We aim to be involved in a way that supports the process of developing new technologies and members. Director Rei Harada

Hello, my name is Sugimoto and I am a writer living in Kyoto.
I headed through the garden to visit the Yoyogi office, hoping to pick up some delicious beer, snacks, cold drinks and donuts at FarmMart & Friends and relax on a bench outside.

" Freedom and Responsibility: Everyone's Systems and Work Style Laboratory " is an interview series that asks Monosas members who work full-flexibly and fully remotely about their work styles, their thoughts on the company, and their outlook on work. This time, we spoke with Director Rei Harada and Reiko Takita from the Monosas Site Secretariat.

After graduating from Kamiyama Monosas School, he joined Monosas.

Sugimoto: How many years have you been with Monosus, Harada-san?

Harada: I participated in the 4th Monosasu Juku (front-end engineer and director training curriculum) held in Kamiyama, Tokushima in 2018, and joined the company after it finished.

Sugimoto: Why did you join Monosasu Juku?

Harada: I lost my previous job, so I have to look for a new one. I used to work in finance, but I thought it would be a good chance to change my career, so I joined this program.

This is what Kamiyama is like.

Harada-san when he first joined the company. He has short hair.

Sugimoto: When you joined the company, the full flextime system had already been introduced. What time did you start working after you came to the Yoyogi office?

Harada: At first, I was assigned to the Coding Factory (CF) department, and it was like 9:00 to 18:00. After we switched to a unit system two years ago, I started the "Ito Unit" in my first year, and from last year I started the "Harada Unit" which handles all aspects of the web. Since becoming a unit leader, I've been working from around 8:30 until I'm exhausted.

Sugimoto: Since the COVID-19 pandemic forced you to work fully remotely, where have you been working?

Harada: I had some client work that I couldn't do unless I went to the office, so I basically worked in the office. Now that the conditions have been relaxed, I work from home about half the week.

Sugimoto: When you work in a private place, do you find it difficult to switch between work and personal time?

Harada: I can concentrate even when it's noisy around me, so I can't say that one is better than the other, but it feels different. However, the monitor is bigger at home, so the working environment is easier and I may be a little more productive. The chair is better at work, so I feel like I don't get tired as much.

I have never said to a client, "It's technically impossible."

Sugimoto: After joining Monosus, was it difficult to learn skills and knowledge in an area where you had no experience?

Harada: Before joining Monosasu Juku, I had studied programming a little bit on my own, so I had a general understanding of how programs worked, so I didn't find it particularly strange, and I didn't have any difficulties. I think this job was a good fit for me.

Sugimoto: With coding, if you do it correctly, the program will work. Is that why you thought it was a good fit for you?

Harada: I don't know. I think it's easier in a way when the required deliverable is clear. In that sense, coding is easy, isn't it? It's also fun to keep up with the new technologies that are constantly emerging and think about how to apply them to your own projects.

I have never said to a client, "It's technically impossible." It's not because I have high technical skills, but because I believe I can definitely make anything that is out there. I know how to research, and I think I have good search skills, so I can quickly find a way to do it.

I want to be in the same context as people developing new technologies.

Sugimoto: I think some people feel burdened by the act of researching something they don't know, thinking, "Do I have to learn something new again?" But that's not the case, Mr. Harada.

Harada: That's right. I'm sure there are many people who feel burdened by it, but at least I don't think there are any members of my unit like that. I don't think I'm right, so I always try to incorporate new techniques. Isn't continuing to use old techniques the same as always thinking you're right? I don't always think I'm right, so I think the starting point is different.

Sugimoto: I'd like to hear more about that.

Harada: Old technology has established methods for correcting mistakes. Then, you have to do what you want to do and the "task you don't want to do" of stabilizing it together. New technology is made so that you don't have to do the work to stabilize it. That's why new things are the "right answer."

Many people dislike technology because it is new and not yet stable, but if you wait for it to become stable, the technology will become outdated. Also, software that has stopped being maintained has safety issues, so it is better to use new, lively libraries at an early stage and stabilize it yourself. I really hope that everyone will approach technology with this mindset.

Sugimoto: I see. So the instability of new technology can be compensated for and made stable depending on how the engineers are involved. By understanding what the new technology is trying to overcome, we can get closer to the "right answer" as engineers. I think that Mr. Harada values facing technology in this way.

Harada: That's right. For example, when using open source code, you can see whether there is any will to solve the problem by looking at the conversations about bugs in the developer community. With my technical skills, it's difficult to participate in open source code development, but I want to get as close as possible to the context of the people developing new technology. This changes the way you see things when coding, and as a result, it makes your work easier.

Sugimoto: So you like this world where technology is reborn like that.

Harada: I think I probably like it.

Allow your own "yardstick" and Monosus' "yardstick" to coexist

Sugimoto: When I interviewed Okubo for "Freedom and Responsibility," we talked about "What does Monosus-ness mean?" What do you think "Monosus-ness" means, Harada?

Harada: It's very difficult. I can somehow understand what Monosus-ness is, but I can't really define it. There are a lot of things about me that don't fit in with this company, and I don't think it's necessary to be Monosus-like. But I don't want to try to fit in on my own because I feel like I'll end up being too small. I think it's good for the company to try to fit in, but if the person doesn't try to create their own "yardstick," they won't be able to fit in.

I think that the people who joined the company before me created a monosus-like atmosphere in a company that was still in a wild state. I joined the company after it had become established, so I feel like I was taken care of so that it was easy for me to participate. However, on the other hand, I feel like the company's struggles are occurring there.

Sugimoto: Even when people move to a new area, it seems like those who make their own way in the wild are more likely to take root, while those who are given a set schedule to move there end up having a harder time than you might expect. It might be a similar story.

Takita: I was raised in a mild way even in the midst of a wild environment (laughs). As for how Harada-san fits into the company, I think he's good at coexisting. He doesn't try to force himself to fit in, but walks nicely alongside others. Even when I started expressing my opinions within the company, it changed from "someone new is starting to say something" to "Oh, if Harada-san has an opinion," I thought.

Harada: I'm glad you see it that way. Even if you're in a company where you can express your opinions openly, it takes time to get your opinions across as a junior. Perhaps once you're recognized for your work, your words become a little stronger and people start to listen to you. In that sense, Monosus may seem free, but it's surprisingly old-fashioned.

Monosus is currently undergoing a major transformation.

Sugimoto: Mr. Harada, it seems like you have a somewhat bird's-eye view of the company, but what kind of company do you think Monosus is?

Harada: I really feel like a big turnaround is about to happen recently. Shashokuken has suddenly become a viable business and is becoming more powerful within the company. Until now, I think many people have thought that the company's mainstay is the web business and the food business is a challenge. But from now on, I think there will be a trend that says, "We have a food business, so shouldn't we be more free to take on challenges in the web business?" In reality, the change hasn't happened yet, and no one has noticed it yet, but I feel like we're ready to change.

Sugimoto: Is there anything that you would like to do, either within Monosus or personally?

Harada: There are a lot of little things I want to do at each moment. For example, I like cola, so I'm trying to make a craft cola that tastes like my favorite, not Pepsi or Coca-Cola, and I'm preparing to get an exploratory budget.

I personally love supporting people. But the dilemma is that the moment I hear about a vague idea, I come up with a way to make it a reality and make it concrete. Now that I've talked about it, I've realized that supporting people effectively might be what I want to do.

Sugimoto: I want to warm up that fluffy state and help the person find a way out.

Harada: That's right. I think Nishimura Yoshiaki is good at listening, as he has held "Interview Classes" and the like, and Manabe-san sometimes watches over us without speeding up. I want to teach "how to use a survival knife" so that we can walk freely through the jungle. But before I know it, I'm teaching "how to walk safely through the jungle". It would be boring to walk safely through the jungle, right? But when I see someone say "they'll definitely fail," I can't bear it and I end up intervening.

Sugimoto: "Use new technology to stabilize things," "I always think of ways to do things," "I want to be able to support people effectively," and so on. I think there are things that you value in your work and in your relationships with people. Thank you very much!

When Harada-san received the MVP award for the first time in July 2021 , Hayashi-san's comment "I was watching him from the first time I met him, thinking that he was quite a sharp guy" made a strong impression on me. After listening to him speak at length this time, I realized that "His perspective is certainly sharp, but he has a very gentle way of accepting things, and that's what makes him so attractive." I'm really looking forward to hearing what he has to say the next time we meet.