[Nulab Survey] The Barrier to DX Promotion Isn't Just a Lack of Personnel; "Individualized Operations" and "Ambiguous Objectives/Goals" Emerge as Top Issues

Nulab Inc. (Headquarters: Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, hereinafter Nulab) conducted a "Survey on the Reality of DX Promotion and Operational Visualization" targeting 1,000 individuals aged 20s to 50s who engage in PC desk work at least once a week.

This survey revealed that while "lack of personnel/staff capable of promoting DX (35.3%)" was the most cited reason for DX not progressing, "individualized operations (26.0%)" and "proceeding with ambiguous objectives/goals for operational improvement (25.5%)" also ranked high. It became clear that in addition to a shortage of personnel, the "black boxing" of operations is a challenge for DX promotion.

Survey Summary

72.3% are involved in DX operations, indicating DX promotion is already a common task in many companies.

"Visualization/organization of operational flow/processes" ranks third (31.8%) among DX tasks, recognizing the organization of existing operations as a core DX task.

Factors hindering DX include not only "personnel shortages (35.3%)" but also "individualized operations (26.0%)" and "proceeding with ambiguous objectives/goals (25.5%)," highlighting issues stemming from operational structure.

【Survey Overview】

Survey Name: Survey on the Reality of DX Promotion and Operational Visualization

Target Audience: 1,000 individuals aged 20s to 50s who engage in PC desk work at least once a week.

Survey Method: Internet survey

Survey Period: February 18, 2026 - February 20, 2026

Valid Responses: 1,000

Survey Organization: NeoMarketing Inc.

Details of Survey Results

1. 72.3% Have Opportunities to Engage in DX; DX Promotion is Already a Common Task

When asked about opportunities to engage in DX, 72.3% responded that they are "working on DX as a main task" or "have opportunities to work on DX, though it is not their main task." This confirmed that DX promotion has already become commonplace in many companies. Furthermore, a trend was observed where the longer the experience in DX operations, the deeper the involvement. Among those with "over 3 years" of experience, 33.4% responded that they are "working on DX as a main task," compared to 27.5% in the "1 year or less" group.

2. Top DX Operations Include "AI Utilization," "Data Organization," and "Operational Flow Visualization"

The top DX operations were "utilization of AI/automation in operations (42.2%)", "integration/organization of data (33.1%)", and "visualization/organization of operational flow/processes (31.8%)". While AI utilization and data integration are attracting attention, it was found that the organization and visualization of existing operations, which are prerequisites for these, are widely recognized as core DX tasks.

3. Challenges in DX Promotion: "Individualization" and "Lack of Visualization" Follow "Personnel Shortage" in Ranking

The most frequently cited challenge in DX promotion was "lack of personnel/staff capable of promoting DX (35.3%)". On the other hand, "current operations are individualized, hindering organization (26.0%)" and "proceeding with ambiguous objectives/goals for operational improvement (25.5%)" also ranked high. While personnel shortages are often cited as a reason for DX stagnation, it was also recognized that individualized operations and a lack of visualization are challenges for DX promotion.

This survey revealed that while DX promotion has become commonplace in many companies, challenges such as "individualized operations" and "ambiguous objectives/goals" remain deeply rooted. DX measures like automation and data utilization can only function effectively when built upon the foundation of organizing and visualizing existing operations. Even with personnel, it is difficult to apply DX to unorganized and unvisualized operations, and Nulab believes that resolving the "black boxing" of operations is the true entry point for DX promotion.

Release of Survey Report (White Paper)

This survey focuses on "individualized operations" and "lack of visualization" as challenges in DX promotion, and a white paper explaining the reality of operational flow diagrams as a solution and methods for promoting visualization through collaborative editing has been released.

▼ Download the White Paper here

https://cacoo.com/ja/document/dx-process-blackbox-survey/

Additionally, a blog post summarizing the results of this survey has also been published.

▼ Blog post here

https://cacoo.com/ja/blog/dx-process-blackbox-survey/

Request Regarding Use of Survey Results

- The copyright of this release belongs to Nulab Inc.

- When quoting or reprinting the content of this release, please attribute it to our company name (Nulab Inc.) and, if possible, include a link to this release or the source of publication for reporting or introductory purposes.

- If you wish to alter the content or use it for the purpose of promoting products or services, please contact our public relations contact (pr@nulab.com) in advance.

About Cacoo

Cacoo is an online whiteboard tool that enables collaborative work among multiple people. It allows real-time collaborative editing of diagrams such as flowcharts, organizational charts, and wireframes within a browser, and can be easily shared via URL. With abundant templates and intuitive operability, it supports consolidating team opinions and visualizing/resolving the individualization of operations.

https://cacoo.com/ja/

About Nulab Inc.

Representative: Masanori Hashimoto

Headquarters: HCC BLD. 2F, 6F, 7F, 1-8-6 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture

Tokyo Office: B1F, +SHIFT SHIBADAIMON, 2-1-16 Shiba-daimon, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Corporate Site: https://nulab.com

Recruitment Site: https://careers.nulab.com/