Hello, this is Yamauchi from the Production Department.
In the first part , I wrote about how the "Monosasu App System" was a catalyst for realizing what everyone likes and wants to do in the company. In this second part, I would like to write about the ideas for the Monosasu App that Yamauchi actually thought up.
*Monosasu in-house app...This refers to activities that make in-house activities more convenient and fun by considering the basic rules established by the company as an OS.
Three ideas for ruler apps
So, I'd like to introduce three ideas I have currently for "an app that measures what we all want to make together."
By the way, these ideas were just random thoughts that I had been thinking about for a while, thinking it would be nice to make them. From there, I pondered over the meaning and possibilities of the Monosas app activity, and that's what I talked about in the first part, so there may be some discrepancies between the app ideas below and what I wrote above.
Also, at the end of each idea, we have provided an outline of the app activities in the form of a "specification sheet," with bullet points; however, the skills included are skills that can be acquired through the activities, and are not necessarily skills that are necessary at the start.
This is just an idea that came to my head, so please read it casually (laughs).
1. Things that go around
In a nutshell, it is an "in-house flea market event" activity.
Previously, I was selling my barely worn clothes and shoes to a certain Matsunaga-kun at work at a reasonable price (lol), and I thought that there were probably a lot of members who shared the same taste in clothes as me, and that there might be quite a demand for this within the company, so I once asked some people in the smoking area, and the response was good. It was a time when the number of company events was decreasing, so I thought, "Oh, this might be a good idea to try." I also added a bit of a market-like taste.
So, the title " Migrating Things" immediately came to mind, a play on the Monosas site's article category "Migrating Rulers," and the idea for the project developed from there (titles are important, aren't they?). I thought it would be fun, but also an opportunity to think about how to make and spend money, which is important to Monosas. In the future, I thought we could try to sell not only things but also experiences at the flea market, and experiment with things like "exchanging things that you have valued for other values without money" within the company.
"Migrating Things" App Specification (provisional)
- App name: Things that go around
- Category: Internal event planning and management
- Concept: Everyone thinks about and practices how to make money and how to use it
- Contents:
・We will recruit vendors and hold a flea market on Friday evening (about 2 hours)
・Admission fee (several hundred yen) - Attendees will receive a drink ・Basically, exhibitors are free to sell whatever they want ・Exhibitors will allocate 10% of their sales to operating expenses from the next event onwards (the percentage needs to be adjusted) - skill:
・Event planning ・Event management (including announcements and results compilation)
・Editing and writing (announcements, posting on the Monosasu website) - Number of people: 2 or more *Operation members
- Budget: Approximately 5,000 to 6,000 yen per event (drinks included)
How to use this app:
(Depending on the needs within the company) I would like to gradually increase the frequency of events and make it a standard, such as "XX market on days with XX in the title." Also, in the future, it would be interesting to be able to allow people outside the company to participate, set themes related to "value" (e.g. bartering sessions / sessions where you only sell things, etc.), and have fun thinking about "earning money / spending money" from various angles in the app.
2. Monosasu DIY Club
This is an app designed to create a comfortable working space for everyone.
As mentioned in this article , a large proportion of Monosus' spaces are DIY. We outsource major maintenance to specialist companies, but we do most of it ourselves. With this DIY Club app, we hope to create a space within the company that everyone can use, where everyone can better connect their work and lives, by getting our hands dirty.
By the way, these are mostly just random ideas that I thought up, but these are the three things I would like to create.
- Conference table
- Lounge-like free space
- Lab room
The reason for the idea of #1 was that at the end of last year, when I visited the Rebuilding Center Japan (Ribi-Sen) in Shimo-Suwa, Nagano Prefecture, I heard that they also held workshops for making tables using old wood (and it would be cheaper to make them ourselves at the workshop), and I thought, "Wow, that's a great idea!" Ribi-Sen is a place where you can discover all sorts of things about how to use and preserve (pass on) things through manufacturing, and I would like to go to Ribi-Sen with app members and start by looking for materials, but it would cost a fair amount of money, so I think negotiating with companies will be included in the app activities. (laughs)
Regarding points 2 and 3, there is currently a physical challenge in that there is already a lack of space, but I think it may be possible to design around dead space and dead time within the existing space.
In addition, all the reference books currently in Monosus are stored in the conference room, so we cannot view them at any time, but I hope we can solve that problem. Well, it doesn't have to be something big. For example, at first, I think it would be fine to just set up a poster frame and have everyone take turns displaying their favorite posters. I think it's about how we can make the current environment fun and comfortable.
"Monosasu DIY Club" App Specifications (provisional)
- App name: Monosasu DIY Club
- Category: Planning, design, construction and operation of corporate space
- Concept: Creating a space where everyone can gather and feel attached to
- Contents:
・First, the app members discuss the space and facilities you want to create. ・Roughly create a plan and concept, and then consult with the company about the budget. ・It's good to be able to think about both large-scale things that will require a budget and small things that can be done immediately at the same time. - skill:
・Concept making (what kind of space do you want to create)
・Design ・Budget negotiation and management ・DIY skills ・Planning space utilization plans ・Editing and writing (publication on the Monosasu website) - Number of people: 2 or more
- Budget: Depends on the space/facilities you want to create
How to use this app:
It will take time, but I think it would be interesting if we could create a Monosus-like workspace design context through this app activity. The people who plan and create the space, the people who actually use it, and the results could be published as regular articles that measure the results. It would be nice if we could share the points that emerge from this with partner companies and exchange know-how.
3. ART in Monosus
Personally, this is the app I want to use the most (laughs).
This app is designed to train people to have alternative perspectives on the world through art, with a focus on contemporary art, and to try out in-house projects that can provide such perspectives. I would love to see Yamauchi get involved with the gallery Open Letter that he runs in the future! (laughs)
Also, I don't think we have many opportunities to meet artists and other people in the art world, so I'd like to invite them to lunch and have a discussion. (The original story is this from WIEDEN+KENNEDY TOKYO.) If possible, I think it would be easier for people of the same generation (20s-30s) as the Monosasu members to share various perspectives without feeling awkward around each other.
"ART in Monosus" App Specification (provisional)
- App name: ART in Monosus
- Category: Art appreciation and in-house exhibition planning
- Concept: Seeing everyday life and the world from a different perspective through art
- Contents:
・Three steps: "Exhibition viewing," "Dialogue," and "Planning." ・Repeat viewing of the exhibits and dialogue about opinions and impressions. ・We will also proceed with exhibition planning using the company's internal space. - skill:
・Attendance (mini-tours to view exhibitions, etc.)
・Planning and structuring exhibitions ・Creating exhibition spaces ・Coordinating artists and people involved in the arts ・Editing and writing (disseminating information on the Monosasu website) - Number of people: 3 or more
- Budget: Expenses for exhibition tours, inviting artists, etc.
How to use this app:
There are many attempts to introduce art into office spaces these days, but just like the aforementioned "Monosasu DIY Club," I think there must be a way to deal with art that is unique to Monosasu... (I have a vague idea of what it should be like.) I hope that we can make it something universal that can serve as a reference for other companies.
In addition, Kamiyamacho, where our satellite office is located, is also famous for its artist-in-residence program, and Bangkok, where Monosus Thailand is located, is one of the cities in Asia where contemporary art is thriving. Since we have offices in three cities with thriving art scene, it would be great if we could collaborate in some way, even if it was just to exchange information and ideas.
So, I have introduced three app ideas that came to my mind.
I think the biggest obstacles to starting this kind of activity are "securing time," "adjusting member schedules," and "promoting and managing the progress of the project." Monosus has introduced Google's office suite G Suite, so we hope to make full use of its products to cover some of the issues. (It will also help promote the use of G Suite within the company!) Personally, I think it would be good to be able to publish and archive the overview and progress of all Monosus apps, including the apps we currently have, on Google Sites.
I have a lot of other ideas, big and small, from serious to silly, but I won't go into them here because there's no end to it! Thank you for reading this very long article to the end, following on from the first part!
What kind of apps will they be, how will they work, and who will be behind them?
I hope to be able to report on the progress in my next article.
Lastly, Monosus members, if you would like to join the app ideas above, or if you have any requests or feedback for improvements you would like to make, please contact Yamauchi using this form !
Addendum: Maruchan's "CSS Study Group with a Beer"
Meanwhile, the other day, Maruyama-kun (Maru-chan) from the Coding Factory team made the following appeal on Chatwork.
I was just writing the manuscript for this article, so I was a little impressed (although I am not a direct participant) and thought "Wow, that's so cool!". They started with coding, then they considered expanding it to members of other departments (functions), and they even solicited logo submissions, and I couldn't help but feel happy (although it may sound arrogant). (It's much more well-planned than my random idea...) I'd love to have a "Like" feature on Chatwork too. (laughs)
I think it's great that it includes the element of "off" - having a beer in hand...
The actual situation seems to have been something like this.
I also participated in the hangout for a little while. It was a really good atmosphere, so I asked Maru-chan later how it was.
Having actually held the event, it was really nice to see the participants enjoying themselves, which really boosted their motivation. We also found some issues with the operation, such as recruiting participants, and I felt that it was a great learning experience for not only the participants, but also for myself. As for future operations, learning can be quite lonely and difficult, but I hope we can create a place where everyone can communicate and learn in a friendly and enjoyable atmosphere. (Maru-chan)
That's great, isn't it? I'd love to see it turned into an app and continue to expand in this "beer in hand" style...I'd love to find some way to help and get involved!