Nissha has been exploring UI/UX design that delivers a seamless physical and psychological experience, aiming to propose sophisticated designs and functional, comfortable interfaces to our customers.
Our in-house design team, the backbone of our efforts, conducts research and analysis from unique perspectives every year. From the insights and data obtained through these activities, we compile a report called “Nissha Trend Vision (hereafter referred to as Trend Vision)” and release it both internally and externally once a year.
Trend Vision focuses on the latest designs from around the world, crossing various fields such as architecture, art, and technology. By investigating new trends and movements, we formulate propositions derived from the discoveries and signs we gather, providing deep insights and expressing them in words and visuals as a future outlook for the next 2-3 years.
While general trend analysis often requires objectivity and is usually conducted targeting external market environments, we conduct our research and analysis grounded in our core technologies. This allows us to always keep the productization process in mind and think of CMF design ideas directed toward a “future we aim to create” one step ahead. (For more details about Trend Vision, please see here.)
The trends surrounding the world are changing daily, and in this modern era where there are significant changes in the concept of ownership and lifestyles, we must consider the creation of products that will be needed in the society of the future.
Workshop Utilizing Nissha Trend Vision
In October 2023, we conducted a “CMF Design Workshop” with the Design Dept., Corporate Planning Div., SUBARU CORPORATION (hereafter referred to as SUBARU), to explore what comfort means in future mobility spaces amidst the increasingly complex and multiple needs of society.
In the mobility industry, as proposed in Paris in 2016 with the concept of “CASE(*1),” a new era of electrified power sources and the use of cars without owning them has dawned. Furthermore, by 2030, it is expected that high-speed 6G communication will be widespread, leading to the exploration of new mobility and services required by an evolving society.
(*1) CASE is an acronym representing the four transformative areas of mobility: “Connected,” “Automated/Autonomous,” “Shared & Service,” and “Electrification.” Since its proposal at the Paris Motor Show in 2016, CASE has gained recognition as a concept describing the future vision of the entire automotive industry.
When fully autonomous mobility itself is referred to as the third place following home and workplace, we anticipate that people will seek richer experiences and presentations from mobility as a living space. We also emphasize the importance of spatial design in our concept “mutech(*2).”
(*2) “mutech” is a coined term from “mute” × “technology,” with the concept of “Less noise, More comfort.” By combining Nissha’s decorative expressions and technology, mutech controls the excessive information (noise) on interfaces, creating comfortable spaces.
These societal changes are expected to broaden the fixed concept of “what a car is,” further expanding people’s lifestyles and ways of mobility.
Envisioning Future Lifestyles Where Our Products Are Needed
During the workshop, we explained how Nissha conducts global trend research and analysis each year through the Nissha Trend Vision. We introduced the process of defining four themes based on the analysis results and translating them into CMF design. We also discussed the directions needed for products and services in the next 2-3 years.
＜CMF Design Workshop Overview＞
・Number of Participants: 17 (10 from Nissha)
・Duration: Approximately 90 minutes
＜Purpose of the Workshop＞
The workshop aims to deepen mutual understanding (concepts and technologies) with clients through Nissha’s trend analysis and to train young design talent.
＜Workshop Process＞
1. Introduction to Nissha’s CMF Design Practices
We introduce how our in-house design team conducts trend research and develops designs based on the analysis results.
2. Explanation of Nissha Trend Vision 2023
We explain the four themes defined in the Trend Vision, and participants write down their ideas, such as points they find interesting or agree with, and “it would be great if…” thoughts on sticky notes.
3. Identifying Insights Necessary for Designing Mobility Spaces
Based on the sticky notes from step 2, we identify elements that constitute trends in mobility spaces and discuss what kind of lifestyles can be envisioned in the near future based on keywords that deepen understanding of each theme.
4. Summary
We map the sticky notes based on the discussion content and vote on the ideas that resonated the most.
In our Trend Vision for 2023, we have set “Coexistence with Nature” as one of the themes. In recent years, as interest in sustainability has increased and attention is being drawn to the idea that “humans are a part of nature,” how can we, as manufacturers, provide experiences and values that rebuild our connection with nature?
This approach aligns closely with SUBARU’s corporate philosophy, which emphasizes harmony with nature under the environmental concept of “Earth, Sky, and Nature.” During the discussion, we received a lot of empathy.
Regarding this workshop, we received the following feedback from a designer at SUBARU:
“Sharing and empathizing with design concepts with a manufacturer from a different industry was a significant achievement. In 2023, SUBARU’s environmental philosophy of “Earth, Sky, and Nature” and the theme of “Simple Harmony” from Nissha Trend Vision were particularly compatible, which facilitated smooth discussions. Additionally, it was impressive to see new insights and discoveries emerging from the intersection of perspectives between an automobile manufacturer and a printing and molding manufacturer,” highlighting the value of cross-industry collaboration.
Furthermore, it was mentioned that “The CMF designs proposed by Nissha and the ideas born from Nissha’s unique perspective suggested new possibilities. Particularly, the participation of not only designers but also members from sales and technical departments provided unexpected viewpoints and fresh comments, which were highly stimulating.”
Additionally, “The initiative to think about the future together with manufacturers from different cultures and specialties brought valuable opportunities for new perspectives and insights. It was an initiative we wished to continue regularly,” encouraging us with their kind words.
We believe that discussing a “future we aim to create” where global trends meet the resources of both companies generates higher-quality questions, and from these high-quality questions, new innovations arise.
Nissha will continue to pursue timeless comfort, offering comforting moments in day-to-day life with sensory experiences like sight and touch, provided by SurfaceWorks.
If you are interested in Nissha’s CMF design workshops or becoming a business partner, please feel free to contact us.