In my work, I never underestimate the importance of speed. What customers want is constantly changing with the business environment, so we cannot just shut ourselves away in the lab forever. It is essential for us always to bear in mind the customers’ schedule and to proceed with development at a brisk pace.
Therefore, it is essential to work in close cooperation with relevant departments here at Shinkawa as well as with our partner companies. At university, I completed my research with a small number of colleagues but in R&D in business, we cannot make any kind of progress without cooperation among the various departments involved in production, evaluation, and sales.
This takes time and effort but the key issue is how we coordinate work with other departments to make the entire cycle of design, trial production, evaluation, and verification proceed smoothly. To motivate people around you to take action requires good communication skills, and to win the cooperation of others requires devising ways to build favorable relationships.