Individual Growth Through Diverse Co-creation(2)

*Continued from Interview Part 1 

*Insights shared in this dialogue are personal and do not represent those of any organization.
*Affiliations and positions are current at the time of this writing (December 2025).
*The interview was conducted at MIRAI LAB PALETTE (MLP).

Shinichi Chiyoda: Breaking out of my shell

Shinichi Chiyoda engages in algorithm research and development at Yokogawa’s Global Innovation Center. His interest in the field emerged during a math camp in his first year of high school, when he discovered how mathematics supports a diversity of physics laws and industries. During university and graduate school, he majored in information and mathematical engineering. He shares his motivation for joining the Future Co-creation Initiative.

“I applied to the Initiative to broaden my horizons and break out of my shell.”

So, what was Chiyoda’s “shell”?

“My field involves implementing algorithms and spending hours writing code. It’s a highly self-contained field and one in which I felt comfortable. Furthermore, I’m an introvert, and I struggled at conversing with others.”

Chiyoda was responsible for gathering and organizing information on megatrends for Future Scenario 2040. He completed the work with ease, since he is well-versed in data and analysis. Things grew trickier, explains Chiyoda, during consultation with experts on the Future Scenario draft.

“Our discussions focused on polishing our hypotheses and digging deeper into the information. But in my case, I simply followed the flow of the materials, which ended up in a stereotypical one-way explanation. Things came to a grinding halt as conversations stopped, and I often failed to gather others’ perspectives or further information.”

He reflects on the root cause of the problem.

“I realized that I had failed to correctly frame the questions I wished to pose to others and clarify what insights I hoped to gain from them.”

From one-way explanations to reciprocal, organic dialogue

Chiyoda altered his approach, asking questions differently to encourage better dialogue.

“First, I asked myself exactly what I wished to explore, studying each company’s mid-term management plan to understand client concerns and expertise. Identifying all possible issues helped me pose better questions, which deepened our dialogue.”

A successful outcome requires a better process. Shifting that process from self-oriented to client-oriented was key to producing improved dialogue. Injecting differing opinions instead of simply aligning with the client’s viewpoint generated a more valuable discussion.

“Many of our co-creation dialogue partners are VIPs with impressive titles. I learned to put aside my desire for their recognition and instead try to ensure that they gained insights from our discussion. I began to shift my mindset toward creating mutually beneficial opportunities based on feedback from others.”

Chiyoda put what he learned from future scenarios to work in his own job.

“Technology changes along with the world around us. In R&D, we also feel a rising momentum to keep abreast of the external environment. We’re still at the starting gate, but we are beginning to implement white paper findings to stimulate discussion based on future scenario viewpoints.”

Takeyuki Mogi: Keeping an open mind

Takeyuki Mogi works alongside Chiyoda, pursuing R&D in the Global Innovation Center. He majored in biotechnology in graduate school and currently handles project management, works to enhance R&D efficiency, and proposes measures to translate research outcomes into business value for the company.

His roles in Future Scenario work included determining scenario drivers, refining expressions, and drafting the white paper preface.

The challenge he faces is his tendency to get stuck thinking only from his own perspective.

“Mr. Tamaki pointed out that even when I believed I was thinking from an outside perspective, I wasn’t fully doing so. I sort of understood what he was saying but struggled to put it into practice.”

A turning point eventually arrived.

“I had this curious desire to say something unique. Once I felt my ideas were grounded in logic, I couldn’t let go. Other members would suggest elevating our discussion to a higher vantage point, but even when I believed I had stretched my thinking to its limits, they would present insights from an even broader viewpoint. After several such experiences, I became deeply aware of the narrowness of my own perspective.”

A broader, elevated perspective unlocks options

Discussion with external executives afforded Mogi a close-up look at their elevated vantage points.

“They digested our complex information, instantly asking about wide-ranging possibilities or quickly coming up with various scenarios. Their focus flexibly zoomed in from macro to micro, showing me the meaning of a truly elevated vantage point. Through that dialogue, I gradually grew free of my stubborn opinions and began to embrace other possibilities.”

On the other hand, Mogi’s persistence has occasionally broken discussion stalemates.

For example, the environmental axis of the scenario driver was originally called “planetary health.” Mogi, however, felt the name should reflect the risks faced by all life, including humans and animals. Other members avow that Mogi suggested far more scenario driver options than anyone else. His thinking process was thorough, examining each underlying fact and piece of data one by one and making adjustments to the scenario drivers. Thanks to his persistence, the designation ultimately became “addressing biospheric risks.”

“The experimental mindset I nurtured in biotechnology work may have come into play naturally. On the other hand, if my field of vision had been narrow and my perspective limited, I believe my ability to envision the future would have remained constrained.”

R&D work is all about digging deep within a limited area. Conversely stated, continued in-depth probing leads to tunnel vision. Participating in future co-creation enabled Mogi not only to further his intellectual depth but also to broaden and elevate his perspective.

Dividends from co-creation

In the process of creating Future Scenario 2040, the ambassadors experienced constructive conflict and dialogue with experts holding diverse opinions, enabling each to nurture leadership skills. Contributing to others as “givers” and co-creating conversely enabled significant learning and work-based satisfaction. By broadening their horizons and perspectives, they expanded their options.

The four learned the value of linking intangible and diverse features. They realized firsthand that heterogeneous elements need not be excluded but instead can be integrated into co-creation to generate new value for the organization. Therein lay the aim of the Future Co-creation Initiative.

From left: Shinichi Chiyoda, Takeyuki Mogi, Chinatsu Takahata, Nobuyuki Tamaki, Jun Kobayashi, Keisuke Takahata (Yokogawa)