Embedded Systems" at Embedded Systems Tekijuku, a training course for engineers sponsored by the Embedded System Industry Promotion Organization
2007
- Planned and published "Persona Strategy" from Diamond Inc.
- Launched Persona Design Consortium
- Contributed the article "Customer Experience" to the Fall 2007 issue of Hitotsubashi Business Review
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)
2005
- Honored as a finalist for Daiwa House's EDDI'S House Marketing Program at Forrester Research- sponsored VOICE OF THE CUSTOMER AWARDS
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
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
2002
- Launched services as a new division of Daishinsha Inc.
- Learned Alan Cooper's persona methodology from Forrester Research
- Acquired innovation methods using ethnography from innovation consulting firm Doblin