How should we design? I learned in college that before I even start, it is vital to begin by asking whether the deliverable is truly necessary in the first place. As I studied visual design holistically—beyond web or graphics—I grew fascinated by the upstream work: defining the problem, organizing information, and looking at the big picture before moving on to visual expression. Designing with the company’s direction firmly in view, I made it my aim to enable fundamental solutions to problems.

Then, reading an interview with a Nikon designer, I realized that an in-house design team has direct access to firsthand insights, which makes it easier to propose what is truly needed. This was the deciding factor in my decision to apply to the company.

Nikon Design is a place where people who love creating gather. Designers from diverse fields respect one another, and collaborate for better results. A positive “let’s make it better” spirit fills the place. I first felt that before I joined, when I took part in a Nikon workshop for students. In these workshops, you explore a set assignment within a set period, and present on the final day. As the submission deadline loomed and I was still spending time on my deliverable, senior employees offered friendly advice right up to the last minute, saying, “Changing this will make it better,” and “If you have time, try revising this.” There was a shared spirit of “let’s make it better together” that transcended student and employee roles.

Since joining, my impression has remained unchanged. Here you find people who love making things—colleagues who take on personal projects outside of work, or who share and exhibit pieces they’ve made themselves. Everyone has a strong individual style, with a sharp eye and a refined design sense. Working alongside them as one of the team constantly inspires me, and I can feel myself growing through the experience.

The group I belong to works across a wide range of Nikon’s communication design. So far, I’ve worked across a wide range of media—from business-unit catalogs to product logos.

One project that stands out most was a magazine advertisement I was entrusted with in my third year at Nikon. Its purpose was to raise awareness of Nikon Design and support recruitment efforts. The advertisement was to appear in a well-known magazine that anyone in the design world would recognize. Given the publication’s creative pedigree, the advertisement itself had to live up to the same high standard. With a senior colleague as my advisor, I took on the role of lead designer. Carrying the responsibility for an advertisement that would represent the face of Nikon Design was both nerve-wracking and exciting, but I decided that if I was going to be given the chance, I would go all in. The process began from scratch, first asking what we really needed to communicate. The format was a single key visual, slightly smaller than A4, so every element mattered. We considered what to strip away and what to keep, and handled the entire process ourselves, from concept development and copywriting to hands-on design work. When I was struggling to expand the ideas, the turning point came with one sentence from the head of the Design Center: “Feel free—push it as far as you like.” That single comment opened my perspective and allowed me to explore playful concepts as well. In the end, we discussed dozens of design proposals. That encouragement from the head of the Design Center enabled us to arrive at an idea we agreed was the most in line with Nikon Design.

Through a series of magazine placements, we showcased just how wide-ranging the Design Center’s work is, from projects that present Nikon’s vision to planning booths for some of the world’s largest trade shows. What I kept in mind during production was the image of aspiring young designers—just like I was in my student days—flipping through the pages with excitement and thinking, “One day I want to do work like this!” If the advertisement has helped encourage even one of them to take that step forward, I would be truly delighted.

While working with many different business units, I have come to appreciate the remarkable history Nikon has built and the excellence of the technologies it has cultivated. This has only strengthened my desire to communicate that value accurately and compellingly. From cameras and microscopes to binoculars and semiconductor lithography systems, I truly believe Nikon is a company that creates outstanding products through the combined efforts of many people. I feel that the Nikon we know today exists thanks to our shared “let’s make it better” mindset, and delivering that appeal to our customers is our role—a realization that fills me with pride. Feeling the depth of passion and commitment of everyone involved in planning, design, procurement, manufacturing, and every other stage of a product or solution only deepens my determination to convey the appeal of Nikon through the power of design.

*Title and work duties are those at the time of interview