【KOKUYO × CULUMU】What is the Social Implementation Process that Creates 'Value for Everyone' from Specific Voices? Co-hosted Webinar on May 27 (Wed) Delves into the Secret Story Behind the Development of Office Furniture 'hangout'

CULUMU (operated by STYZ Inc., Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Tatsuya Tanaka, hereinafter "CULUMU"), an inclusive design studio, will co-host a free online webinar titled "Social Implementation Process that Creates 'Value for Everyone' from Specific Voices ~Learning from KOKUYO: Business Development Based on Inclusive Design~" with KOKUYO Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka / President: Hidekuni Kuroda) on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.

Focusing on the case of the office furniture "hangout," which was born from dialogue with a single lead user, the webinar will reveal the specific process of how specific needs were transformed into universal business value and socially implemented.

Click here to register for the webinar.

Background

KOKUYO Co., Ltd. developed the office furniture "hangout" as one of its initiatives to realize the future scenario of a "self-reliant collaborative society." This product was created through KOKUYO's unique co-creation process "HOWS DESIGN," involving approximately 2.5 years of co-creation with a single lead user (N=1) who uses both a wheelchair and a cane.

The interview article (※1) by Inclusive Design Studio CULUMU, which delved into the core of this project, received significant feedback from many new business development managers and designers after its publication. This webinar was decided to be held to directly convey the passion of the development site and the reality of the gritty trial and error that could not be fully communicated through text alone.

(※1) Article Title: [What is office furniture that shortens emotional distance? The essence of inclusive design learned from KOKUYO's 'hangout'].

Webinar Highlights: Practical Knowledge to Elevate N=1 Voices to 'Value for Everyone'

In this webinar, we will unravel the practical process of how inclusive design, starting from the earnest voice of a specific individual (N=1), culminated in universal business value, namely "comfortable spaces for everyone."

Reaching "Unexpected Insights" and Discovering Psychological Needs What challenges did the development team face during the approximately 2.5-year co-creation process with the individuals involved, and what insights did they derive from them? We will delve into how to grasp essential needs beyond superficial demands, incorporating the basic theory of inclusive design.

Disclosure of "Gritty Trial and Error" with Prototype Photos In the talk session, we will invite KOKUYO's development team to reveal actual prototype photos from the development process. We will explore the real story behind the development, from not ending as a "welfare product for a specific person" to being elevated as a mass product.

Challenge of "Multi-Professional Collaboration" for Social Implementation How did the team overcome project barriers by collaborating across departmental boundaries—designers, planners, and developers—to socially implement the project in a sustainable business model? We will provide practical hints for new business and product development.

Recommended for those who:

New business/planning managers who want to achieve both social problem-solving and business (profitability) starting from N=1 voices.

Designers who want to derive "psychological needs" from deep insights, rather than superficial functional improvements, and apply them to products and spaces.

Project leaders who want to establish inclusive design as an organizational standard.

Event Overview

Date

Wednesday, May 27, 2026, 13:00-14:00

Format

Online (Zoom)

Participation Fee

Free (pre-registration required)

Speakers

Tomohiko Hayashi (Manager, Interior Development Department, KOKUYO Co., Ltd.)

Toru Sato (Director, User-Centered Innovation Lab / Assistant to CEO)

Details and Registration

https://peatix.com/event/4966995/view

About Inclusive Design Studio CULUMU

CULUMU's support includes "new business creation support incorporating co-creation processes," "research support for discovering sharp insights," "prototyping support for giving shape to ideas," "spatial/architectural design support friendly to all people," and "branding/accessibility support to maximize value."

Inclusive Design Studio CULUMU is a group of experts who support business development by co-creating with diverse individuals such as the elderly, people with disabilities, and foreigners. Its greatest feature is a unique research panel that leverages a network of over 6,000 non-profit organizations. It enables matching with people who were previously difficult to reach and qualitative research, and its mechanism is highly praised as "supporting development in close proximity to the individuals involved," receiving the 2024 Good Design Award.

It has over 100 transaction records with major companies and startups, and together with partners such as NPOs and research institutions, it promotes projects that solve social issues and advance DE&I.