chance
With projects such as the food business Monosus Shokken , which opened Kamapan & Friends Natural Products Center at Ginza Sony Park, the Food Hub Project, and designer Kawarazaki using his video production skills , Monosus is exploring "what I want to do" both inside and outside of the company and applying that to its projects.
I wanted to try something new, but I couldn't come up with an idea that I thought was "this!"
There is a saying that ideas come from new combinations of existing elements.
That's true, but there's a limit to the number of ideas you can come up with on your own.
So what would happen if we got the people around us involved? For example, the Monosas people.
Even though they usually work in the same company, they may have skills and interests that the other person doesn't know about. Combining these skills and interests may lead to ideas that are unique to Monosus.
I think that if you combine the likes and strengths of many different people, the possibilities will expand.
...If all goes well, we might even be able to commercialize it?
That's why we decided to hold a workshop called "Generating Ideas for Monosus."
This time, we welcomed conference facilitator Masayuki Aoki to act as moderator.
Masayuki Aoki
Conference facilitator.
In 2003, we established Japan's first office specializing in conference facilitation.
He has been involved in facilitating all kinds of meetings, from family meetings to international conferences.
Tell us about your work! Online facilitator Masayuki Aoki (Part 1)
What I'm good at, what I like, and what I want to get better at
Aoki:
Let's get started.
I would like you to draw a shape like this, a tetrapod.
We will explain the items in the three zones.
In the first block, write down what you are good at.
What are you good at? It can be anything. Like, I can go to bed early, or I'm good at eating early. It can also be about work.
The other is "things you like."
Like walking, like the occult, like escape games. I'm not good at fishing, but I like it. It's fine even if you're not very good at it.
And finally, "What I want to get better at in the future." Skills I want to improve, hobbies, etc. Things I want to try in the future! I'll write about those things.
So, please, write!
Participant 1: Designer Yu Onogi
"Monosus has Onoki" is a fitting phrase for Onoki, the designer and planner who has been in charge of Monosus' creativity since its early days. No matter how much time he has spent with the company, Onoki's attitude of never neglecting self-improvement has influenced the next generation.
Once, when my family came to visit the office after work, when my child saw him getting excited about the Christmas tree, he said, in a very life-like manner, "Wow! So-and-so is so excited!", which made me think, "That's such a young way of speaking."
Onogi member introduction article
What I like
- Drawing
- guitar
- I just like it, but I'm not good at it
- game
- If I could program in general, I'd like to make a cool game.
- Silver accessory making
- Plants (seeing)
What I'm Good at
- Drawing
- General detailed work
- I'm confident that I can make anything, as long as it's not bigger than me!
- Finding the rules of things
- When I measured my IQ, I was high on finding rules for shapes. I wonder if that helps with design too?
- Something to think about
- When I'm working on planning, I think about how to make things more interesting. I enjoy things like reading literature and coming up with a product based on that.
What I want to be good at
- Typography
- Design skills you want to acquire
- English
- I have felt the need for this in the last two years or so.
- design
- Art Direction
Machiyama:
When you say typography, do you mean fonts?
Onoki:
Yes. I also have knowledge of fonts, and basic rules like how to typeset, and how to make things look nicer in certain situations.
Tanaka:
Do you have any accessories you've made there now?
Onoki:
I don't have any now because I'm at work. I like making them but I hate wearing them (laughs).
Aoki:
By the way, do you have any favorite games or games that you think are fun right now?
Onoki:
Sugano-kun and Takita-san are playing an e-sports game called "MOBA." It really brings out the bad parts and habits of a lot of different people (laughs), so I think it's a microcosm of human society.
Participant 2: Director Yurika Machiyama
He has been working as a director at Monosus Thailand since 2016. His careful and thorough work and tolerance have earned him a lot of trust both inside and outside the company, and he is the first name to be mentioned when there are unprecedented and challenging jobs. However, there are times when his natural curiosity gets too strong and he becomes a strange person. I can't go into details here.
Machiyama's member introduction article
What I like
- Mystery and Unexpectedness
- I really like the idea of solving puzzles like the Real Escape Game, where you learn things that you don't yet know about yourself. When the answer comes from a place you never expected, I think, "Oh, that's interesting."
What I'm Good at
- collection
- I'm good at finding information, and then I share it with people and get a good response, which is fun.
- Perceive things intuitively
- Roughly & Detailed
- I have both traits, and they help me in my work.
- Empathy
What I want to be good at
- Putting emotions into words
- I recently read a book about "What talented people have in common." I want to be someone who is not just good at talking, but also good at writing.
- English
Onoki:
How should I study English?
Machiyama:
I recently realized the very obvious fact that I can't speak because I don't know the vocabulary.
Don't slack off on setting aside time to study vocabulary. I haven't done that up until now, but I realized that I can't move forward unless I do that.
I feel like I can study grammar later. After doing a lot of research, I found that people remember information that they come across frequently. In terms of vocabulary learning, you just repeat it over and over again in a short period of time. For grammar, you input it first, then talk to people and learn how they use phrases.
Other than that, the basics are savings. For now, you need vocabulary and a place to test it.
I guess it's a bit strange to say this since I haven't done it (laughs).
Murakami:
It's a very rough and detailed approach, but does that ever cause any conflict within you?
Machiyama:
It's not like I'm trying to switch it on myself.
Things don't always come out when I want them to, and sometimes I wonder why something came out the way I wanted it to (laughs).
Tanaka:
There's something mysterious and unexpected about it, and in Machiyama's case, it seems like there are many different components to this.
Machiyama:
That's right. I didn't know what to write, so I just summarized it (laughs).
Aoki:
The occult maybe?
Machiyama:
I think that even if I can't see it, there are probably other people who can.
It's like I want to know about things that I cannot perceive, a world I don't know.
Participant 3: Checker - Izao Murakami
A veteran checker who has supported the quality of Monosus's deliverables since its inception. With his tenacity, extraordinary concentration, and skills backed by experience, he is relied upon by the production team as a "partner." However, for some reason, he is always a bit of a tease.
Murakami's member introduction article
What I like
- Games, Anime, Manga
- Getting out into the field
- Searching for lichens, mushrooms, and insects
- Books
- Mystery, horror, history, and more...
What I'm Good at
- Finding small details and small things
What I want to be good at
- Proofreading
- Identification skill (the skill to guess the type of organism)
- communication
- I'm not very good at interpersonal relationships, so I want to be able to converse like other people.
Tanaka:
Do you have a favorite mystery?
Murakami:
Mysteries... I haven't been reading too much recently, but I like Mitsuda Shinzo's horror and mystery novels.
Aoki:
You like both playing in the field and playing games. What do you think of the field-like games that are popular now, like "Animal Crossing: New Horizons"?
Murakami:
It has a very good reputation in the animal community and I'm interested in it, but I don't have one.
Machiyama:
What is the "living thing community"?
Murakami:
I follow people on social media who love animals, and I've heard from them that (Animal Crossing) is very realistic, incorporates Mendelian genetics, and is well-crafted, so it has a good reputation.
Aoki:
Apparently the insects are realistic and the details are amazing.
Participant 4: Monotai member Natsumi Tanaka
He joined Monosus' coding factory department in 2015, and moved to Monosus Thailand in February 2019. After working as a coder in Yoyogi, he became a director, and was assigned to Thailand as a checker. However, his current job is mainly coding, so his title is a mystery. He has also visited the Kamiyama office twice, and if he visits Suo-Oshima, his Monosus office tour will be complete. The organizer of this event is not sure what he is aiming for.
Tanaka's member introduction article
What I like
- Drawing and taking photos
- Simulation games
- Combining colors
- When I took a test like "Think about what you like," I realized that I like combining colors.
- Check the information on rental properties
What I'm Good at
- HTML/CSS
- Drawing
- Creating slides (presentations)
What I want to be good at
- Design and Programming
- Color combinations
- I want to create a color scheme!
Onoki:
Do you want to learn how to combine colors?
Tanaka:
That's right. I think that even if it's the same pink, if the brightness is different, or if it's more bluish or orange, the matching colors will be different. I want to know the rules. Right now, it feels like it's expanding infinitely in my mind.
Onoki:
I passed the Color Certification Examination Level 1 a long time ago.
It's a useful word, but in the end it's all about the eyes (laughs).
It is useful to suggest that if you combine this with that, a certain theory will work, but ultimately it all comes down to the power of your eyes.
Tanaka:
Huh!
Onoki:
Both are important, so do your best (laughs).
Now it's time for the real thing! The fictitious company establishment meeting
Aoki:
Now, let's use what you have written to hold a "fictitious company establishment meeting."
Please use the strengths, interests, and future goals of these four people to launch a new company or a new service.
If these four people got together, what kind of service could they provide? It was like having fun thinking about it.
For example, Murakami's skill in identifying plants and insects is very interesting.
So, Onogi-san will make some cool and stylish insect accessories. Tanaka will arrange the colors. We'll make them colorful insects, and then have Machiyama-san, who is "rough and detailed," check them to see if they look good, and then we'll commercialize them.
Tanaka:
That example just now was already really good (laughs).
Mr. Murakami, please gather all the cool creatures you know!
Aoki:
It's really interesting to have accessories that use designs based on living creatures .
I honestly want some unique silver accessories .
Machiyama:
Lichens have a nice color gradation when you look at photos. I could use them as a background for the web or as fabric.
Aoki:
It seems interesting that the background of the website is based on such natural elements.
Machiyama:
For example, they could sell it as wallpaper for rooms .
If the wallpaper in your room is like this, it will be gentle on the eyes and soothing. It's my favorite idea because it has a bit of a "Zen" feel to it.
Aoki:
Monosus should also change jobs... How about a company that makes technical super face shields ? Something that can perform various analyses, like the scouter in Dragon Ball.
Machiyama:
If you wear it and go out into the field, you'll be able to identify plants!
Tanaka:
The glasses reflect my knowledge of proofreading and editing ...
Machiyama:
When I tried it on, I was like, "This part is broken." That's great! (laughs)
Aoki:
Making glasses is also fun because it involves so many small details.
I really want this! It would be more fun if there was more variety than just identification and proofreading.
Machiyama:
How about making a game, something with lichens and going out into the field?
Murakami:
I also find it interesting when you become small and plants and insects look big.
It sounds like fun to use technical skills and knowledge of lichens to create a fieldwork game.
Machiyama:
One of Tanaka's favorite things is "rental checks."
It would be fine to have rental properties with what you have, but you could add a plant area there...not lichens though (laughs) and sell that as an option.
I think that combining it with greenery will give the room a different charm.
Aoki:
The added value goes up!
For example, you could create a niche selling point like, "This room is perfect for the reptilian you are."
Onoki:
I can't get away from lichens anymore (laughs). I wonder if I can make something like a plant pen.
It's like you put in some fungus or something, and when you write, plants start growing.
Everyone:
Wow, great!
Aoki:
Writing something down and then creating an ecosystem is incredibly creative!
Machiyama:
If you mix yogurt, something with moss and spread it on, moss will grow on it.
If you combine them together, you can create some amazing art.
Aoki:
" Moss-covered pen made by Monosasu ."
Tanaka:
Paint it on the wall of your rental property!
Aoki:
Due to the impact of COVID-19, everyone is starting to think, "What is an office?"
In that sense, it might be a good idea to produce office spaces using things like this.
It's great to have a " growing office " where the place grows every time you go, making you want to go back.
The moss-growing pen on the wall grows every day. It looks like it will be fun to gather in the office! Image by adege from Pixabay
Looking Back
The proposal for this workshop was to combine "existing elements" owned by multiple people and explore "new combinations" that only we could come up with.
"There are limits to the ideas I can come up with on my own. But if we combine the likes and strengths of the various people at Monosus, perhaps the possibilities will expand?" This was the idea behind the "Fictional Company Establishment Conference."
In the end, I feel like it was a success!
In the short last 10 minutes, we all came up with ideas, and they just kept coming. If we had a little more time, maybe we would have come up with some super innovative ideas? It was an exciting 10 minutes that gave us hope.
This day also provides an opportunity for co-workers to talk for the first time in a while.
I'm looking forward to the time when the coronavirus pandemic will be over and we can all meet again.
And then there was the most exciting topic of the day: lichens.
The knowledge that not many people around you know about has the power to attract people. It really helped me develop ideas.
But this might really be something...
What did you think of the ideas that came out of this article?
If you want to make this yourself, or are serious about it, please contact our "Fictitious Corporation."
TANAKA Natsumi