Diary
It would be too much to call it as "the design competition in the firm", while we tried to conduct concisely something like that.
It has been done as one hour opening performance just after the toast of the monthly drinking party.
The rule is defined as the one shot competition one idea per person presented in A4 size paper.
3 minutes are allowed for a person to present his/her idea.
The winner's prize is JPY10,000.
The store manager decides theme, which even new joiners would be able to participate including equipments in KOMA shop and small articles, and evaluates presentations.
It is aimed to be fun something like Japanese Oogiri game.
The them this time is "the umbrella stand".
It would be one of equipment of KOMA shop, however, "we would like to make it as sellable products with making several inver tories."
In other words, we would like to price them.
This makes fundamental difference between works made by professionals and hobby for amateurs.
Then, it suddenly make difficult to manufacture the work.
I had been dwelling how to participate it as the master of the factory, I made up my mind to demonstrate "how to win disgusting others" for the first time.
I took this approach showing the standard of partially serious at the same time partially pleasure so that KOMA-1 GP completions to become exiting events in the future demonstrating how those who take results seriously try to win.
With expectations of ideas employees are supposed to make, I planned to disprove competitors' presentations and exclude them.
The theme is winning disgusting competitors.
Thinking of conditions first.
The umbrella stand.
It may be used outside and woods may not be good fit to water.
Unlike chairs which can be relatively easily differentiated each others through comfortableness, it would be difficult to differentiate the umbrella stand.
Given high possibility for the deterioration, it would not be good to process in assembling and/or joining.
Given high possibility for distortions, cracks, and mold, wooden board would not be good.
Even when high quality products are made with lengthy of time spent, it would be subject to claims due to deterioration before long.
Also, given the expectation to sell small number of sales, it would not be good to have large number of the inventory as well as utilizing materials other than woods through outsourcing a part of the process.
It would not be KOMA products to be coated with paint.
Considering above, the umbrella stand would not be executable in KOMA.
Given higher risks from various angles, it would not be suitable product in KOMA.
Each presentation was interesting, while as expected, each was presentation just straight of the umbrella stand.
So, none of the idea won the competition.
So, here goes the main part.
The last presenter was me.
Let me slightly deviate from the main topic, it would not be rare for some design products to executable due to various reasons including features of materials, budgets, etc.
Under such circumstances, depending on situations, we may be able to think outside the box, for example, designing "tools for sitting" instead of chairs.
This time, the umbrella stand would be risky for KOMA to make from woods, however, there are many possibilities as "tools for placing umbrellas".
So, "I would not like to make the umbrella stand itself."
Adhering a protuberance with double-sided tape for the exterior wall of houses, then, just hanging the handle of the umbrella.
It would not be broken without assembles and joints.
Given small size, there is minimal risks for distortions or cracks.
Due to its lower price, it can be replaced when it will no longer perform as expected.
There would not be any inventory risks because it will be manufactured by clients' orders.
Any sort or risks would be avoided.
It would be something like the picture below.
(it will be shown after it is adhering to KOMA shop)
Anyway, the judge is the store manager of the KOMA shop, Kumi-san.
However, her judge is obvious.
For sellers, risks for quality including aged deteriorations need to be avoided as much as possible.
Also, inventory risks of no-core products may need to be avoided.
Younger employees seemed to be disappointed with the result saying, "What ? That is it ? I seriously thought it through !"
"This idea is invented after several times trials !"
It would be just simply difference in experiences.
I heard about the law of 10,000 hours.
It would be the minimum amount of time to bloom talents.
It would take three years when one spends on the item 8 to 10 hours a day.
It seems that any talent cannot be bloomed unless one spends on the subject at least this minimum length of time.
Does it take only 3 years ?
It would be applicable for extremely gifted person.
I have spent 18 years.
I have spent fully 60,000 hours in making furnitures and my capability seems to have grown up accordingly, however, I have not realized any blooming of talent.
When I started training, masters frequently told me "you would be better to find other occupations without any talent observed.", which seems to be true.
However, you would be able to make your life on what you would like to devote if you have guts to continue it.
I have realized it in 18 years.
I have still kept hoping " I would like to make good furnitures." from the beginning to the present.
JPY10,000 as winning prize was confiscated before put into my wallet with Mai-chan's comment "Matsuoka-san has spent too much company expenses !"
The theme of KOMA-1 GP next month would be "Trash Box".
I would like to win seriously.
The picture was taken at the birthday party of Sato in his 21 years old which was held just after the KOMA-1 GP.
Members have been seriously thinking through what kinds of gifts for each birthday party. This time, gifts are jacket, bag, helmet, interior goods, oil lighter, etc.
As shown in the picture, they are gorgeous.
So, we are thinking through it exchanging ideas keeping it secret to the celebratee.
It would be fun for both celebrators and celebratees, thus, I would like to continue it rightly.