INDUSTRY:
Industrial
CLIENT:
Hitachi BSBU
YEAR:
2023
EXPERIENCE:
Product & Business Design
Hitachi BSBU
about.
Reimagining field engineering with AI-driven tools
Japan’s aging workforce is creating gaps in maintenance industries like HVAC and elevator systems. Field engineers face outdated tech, safety hazards, and rising pressure from workforce shortages.
I led the end-to-end product design and branding for Kumata, an AI assistant and mobile app concept designed to transform maintenance work by 2030. The concept helped secure stakeholder buy-in for Hitachi’s future tech strategy.
challenge.
Field engineers in Japan face unsafe, inefficient workflows due to outdated tools and fragmented communication. Hitachi needed a concept to demonstrate how technology could ease labor gaps and support safer operations — fast.
The team asked us to envision what maintenance work could look like in the 2027–2030 era, utilizing AI, automation, and connected infrastructure.
research & insights.
User interviews were conducted to determine the needs of the user. The research concluded the following:
User interviews were conducted to determine the needs of the user. The research concluded the following:
Disconnected Tools
Disconnected Tools
Engineers used multiple outdated devices and paper-based logs.
Safety Risks
Safety Risks
Lack of real-time alerts or access to repair history increased hazard exposure.
Workforce Pressure
Workforce Pressure
Fewer young workers entering the trade meant increasing strain on aging teams.
solution.
This project shaped Hitachi’s internal conversations about automation and safety for industrial workers. It also challenged us to think critically about AI ethics, trust, and low-barrier interaction models for aging populations.
Key Wins:
✔️ Stakeholder buy-in secured
✔️ Flexible system built for scaling
✔️ AI assistant earned positive testing feedback
research & insights.
User interviews were conducted to determine the needs of the user. The research concluded the following:
Disconnected Tools
Engineers used multiple outdated devices and paper-based logs.
Safety Risks
Lack of real-time alerts or access to repair history increased hazard exposure.
Workforce Pressure
Fewer young workers entering the trade meant increasing strain on aging teams.
INDUSTRY:
Industrial
CLIENT:
Hitachi BSBU
YEAR:
2023
EXPERIENCE:
Product & Business Design
Hitachi BSBU
about.
Reimagining field engineering with AI-driven tools
Japan’s aging workforce is creating gaps in maintenance industries like HVAC and elevator systems. Field engineers face outdated tech, safety hazards, and rising pressure from workforce shortages.
I led the end-to-end product design and branding for Kumata, an AI assistant and mobile app concept designed to transform maintenance work by 2030. The concept helped secure stakeholder buy-in for Hitachi’s future tech strategy.
challenge.
Field engineers in Japan face unsafe, inefficient workflows due to outdated tools and fragmented communication. Hitachi needed a concept to demonstrate how technology could ease labor gaps and support safer operations — fast.
The team asked us to envision what maintenance work could look like in the 2027–2030 era, utilizing AI, automation, and connected infrastructure.
solution.
This project shaped Hitachi’s internal conversations about automation and safety for industrial workers. It also challenged us to think critically about AI ethics, trust, and low-barrier interaction models for aging populations.
Key Wins:
✔️ Stakeholder buy-in secured
✔️ Flexible system built for scaling
✔️ AI assistant earned positive testing feedback