大手企業が相次ぎ採用のデザインソフト　注目の理由は？（2024年3月13日）

Summary

Figma, a U.S. IT company founded in 2012, has made significant strides in Japan, focusing on digital collaboration tools. Their platform allows multiple people in different locations to collaboratively design and edit, streamlining processes like website design through shared URLs. Figma's strength lies in its AI-powered features, introduced last year, which categorize and summarize ideas, guiding users through the discussion process. Even when ideas are scarce, AI can provide suggestions. Despite regulatory challenges, Figma has seen rapid growth, with one-third of the Nikkei 225 companies adopting it within two years of its Japan launch. Honda, for instance, used Figma to finalize the interior design of their new electric vehicle, enhancing communication across departments and generating innovative ideas like installing monitors behind seats. Figma aims to strengthen its AI capabilities to further support Japan's digital transformation and target full adoption among the Nikkei 225 companies.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Figma Japan Co., Ltd. held a strategic announcement meeting in Tokyo, showcasing the capabilities of the American IT company Figma, which was founded in 2012.
• 🔄 Figma's service allows multiple people in different locations to collaborate on design and editing tasks through a shared whiteboard interface.
• 📈 Figma has a unique strength in using AI to classify and organize ideas, making it easier for teams to structure and discuss their projects.
• 📊 Last year, Figma introduced a feature using generative AI to support users by categorizing ideas, assigning headings, and summarizing discussions.
• 💡 When users are stuck for ideas, Figma's AI can even provide suggestions to help move the project forward.
• 🏢 Despite competition from tech giants like Google and Microsoft, Figma has managed to stand out and was even attempted to be acquired by Adobe for approximately 3 trillion yen in 2022.
• 🌐 Figma's CEO, who is 32 years old, visited Japan for the second time since the service started, highlighting the importance of the Japanese market.
• 📈 Compared to Europe and America, Japan has been slower in digitalizing business operations, but investment in digitalization has been rapidly increasing in recent years.
• 📊 Figma entered Japan in 2022 and has quickly grown, with one-third of the companies that make up the Nikkei Average now using their service.
• 🚗 Honda, which introduced Figma last year, uses the platform for collaborative discussions and design decisions, such as the interior design of their new electric vehicle.
• 🎨 The use of Figma has facilitated close communication between different departments, leading to innovative ideas like installing monitors behind seats to stream video, enhancing the interior space design.

Q & A

What is the name of the American IT company that was founded in 2012 and has recently held a strategic announcement meeting in Tokyo?

The company is Figma, an IT company that specializes in collaborative design tools.

What service does Figma offer that allows multiple people to collaborate on design and editing from different locations?

Figma offers a service that enables multiple people to collaboratively edit designs such as homepage layouts using a shared whiteboard interface.

How does Figma's service simplify the process of accessing and editing shared design projects?

By simply sharing a URL, Figma allows related parties to access and edit the design projects, making the process of collaboration more straightforward.

What is Figma's unique strength compared to similar services in the market?

Figma's unique strength lies in its use of AI to classify and categorize ideas, making it easier for teams to organize and discuss their projects.

What AI-powered support features did Figma introduce last year to enhance its service?

Figma introduced AI-generated support features that can categorize ideas, create headings, summarize content, and suggest steps for discussions.

How does Figma's AI assist users when they are overwhelmed with ideas?

When users are overwhelmed with ideas, Figma's AI can provide suggestions and help them generate new ideas.

What significant event involving Figma occurred in 2022 that attracted attention?

In 2022, Adobe, a major software company in the United States, attempted to acquire Figma for approximately 30 billion yen.

Why did Figma's CEO, who is 32 years old, visit Japan for the second time since the service started?

The CEO visited Japan because despite the slower digitalization in business compared to Europe and America, Japan has been rapidly increasing its investment in digitalization in recent years, which Figma sees as an opportunity.

How quickly has Figma grown in Japan since its entry in 2022?

Figma has experienced rapid growth in Japan, with one-third of the companies that make up the Nikkei Average having adopted Figma in just two years.

How did Honda utilize Figma in deciding the interior design of their newly announced electric vehicle?

Honda used Figma to collaborate on the interior design of their new electric vehicle, allowing different departments to share the same screen and discuss ideas effectively.

What specific example illustrates the collaborative process using Figma during Honda's design work?

An example given is the design of the seating and interior space, where the team used Figma to gather opinions, gradually refine the design, and come up with innovative ideas such as installing monitors behind the seats to stream images.

What is Figma's goal regarding the expansion of its AI features and its presence in the Japanese market?

Figma aims to further enhance its AI features and is targeting the adoption of its service by all 225 companies that make up the Nikkei Average, as part of its strategy to support digital transformation across the Japanese economy.