“note”, a Japanese blogging platform has been loved by creators since its launch in 2014. One of the things that they value is design. Under the theme of “Make design inclusive to everyone” the CDO of note Inc. Yu Uno, shares their strategy with our editor-in-chief, Ryo Sampei.

Yu Uno | note Inc. Executive Officer / CDO

After working at production and social gaming companies, Yu joined Yahoo Japan Corporation (Design Director for Yahoo News and Yahoo Search). Later, he served as VP of Design/Head of Design Strategy at Cookpad Corporation. In February 2022, he became a CDO at note Inc. Being a Tokyo Digital Service Fellow, he also serves as a design consultant/fellow for several companies. Published works include “Introduction to UI Design (PEAKS)” and “Thinking with Flat Design: The Theory of New UI Design (Gijutsu-Hyohron Co. Ltd.).”
note：https://note.com/saladdays/

Make design inclusive to everyone, not just designers

Ryo: First of all, what are you doing as the CDO of note, Yu?

Yu: Since joining in 2021, I have been responsible for company operations involving design organizations and products as the CDO.

Shortly after I joined, there was a significant organizational restructuring. It was the first time we created a cross-functional organization, and I found myself overseeing a development organization that included not only designers but also engineers, project managers, and members supporting creators.

Ryo: Did you have a design team back then?

Yu: Yes, we did have a design team, but disbanded it.

Having a team solely for designers can sometimes lead to an atmosphere where outsiders find it difficult to integrate due to overemphasizing the team’s culture. While this isn’t necessarily bad, we decided to disband the team because we wanted to establish a structure where designers contribute to the business.

We communicated that our goal is the company’s growth, with design being a means to that end. As a result, product designers now belong to the development organization under my team, while communication designers are part of the team responsible for brand strategy.

Ryo: Were there any concerns from designers dissolving the design team?

Yu: Establishing a designated design team is one way to align designers’ perceptions and foster a sense of unity among them. When dissolving the design organization, I ensured that as someone who understands design, I was overseeing the entire process, creating an environment where designers could work with peace of mind. Since the designers already had good relationships and communication among themselves, I wasn’t too worried about that aspect.

Furthermore, I ensured an environment where Communication Designers, who belong to the brand strategy department, could easily consult with me through Slack channels and one-on-one meetings.

Ryo: Depending on the organization, members such as Product Managers and engineers may not always prioritize design. Were members other than designers at note interested in design?

Yu: I believe they were quite interested. Beyond designers, everyone shared the understanding that experience is at the core, more important than appearance, and we value that. However, at times, I felt that maybe we were valuing design too much.

Ideally, everyone should be able to contribute to and collaborate on design, but it’s not good if non-experts find it difficult to voice their opinions. That’s why we continue to emphasize “Making design inclusive to everyone.” We wanted to make the design more accessible to all members involved in the product, so we stopped segregating the design organization. As a result, it became much easier to work with, which was a positive outcome.

Designers for understanding each other

Ryo: When designers are organized to have an impact and when designers are assigned to each department, does the design direction change?

Yu: I try to keep it consistent. In fact, the structure has changed since then, and we have now revived the design organization.

At the time of the organizational change in December 2023, I stepped down as the head of the development department. This allowed me to focus on my role as the true CDO. I had the choice of whether to reassemble the designers into a team or keep them dispersed. As a result, I chose to bring them together into one team, which is the current state.

Ryo: Why did you intentionally recreate the design organization?

Yu: I felt that while each member could focus on the business and KPIs, the uniqueness and consistency of the note’s essence and experience were gradually fading. To start the process of reclaiming that, I decided to temporarily gather the designers into a team, where we could establish the core values that note holds dear and define what should not be done in terms of services.

I have always emphasized that design is a tool to drive the business forward, and I am rethinking how we will engage with the company using this tool in the future. We have set the goal of “This is how we will shape note’s design” and are simultaneously expanding the business. I convey that this will become an asset in three years, and that is where our focus lies now.

Having built trust by working closely with team members as a development leader in the past, I find myself in a situation where my scope of influence remains unchanged, but I can strengthen horizontally.

Ryo: I see. It’s because of the trust that you were able to adapt the structure flexibly over the years.

Yu: While some decisions were made as we went along, looking back, I’m glad I led the development department. It deepened my understanding of the note’s development structure and the initiatives we are undertaking. If I had started by interfering everywhere as a CDO, I might have been disliked.

Ryo: Do you face challenges in communication and coordination between the management and the team on the ground?

Yu: There are difficulties at times, but since we are a company that operates in line with our mission, I feel that we are all moving in the same direction.

Currently, I am actively involved in designing myself, using it as a communication tool with PMs and designers. I want to convey my thoughts and execution through the design itself. 

Although it may be better to focus solely on management from a positional standpoint, for me, engaging in design is also an approach to management. One reason is that I enjoy it.

Ryo: It’s a method to understand each other by actively engaging in design.

Yu: We conduct design reviews and initiative reviews mutually, regardless of roles or job 

titles. Everyone gladly provides feedback on my designs, even if it’s quite critical. I feel that design itself has become the hub of communication.

Ryo: Making discussions and ideas visible and serving as the hub of the team are two of the values of design. I believe that designers have a communicative aspect.

Even for those who are not good at verbal communication, having a visible prototype allows for conversation, and visualizing unclear aspects can lead to clarity. With that awareness, I thought that designers could have various possibilities. It seems that you embody that as well.

Yu: I also shared the same perspective. I call such actions Design for Design’s Sake. By materializing what everyone has envisioned, we can foster mutual understanding. Even if you think you understand everything from documents, when they are materialized, different perspectives may emerge. While this can be done by non-designers, when designers do it, the quality of the final output also improves. Leading design from this position is what designers are all about.

Creating a product involves both development and business considerations, but it’s about receiving the intentions of those involved, designing the best solution, and creating touchpoints for users. Ultimately, the responsibility lies with the designer.

Ryo: In other words, if designers don’t do it, the design won’t come to fruition. Taking responsibility for both the design process and the final design is crucial for designers.

The environment where design organization is not necessary

Ryo: When seeking reviews from members other than designers, there is a fear of receiving overwhelming feedback that cannot be addressed, potentially leading to chaos. Won’t this increase communication costs and create confusion?

Yu: That’s a common concern. We were able to adopt such an approach because we had people who could handle open design discussions effectively. So, it’s more like we created a system because there were people with the right skills, rather than the other way around. If we were in an environment where the right skills were lacking, designers would feel exhausted, and in such a scenario, I believe I would have taken on a role to protect the designers.

Ryo: Even though we say we shouldn’t make designs exclusive to designers, it depends on compatibility with the organization. On the other hand, there might be a risk of designers becoming gatekeepers if design is valued or emphasized too much.

Yu: It’s a challenging situation. While we feel that things are starting to work well for us now, we don’t necessarily think it’s easily replicable. I believe there are many areas where design may not be able to exert its full potential. If we focus too much on design but the business doesn’t grow as a result, then it’s essential to incorporate design based on the situation.

Rather than creating an idealized image, we must avoid that trap. It’s better to start by considering whether “our business can be driven by design.” Trying to force more designers or focusing excessively on design may even become a hindrance to growth.

To make design accessible to everyone

Ryo: Do you have any initiatives aimed at realizing “Not making design exclusive to designers” for both internal and external audiences?

Yu: Internally, we conduct weekly UX lectures during our all-hands meetings. Regardless of job roles, CXO Fukatsu-san and I take turns discussing UX and design topics. Through these sessions, we aim to educate and inspire our employees about design. Since it’s open to all employees, including those in HR, back-office roles, marketers, and directors, anyone can participate.

Ryo: Are you teaching more academic concepts or practical case studies during these sessions?

Yu: We cover both aspects. When discussing academic topics, we try to avoid using too many technical terms and make it easy to understand. For example, when talking about the 5-stage model of UX, we relate it to practical scenarios like, “How would using this concept affect creating HR systems internally?” We aim to explain things in a way that relates to everyone and doesn’t solely focus on product design.

Ryo: What about external initiatives?

Yu: In March 2024, we started offering an illustration system. 
Initially, we had an internal illustration system, and we discussed with the illustrator who created it the value of sharing this system with the world. We concluded that if making the illustration system public could contribute to our company’s mission of “Encouraging everyone to start and continue creating,” there was no need to keep it exclusive. Therefore, we made it accessible for everyone to use.

Ryo: So, you open-sourced the internal illustration system.

Yu: The initiative to share the note’s illustration system with external parties initially started with the goal of raising awareness and connecting it to our branding. However, we also wanted creators to benefit from it and find it useful for their creative endeavors. In addition to the Figma tools we initially planned to release, we also made downloadable illustration materials available for use, making it easy for non-designers to access. We see this as one way to engage with our users. We want the note to be a service that evokes emotions.

Ryo: Do you consciously create an identity and worldview for the note that symbolizes its uniqueness? Since note is used by various people, there might be cases where showing too much individuality is not ideal. How do you establish the worldview for note?

Yu: Even before my tenure, the note has had a product personality called “note-san.” 

We develop our services by following note-san’s behavior, mindset, and playful nature. We consider how note-san would speak or act in different situations. This personality serves as the foundation for our visual and textual expressions.

Ryo: So, this is not a persona but the actual personality of the service itself?

Yu: That’s correct. We can even use AI trained on note-san’s information to generate text for UX writing. It tends to be quite emotional, so some adjustments are necessary…

Ryo: So, this is accessible to employees from all departments? It sounds like a design system.

Yu: Yes, I think you could say that. We often refer to note-san’s personality when discussing the product. It’s one of my favorites as well. 

I believe that having a shared image with consistency internally and having the guiding principle of “encouraging everyone to start and continue creating” have helped us maintain the direction of the product without wavering.

Ryo: Amid the abundance of various services, having a distinct personality through this character adds uniqueness to the service. This can also be a reason why users choose it. Thank you so much for sharing all these insights with us!

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