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Visualizing productivity with AI, Itoki and Matsuo Laboratory begin joint research on productivity
In anticipation of a society with a declining labor force, we will define the "productivity" required in an era of diverse working styles and develop a new productivity evaluation model and measurement method.
ITOKI CORPORATION (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Koji Koji Minato) has recently launched a "Productivity Evaluation Research Using Multimodal Data in the Office" project utilizing AI technology in collaboration with Matsuo Laboratories Inc. (Location: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Tomofuku Kawakami). This research will utilize traditional office operation data and subjective performance survey data, as well as online behavioral history and life log data from wearable devices, to conduct a multifaceted analysis of the relationship between work environment, work style, and worker productivity. The research aims to "construct a behavioral and environmental model that contributes to the definition and improvement of productivity" and "establish an objective method for measuring and verifying productivity." Following internal testing, the research will consider large-scale demonstration and deployment as a service.
In recent years, rapid advances in technology have transformed industrial structures, making the replacement and automation of work tasks by AI a reality, but low labor productivity remains a challenge in Japan. In addition, with the decline in the working-age population and diversification of working styles, the question of "what increases productivity" varies greatly from organization to organization, making it extremely difficult to grasp the overall picture. Furthermore, the purpose of an office is to "improve productivity," and for a company that designs offices, understanding "productivity" is a key business issue.
Against this backdrop, as a company that develops products and designs spaces with a focus on "workers," Itoki has teamed up with the Matsuo Institute, where Yutaka Matsuo, a leading expert in the field of AI, serves as technical advisor, to enable more advanced analysis and evidence-based space improvements.
The objectives of this research are to "construct a behavioral and environmental model that contributes to the definition and improvement of productivity" and "establish an objective method for measuring and verifying productivity." In addition to the existing "space occupancy data" and subjective "performance survey data," the research will involve an integrated analysis of multimodal data that includes "behind the scenes of behavior," such as online interactions (chats, emails, web conference logs, etc.) and life data such as sleep (using wearable devices).
We have already conducted two internal demonstration experiments. In the observational study, we confirmed that differences in performance arise depending on the area, and in the intervention experiment, we are currently analyzing changes in results by encouraging people to work in designated areas for a certain amount of time. Furthermore, analysis using wearable devices has revealed that performance tends to be highest when people sleep between 5 and 7 hours, and has also suggested that increased movement within the office may contribute to improved productivity.
Mobility and performance verification through AI analysis
Going forward, after hypothesis verification and PoC in the initial research phase, we will move on to external demonstration on a scale of 1,000 people. Furthermore, we aim to build a data collection and analysis platform using sensing devices and web apps, and provide it as an evaluation and analysis service for customers.
We have been working to put human capital management into practice, including participating in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's "Health Management Office Report" (2015) and achieving an engagement score of over 80% through our own office investments. We will continue to approach the entire "work style" and aim to continuously update offices to increase productivity by proposing data-driven office construction and operation. We will contribute to solving corporate management issues while staying close to the "people" who work there.
*Multimodal: Technology for combining and analyzing different types of data
*PoC (Proof of Concept): A trial to verify the feasibility of new technologies and ideas.
About Itoki's Workplace Business
ITOKI CORPORATION was founded in 1890. With the mission statement of "We Design Tomorrow. We Design WORK-Style." the company supports the creation of a variety of "spaces," "environments," and "places" by leveraging its strengths of "Tech x Design based on PEOPLE," including the manufacture and sale of office furniture, office space design, “Space," “Environment," and “Place" consulting, and office data analysis services, as well as furniture for working from home and studying at home, and equipment for public facilities and logistics facilities.
As hybrid work becomes more common and the places and ways of working become more diverse, we are developing spatial digital transformation to enhance productivity and creativity, as well as consulting services to support optimal office operations. We are also proactively collaborating with external designers and partner companies to propose new work styles and workplaces for the future.
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ITOKI CORPORATION
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