A perspective on human-centered DX and Mr. Sukematsu's background

Abe: Hello everyone. Listening to Mr. Matsunaga's lecture, I thought to myself, "I want to be someone who can get excited too." Even in my daily conversations, I value "what kind of world do we want to create" and "how can we get excited together" more than the technology itself. Today, I would like to share the "source of excitement" from my conversation with Mr. Sukematsu of Ebara Corporation, who has been particularly inspiring me recently.

Sukematsu: My name is Yuichi Sukematsu from Ebara Corporation. I work as a DX architect in the Corporate Division's Digital Creative & Transformation (DCX) department, where I am responsible for designing company-wide DX.
It is often said that "DX is the subject of 'D'," but the Company thoroughly adheres to the idea that "X = transformation is the subject, and D = digital is the means." As a symbol of this, we have deliberately included "C = Creative" in our team name to make it clear that we are committed to "human-centered DX."

Sukematsu: Since this relates to today's theme, "human-centered," I'd like to touch on a bit of my background. I've always loved music, and even now I play guitar and sing in a metal band. I also have songs available on Spotify. At the same time, I've been familiar with technology since childhood. When I was in the fourth grade, we had a PC-9801 at home, and I was engrossed in a challenging RPG called "Xanadu." While the Famicom seemed like a "toy," Super Mario was in a league of its own. Since then, I've continued to explore new technologies like VR, and I'm still deeply inspired by "DEATH STRANDING," directed by world-renowned game designer Hideo Kojima.

During my career, I worked in the automotive industry for about 20 years, handling business for Toyota, where I gained extensive experience in production technology. At the same time, I also worked as a 3DCG designer in the game industry, using 3ds Max to create games. I feel that the digital twins and digital triplets I am currently working on are a direct extension of that experience.

Music, games, manufacturing, technology. As a result of all of this, we have arrived at our current style of "human-centered DX." Today, I would like to talk as specifically as possible about this way of thinking and putting it into practice.

How to create a data strategy team and build relationships with the field

Sukematsu: Now, let's get to the main topic. A symbolic initiative we are promoting is "EBARA-D3™." This project redesigns human-centered manufacturing by integrating factory technology and tacit knowledge digitally and circulating the real and digital worlds, centered around the "Digital Triplet," an expanded version of the digital twin.

Abe: I'd also like to ask about the organizational aspect. The Data Strategy Team is part of a common department, but it's very close to the field. What is the structure of the CIO organization?

Sukematsu: There is a corporate organization under the CEO, and within that is the CIO's organization. There are several specialized teams within that organization, one of which is the "Data Strategy Team." The team is divided into "Defensive DX" and "Offensive DX," and we are in charge of the "offensive" side.

Our team is made up of people with diverse expertise, including those in data engineering, data science, internal chat AI development, promotion, teams dealing with human and neuroscience data, and our own "Manufacturing DX." One article described us as a "beast-like digital organization" (laughs), and we truly have diverse backgrounds, each with their own strong individuality.

Abe: I understand that you currently have around 40 employees. How did you expand from the start? Also, how did you build relationships with the people on the ground?

Sukematsu: We launched in 2023 and in the six months since then, we've expanded from a dozen people to 40 in one fell swoop. We have one full-time employee, and everyone else is a mid-career hire. I started with a one-person team and hired the members myself.
When hiring, I put my all into explaining to candidates, "This is the kind of future I want to create," and "What will we achieve with EBARA-D3™?" Only people who resonate with that worldview are hired, so they have a deep understanding of the team's direction even before joining, and can start with the same enthusiasm.

Abe: While there is a sense of connection within the team, there are also times when the rest of the company feels like an outsider.

Sukematsu: To be honest, I think there are still people who think that the data strategy team is full of new people. That's why we take the initiative to visit the site. We meet and talk face-to-face, visit multiple times, and work hard together. That's how we've gradually narrowed the gap.
There were moments when I felt like the tide was turning. It was when people at the factory started saying things like, "You can work at our factory now," and "You can sit here too." I myself come from a production engineering background and have a lot of experience on the job, so I think it's great that I can talk to them on the same level. Through these experiences, I finally came to the point where I felt like I was being recognized.

Team composition and designer roles

Abe: What kind of team structure does the "EBARA-D3™" executive team have?

Sukematsu: We have a DX architect at the center, surrounded by a variety of specialists, including Unreal Engine engineers, 3DCG designers, AI engineers, UX designers, and production engineers. This is an unusual structure for the manufacturing industry, but since our goal is to "move people" and "design people's experiences," it naturally ended up being similar to a game development team.

Abe: What struck me most about talking with you, Sukematsu-san, is that even though we were discussing DX, the topic of design and designers came up so frequently. Do you think designers are necessary in the field of DX?

Sukematsu: The answer is simple: "It's necessary." We are committed to being "human-centered," so designers are essential for thoroughly considering how information is communicated to people. There is an abundance of information on-site, but in its current form it does not lead to understanding or judgment. The role of a designer is to "translate" that information into a form that people can understand.

Designers are generally thought of as people who create graphics and UIs, but their true nature is much broader. They are like "translators" who put the essence of things into words, translate concepts into visuals, and reorganize information structurally. Because DX involves the overlap of diverse fields of expertise, there is an increasing demand for the ability to optimize "what is important and how it should be communicated."

Presenting information in the most optimal way for that moment is the job of a great designer, and I feel that this value is certainly increasing in the digital transformation field.

Breakthroughs brought about by word matching and design thinking

Abe: In cross-departmental projects, language incompatibility can be a major obstacle. Working with your company, I've been struck by your commitment to matching language and your thorough efforts to reduce the number of words and make things intuitively understandable. Is this a method that has only recently become widespread?

Sukematsu: Rather than permeating, it comes from my own successful experiences. When I join a new organization, I constantly think about how to blend in quickly. One method that proved effective was to explain things through videos. However, I always greet people face-to-face first. From there, I prepare things that can spark conversation, such as videos, and always keep discussions grounded in reality. I have been thorough in not turning things into an air battle.

Abe: I think that the timing for stakeholders to understand the information should be incorporated as a milestone. When doing so, it's important to design the information while considering who will find it easy to understand.

Sukematsu: Going back to the topic of design, I think the fact that things that could have been made in Japan, such as GUI and the iPhone, were not produced is a sign that designers were not able to penetrate the manufacturing industry.

Abe: That being said, it's difficult to assign a specialized designer to every project. Is it possible to create a "state of communication" without a designer?

Sukematsu: Yes. You can proceed in a design-thinking way just by being very conscious of how you communicate with the recipient. When I was at DENSO, the design department would send designers on loan to business divisions, where they would act as flexible thinkers and take part in discussions, design, and development. Understanding can be dramatically improved just by using pictures, diagrams, and clever words. People are able to act the moment they "make sense of it." I feel that the ingenuity required to achieve this will lead to a breakthrough in DX.

The trend of reevaluating Japanese-style DX and the "Galapagos"

Abe: The essence of DX is that "people are the input and output." On top of that, it's extremely important to consider how to deal with the culture and values of Japanese companies. The term "Japanese-style DX" appears in your research on digital triplets. What is your understanding of this concept?

Sukematsu: One of the reasons why DX in Japan is not progressing well is that the concept of DX is derived from overseas and does not fully mesh with Japanese values. While cultures such as the crystallization of technology, time and effort, and craftsmanship function as aesthetics, they can also be perceived as inefficient.
However, we are now in an era where AI excels at "labor-intensive tasks." That's why it makes sense to advance DX while entrusting the parts that Japan has valued to AI. Partially imitating overseas DX methods won't work because they are at odds with Japan's assumptions. Rather, I believe that the essence of Japanese-style DX is to recreate and utilize a culture of labor-intensive work with AI.

Sukematsu: In addition, the so-called "Galapagosization" is also being reevaluated. Matt Alt's "New Japonism" states that "Japan is living in 2050." Even if it seems like Japan has been left behind, in reality it is too far ahead. It is symbolic that works made for Japan, such as Demon Slayer, have ended up being well-received around the world. The same goes for the Walkman; it was not made for the world. There are many cases where Japan's unique characteristics resonate with the world.

Abe: What you've just said may sound abstract, but this trend is certainly evident overseas as well. In discussions at Hannover Messe, CES, and Stanford, it was said that Europe and the United States have completed the standardization phase of DX and that the next step is "differentiation." At this point, there are many voices expressing a desire to study Japanese examples.

Japan is attracting attention as a country that can create products that satisfy the early majority. What creates differentiation is "attention to detail" and "thinking without choosing the shortest route," and how to handle the data that is obtained from that. These are exactly the areas in which Japan excels. Over the past year, I feel that the rest of the world has been quicker to recognize the value of Japan.

Sukematsu: That's right. Japanese companies are often tossed around in the midst of a major power dynamic, and can sometimes feel like they're in a "washing machine," but the Japanese people have a tendency to unite. I believe that if we can focus our thinking on one thing, we'll always move in a positive direction.

How to prevent DX from becoming a "hard job"

Abe: Even though those involved in DX are taking on the challenge for the future of their company, they often receive mixed reviews from those around them, such as "It seems difficult" or "It seems fun, isn't it?", which can make it difficult for them to enjoy themselves. What efforts are you making to ensure that DX doesn't become a burden?

Sukematsu: Actually, we ourselves haven't felt much "pain," but one thing we're conscious of is "gamification." For example, we use 3D CG and Web3D to make it possible for even people who don't have CAD to intuitively understand the factory structure. We create designs that allow people to dig deeper if they're interested.
By incorporating these game-like experiences into DX, both young and veteran developers will feel that it is interesting and that they want to try it out.

DX is not a painful reform, but a "creative endeavor to jointly design the factories and work styles of the future." That is why we will continue to place importance on intentionally incorporating fun and excitement into the process.

Abe: Thank you very much. I'm sure many of you are wondering what exactly this means after hearing what we've said so far. From here on, I'd like to ask Sukematsu-san to answer your questions.

Q&A: How can mid-career hires fit in?

Q: I feel like there are many cases where talented people are brought in from outside but are unable to fit in. Why is it working so well at your company?

Sukematsu: I think that in general, it's more common for it to not go well. The reason why we were able to do it relatively smoothly is that the "way to join" the team was clear. I started out alone and spoke directly with all the candidates during the recruitment interviews. In the interviews, I would speak with full enthusiasm about "this kind of world I want to create." Everyone says that I "spoke with such enthusiasm," and only those who resonated with that worldview joined, so the direction was aligned from the time of joining. I think that's why it took hold so quickly.

Questioner: So a “fun atmosphere” attracts people.

Sukematsu: That's right. I give names like "Beyondverse," "Beyond Link," and "Beyond Scape" from the planning stage. Even before they're implemented, once they have a name, everyone naturally starts talking about that world. Like Doraemon's gadgets, it has the effect of "making the future easier to understand," and this playful spirit also leads to a sense of unity within the team.

Q&A: What is the difference between design and art, and what is its role in digital transformation?

Q: Could you please explain a bit more about why designers should be included in DX projects? Is this design in a different sense than engineering?

Sukematsu: In the Japanese manufacturing industry, the idea that "design" means "planning" and "3D" means "CAD" is rigid. However, I want to break this stereotype by deliberately including a designer. The team structure, which is rare in the manufacturing industry, is structured like a game development team, and this is an intentional device to change the way manufacturing sites are currently run.

Eric Matsunaga: To add to that, there is a clear difference between design and art. Design is "creating a shape for the other party (customer/client)." Art is "an expression of one's own (company/individual) beliefs."
DX requires understanding the needs of customers and those in the field and giving form to the essence that they have not yet been able to put into words. This is entirely within the realm of design. Companies also have values that must not be changed, in other words, art. The combination of these two elements creates innovation. Understanding this structure will make it easier to advance DX.

Questioner: So the key point is how you connect technique and expression.

Q&A: How do we connect vision and architecture?

Q: While many people talk about their vision, there are many cases where the vision is not connected to the architecture and is not realized. How does your company bridge this gap?

Sukematsu: I have over 20 years of experience in production engineering, and I have a strong understanding of the "lines that the workplace will not accept" and the "thresholds that should not be crossed." With that as a premise, I can specifically visualize where new technology can be applied to make it a reality. As a result, I think I am able to naturally bridge the gap between vision and architecture.
In fact, we have already drawn up a structure for integrating IoT data, people tracking data, MES, and more into Beyondverse™, and all that remains is to improve the accuracy.

Q: What kind of people will be responsible for this integration?

Sukematsu: That's what a "DX architect" is. They're a hybrid talent with an understanding of production technology, AI, programming, and even video, and they can move back and forth between conception and implementation.

Eric Matsunaga: And this isn't just a specialized skill, it's also a way of thinking. When I support clients, I train everyone, including engineers, salespeople, and management, in design thinking. It doesn't matter if you can draw or not. Deeply understand the customer's perspective, visualize the future structure, and question existing assumptions. Once this way of thinking takes root in an organization, anyone can become a "designer-like person."

Sukematsu: That's right. As you said, when we actually use design thinking together, the people on the front lines change rapidly. Over the past two years, I have strongly felt that the factory workers, who were initially very rigid, have begun to think like designers through repeated successful experiences.

Q: That really gave me courage. Thank you.

Eric Matsunaga: To add to that, there's a global design company called IDEO. The moment they started doing management consulting, it shocked the consulting industry around the world. Design thinking was established by bringing the thinking method they used to design "things no one has ever seen before," like spaceships, into the management field. Innovation is essentially born from that kind of thinking.
However, in Japan, there is a strong bias that "design = drawing pictures," and there is little understanding that ideas themselves are design. If this changes, I think the premise of DX will also change significantly.

Abe: Thank you everyone for your questions.

We reexamined DX from a human-centric perspective and deepened the discussion on its implementation through dialogue and Q&A. We hope that this will be helpful for those of you who deal with DX on a daily basis in moving your efforts forward.

Read the co-creation theory of sensitivity and DX from an artist's perspective [Event Report Part 1] >