Even before the concept of “Design Thinking” was well known, Hitachi, Ltd. had been working on designs with designers collaborating with researchers. In fact, Hitachi's design department was established in 1957, and at that time, it was rare to have a design department within a company.
The role and expectations of design have changed over time, and it is now essential to Hitachi's Social Innovation Business, in which Hitachi's solutions solve various social issues.
How does Hitachi view design? This article is an interview with Yukinobu Maruyama, who serves as the head of design at Research & Development Group.
