Active designers research 100 past models

Launched in 2016, the 'Citizen Design Source Project' was an internal initiative to reflect on CITIZEN’s 100-year history and consider what kind of watches should be created for the next century. Project leader and designer Naoaki Okamura explains, 'The goal was to verbalize the essence of CITIZEN Design found in past models and extract a kind of ‘secret sauce’—a design source that could be carried into the next 100 years.' To achieve this, 100 exemplary models with design elements still relevant today were selected. Active designers observed their details, verbalized their insights, and compiled them into a book.

At the start of the project, a workshop was held by Associate Professor Yuki Anzai of the University of Tokyo as an external advisor. Anzai, who researches management methodologies to foster creativity in people and organizations, notes, 'Many companies struggle with this, but the longer the history, the harder it is to define a design identity.' He adds, 'The language used changes depending on whether the subject is ‘I’ as a designer or ‘we’ as an organization. In this project, which could be called an independent study, it was crucial for members to shift the level of subjectivity and view CITIZEN Design from various perspectives.' With this in mind, designers and product planners discussed topics such as what constitutes CITIZEN-like design and how to set the criteria for selecting the 100 models.

Next, from about 6,000 models in CITIZEN’s collection, 1,000 were shortlisted, and a survey was conducted with about 300 employees. The survey asked respondents to name three watches they felt represented 'CITIZEN-like design' and to freely describe their reasons. Associate Professor Wakiko Fushikida of Tokyo Metropolitan University, who designed the survey, paid attention to two points. First, she defined 'design' as 'the creativity and ingenuity involved in making a watch,' and set criteria for evaluation from three perspectives: appearance, technology/function, and sensibility. Second, she emphasized 'watches with CITIZEN-like design' rather than just 'CITIZEN-like watches.' This clarified that the project’s core was design, ensuring that personal feelings toward the company would not take precedence.

Fushikida broke down nearly 900 free-text responses into their smallest units and analyzed which words appeared most frequently. She also examined patterns of word combinations across responses. 'For example, in positive contexts like ‘unique’ or ‘innovative,’ words such as technology, radio, and antenna often appeared together. That could be interpreted as ‘refined technology.’ We gathered such patterns and, together with the designers, named each one. These became the 12 categories that express CITIZEN-like design.' Using these '12 categories' as the primary criterion, designers then selected 100 models. Each designer thoroughly researched each model, recording in sketches and words how the watch’s usability and feel impacted users.

Okamura says, 'The foundation of design is observation. By working with your own hands, it becomes easier to verbalize insights.' Participant Toshinori Okazaki adds, 'It was an experience we don’t usually get in our daily work. We were able to share what each designer thinks makes CITIZEN Design unique, and it gave me a chance to reconsider my own views.' Designer Ayaka Otake also comments, 'As I sketched and engaged with past models, I found that all the words in the 12 categories resonated with me.'

As a culmination, the most important design sources and insights for the future, gained through this design research, were compiled into a book and presented internally. Anzai says, 'I was surprised by the depth of the finished book.' He adds, 'This project was not only about exploring identity but also about members rediscovering the pride in designing CITIZEN watches that had been dormant within them. Spending five years solidifying their foundation and compiling it into a substantial book is, I think, a very sincere and innovative approach to in-house design.'

Verbalizing designers’ tacit knowledge through both quantitative and qualitative analysis

However, the project did not end there. While the first half was design research based on designers’ subjectivity, the second half aimed to objectively reassess and further systematize the findings. Okamura reveals, 'There were voices within the company saying that the project’s results should be applied to future product development.' He adds, 'To do that, we needed to shed light on insights that may have been overlooked in the first half.'

Based on Fushikida’s suggestion that 'it would be good to proceed with both quantitative and qualitative analysis,' Ryota Yamamoto, a specially appointed associate professor at the University of Tokyo specializing in qualitative analysis, joined the project. While quantitative analysis is suitable for large-scale surveys, unique opinions—such as 'this watch looks like a sea anemone'—tend to be dismissed as outliers or exceptions. Yamamoto also noticed that many of the designers’ insights involved words related to emotions such as comfort and familiarity, which felt odd to him. Yamamoto says, 'To verbalize the characteristics of CITIZEN Design, I analyzed responses that would normally be overlooked or felt out of place, focusing on the emotions behind those words.' First, all 2,000+ comments and sketches from the first half’s design research were digitized. Fushikida then applied quantitative analysis to them, verbalizing them into eight principles as the 'ESSENCE OF CITIZEN DESIGN.'

Meanwhile, Yamamoto extracted emotion-related words from the design research for all 100 models and classified them by similarity and commonality. The result, summarized as 76 keywords grouped into 11 categories, is the 'ELEMENTS OF CITIZEN DESIGN.' These are tacit knowledge accumulated by individual designers and can be seen as a collection of hints and techniques for shaping the emotions CITIZEN watches evoke in users.

Another major insight gained from this process was the tendency for seemingly contradictory elements—such as 'tough and elegant' or 'softness and strength'—to coexist within a single model. Yamamoto hypothesizes, 'Perhaps the harmony of contradictory or opposing perspectives functions as a template for CITIZEN-like design.' He adds, 'It may be precisely because these complex, dual emotions are present that CITIZEN watches feel ‘human.’' Okamura agrees, 'I actually felt something similar in my own design work. What we had been doing unconsciously has now become a common language for the design team. I think we’ll now be able to have more conscious, interesting discussions and experiments. I’m really looking forward to it.'

Applying insights to diverse product lines remains a challenge

Although the project itself has concluded for now, Okamura emphasizes, 'The goal was not to reach a conclusion or simply produce an output.' As seen in the 100 models, watches change with the times. The design sources extracted this time are positioned as materials for current members to continue thinking about and defining what makes CITIZEN Design unique. Otake adds, 'Just looking at the design sources inspires me. I feel we now have a foundation that makes it easier to create new designs.'

One of the future challenges is how to apply the design sources to diverse product lines such as 'ATTESA' and 'xC.' Each team will discuss themes such as what emotions they want each model to evoke in users and what contradictory or opposing perspectives are present, and reflect these in future product designs. As these bottom-up activities progress, the day may come when 'CITIZEN Design' can be defined in a single phrase. That, indeed, would be the secret flavor (source) of CITIZEN Design that remains unchanged even as times and environments change.

Source: AXIS Special Edition 'CITIZEN Design of Time'