FROM CONTEST TO MARKET
The structure serves as a sort of table,
providing a stable surface on which to write and draw.
A challenge to make a product that crosses genres
"roll table" won the grand-prix in KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2011, and KOKUYO is now testing commercialization of this design. This report outlines the process of commercializing the roll table. In the second section, we ask Takeshi Fujiki of KOKUYO Furniture, one of the judges of KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD, about the issues concerning commercialization and future development.
"The roll table is neither a piece of furniture nor stationery. It represents a completely new category, and that's why I really wanted to take on the challenge of commercializing the roll table", says Takeshi Fujiki of KOKUYO Furniture, one of the judges of the KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD. Commercialization of the roll table is now in progress.
Takeshi Fujiki, KOKUYO Furniture Co., Ltd.
"The moment I saw the roll table, I knew it would be the winner. Learners can find their own style of learning through trial and error. It was an outstanding work among numerous entries." The roll table won the grand-prix in KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2011, whose main theme was "learning". Fujiki immediately got the ball rolling on commercialization.
The roll table is a desk which has paper rolled on. It is a table, but at the same time it is a notebook. KOKUYO Furniture, where Fujiki works, doesn't have the know-how regarding notebooks, so he asked for support from KOKUYO S&T, which handles stationery, and thus a collaboration across genres started. Then a strong partner came along: the factory that would make prototypes. "One time, they stopped all other machines to make a prototype of the roll table. I greatly appreciate and respect the craftsmanship of this factory, and the president has an exceptionally positive attitude. This project would have failed without them."
As Fujiki expressed his gratitude to the factory, he explained the present conditions and the fact that he has not yet succeeded in commercialization. "We had so many problems. For example, we couldn't roll the paper neatly at the rolling edges of the table, and we couldn't get rid of the wrinkles."He said he would fix this problem through a semi-manual process, but a tough hurdle remains: the strength of the table." You usually don't stand on a notebook, but you could stand on top of a desk. That means the roll table must be as strong as standard furniture.
KOKUYO has very strict safety standards, and if we have to comply with those, then the product will become more rugged and heavy, making it difficult for children to use. It loses its stationery-like appearance and becomes more like furniture. Its excitement as a new genre would be lost as well. How do we standardize the strength of the roll table? This is the toughest problem".
When this difficult problem of strength is overcome, the long-expected commercialization can proceed. "What is important in the first place is to introduce the roll table and have customers use it. We want their frank opinions. Comments like 'this is not quite right' would be useful to us." Fujiki also recognizes that the know-how gained from this commercialization will be useful in future production. But what will happen after commercialization? "After we succeed in commercialization, we want to hold a workshop to use the roll table with children. I will join and play with them, and observe how they use it. Then I will reflect what I learn, and finish the completed product." Even after commercialization, he will continue making improvements until the final sales, and will never make compromises.
"I would like to introduce the commercialized roll table to everyone at the announcement of the winners of the Design Award this year. There isn't much time left, so the project isn't over yet! I believe we can make it if everyone works as a team." The roll table commercialization project is in its final stage. We will report on the process of trial and error at the factory in our next issue.
