Inside Design Stories

The picking robot design team talks about design
that evolves alongside our customers.

What do you think is the extent of a designer’s job? Can we say that our work is done once the product we designed is delivered?We designed a picking robot that can select products according to shipping commands for a certain logistics warehouse in the interests of improving operational efficiency. However, we did not achieve the significant improvement we expected, as the existing condition of the warehouse, which was originally designed for operation by workers, limited the robot’s performance. To address this issue, we proposed a new warehouse operation plan to maximize the advantages of utilizing the picking robot.For example, we suggested a floor plan with more straight lines to enable the robot to move around more quickly as it had to slow down at curves and corners for safety. We also recommended categorizing items by color of slips to avoid mistakes by workers and to allow the robot to pick multiple items more efficiently by covering shorter distances. As a result, we managed to create a better workflow, allowing both workers and robots to focus more on their own roles. This systematic design significantly improved and maximized the performance of each party and solidified our credibility as a trusted partner. Since then, we have continued working with this client to further enhance efficiency and effectiveness in the warehouse.As you can see, our work as designers does not end with creating products. Especially for BtoB products, we believe that our clients expect us to not only produce products but also deliver on helping to manage the overall impact that comes from the introduction of our products. Designers are committed to working side by side with our clients until the desired effects are realized and continue to assist them by offering solutions and insights to help them achieve their goals.