—— Could you tell us about the work you are responsible for?
O: I work on new product development in the Engineering Group. It starts with market research — if there is an electronic component that interests us I actually buy it and examine its structure, then write up the findings in a report and share it internally. Beyond that I cover a wide range: designing products and moulds, evaluating prototypes, designing jigs for evaluation, and the press forming work itself. Once a product is complete I also prepare presentation materials for customers, and sometimes visit customers with our sales staff to give technical explanations.

—— That is a very broad range of processes.
O: It is. Rather than one specific process, I am involved in the whole flow through which a product comes into being. Within that, design work, where there is a lot of freedom, is particularly interesting. Drawing up plans while thinking about how to make something that will really work gives me a sense of the pleasure of manufacturing. On the other hand, meetings with overseas customers, in China for example, are one of the harder parts. Because of differences in language and culture I have to explain things while considering how to convey them accurately, and it takes a good deal of thought every time.

—— Has there been an event that particularly made you feel you had grown?
O: It was seven or eight years ago, when I took over work from a senior colleague. Until then I had focused mainly on press forming, but I had gradually become involved in evaluating product characteristics and in meetings with customers. In the middle of that, the senior colleague who had been responsible left the company, and suddenly I had to take the lead.

—— That sounds like a major turning point.
O: It was. At the time my knowledge was still not sufficient and I was simply doing everything I could. Ahead of meetings with overseas customers I organised the progress, characteristics and issues for each product in detail in Excel, and prepared while studying on my own. At first I could barely keep up, but bit by bit my knowledge grew and I became able to hold proper discussions with customers. Looking back, I think that experience is what made me grow the most. Now I can approach product development with a broader perspective, including market research and a marketing viewpoint.

—— Could you tell us about the appeal of Phonon Meiwa and the atmosphere in the Engineering Group?
O: I think the biggest characteristic is the degree of freedom. Of course we teach the fundamentals properly, but if you propose “I would like to try this,” there is an environment that encourages you to go ahead. Relationships between senior and junior staff are not stiff, and the atmosphere makes it easy to ask for advice when you are stuck. The Engineering Group has members who are each strong in different fields, so there is a reassuring sense that for any given field there is someone you can ask.

—— Do you value that approach in developing your team members as well?
O: Yes. I try not to intervene too closely, and ask them to think for themselves first. Naturally, when they are stuck we consider the causes together and discuss how to improve things, but I believe the experience of thinking for yourself is what leads to growth. Because there is a lot of freedom you do need the ability to think for yourself, but the work is correspondingly rewarding. For people who want to take on new things, or to give shape to their own ideas, I think it is a very interesting environment.