Embrace various pieces of advice and develop your own way of doing things

You joined ZEALS as a new graduate. Looking back on your work as a communication designer (hereinafter referred to as CD) since joining, how do you feel about it?

Since I was attending a university abroad, I initially thought about pursuing the so-called mainstream paths like consulting or government finance. I came across ZEALS by chance. After listening to the representative Masa's talk at the company briefing session, I instinctively thought, "This seems like an interesting option." I also received an offer from another company and was uncertain about which to join, but I eventually concluded that "a career that makes ZEALS the right choice could be more interesting." There are many examples in the world for government finance institutions and consulting, so I wanted to walk a career path that validates my choice of ZEALS as a startup. My contribution to the business is still developing, but it's very enjoyable. (laughs)

After joining, I was assigned to the CD role. While studying the necessary knowledge for CD duties such as marketing, data analysis, copywriting, and design direction, I worked to apply it to my tasks. The difficult part was task management. The work of a CD varies depending on the client, whether it involves creating scenarios or push notifications, and it also changes with time. When breaking down tasks accordingly, the requirements differ among writing documents, creating images, and performing data analysis, and the frequency of the same tasks varies too. While engaging in measures across diverse industries, I thought it was important to organize my tasks and think about which client's issue I am addressing with my current work.

To manage tasks, I tried various methods, utilizing recommended tools and apps from my seniors. I experimented with writing out all my tasks in detail, creating pages for each client in Notion, and recording task lists. After some trial and error, managing large tasks in Notion while breaking down smaller tasks into 15-minute segments in Google Calendar has become the best method for me at this point.

Aiming to be a PM only possible through experiencing the field of CD

After experiencing CD, you are currently pursuing a career as a product manager (hereinafter referred to as PM). Could you tell us about that journey?

I had the opportunity to perform a full range of tasks as a CD, including scenario creation and push notifications. Of course, I am not at a level where I can excel in data analysis as a core job; I only learned a general overview comprehensively.

At that time, due to the expansion of proposals for chat commerce, it became necessary to convey the business side's demands to the development side, and meetings began to be held frequently. A bridging role became necessary, which my then-superior took on, and I was also invited to participate. Initially, I was in a learning position, but gradually I utilized my CD experience and expressed various opinions like, "It would be more convenient this way" and "I want this feature." Through these experiences, I came to want to try tasks typically associated with PM, such as examining what kind of functions would be good based on client and internal requests, calculating business impacts, and determining priorities considering resources. Given my ability to speak English and my background from the business side, I think I found it relatively easy to bridge between business and development in tasks like gathering requests. Additionally, I am convinced that my experience in the field of CD allows me to provide valuable advice for development and suggest features that consider client requests, resulting in a different contribution compared to a typical PM.

Communication tailored to resolution is vital

In taking on new roles, I think there is a different level of difficulty compared to being a CD. What aspects of your CD knowledge have been beneficial, and conversely, what new skills have you had to acquire?

An understanding of systems is foremost. Beyond simply studying coding, I believe it’s crucial to balance three perspectives: technical perspective on system construction, user perspective on UX (user experience), and business perspective on whether it has an impact from a management standpoint. I engage in daily learning by listening to, watching, and mimicking how others communicate and prepare. There were times I boldly approached seniors to ask questions. (laughs) Honestly, I don't think I have fully overcome these challenges yet, but I try to contribute wherever I can, such as by organizing internal documents.

In communication with stakeholders, it’s essential to tailor the information to their understanding level. I strive daily in this regard. Engineers can grasp complex architectures, but when conveying information to sales or the business side, it's necessary to communicate only the essential parts, focusing on the complexities of implementation and what data is required. For clients, it’s better to communicate concisely what improvements will result from the implementation of a new feature before and after. I realized there was a need to enhance this resolution. I feel that gaining practical experience in this area is important, and for now, I think I should face everything in front of me head-on.

After all, the interesting part of being a PM is being involved in product decision-making. Of course, there are times when I find myself caught between the business side and development. It's challenging, but that’s also part of the fun, so I try not to worry too much about it. As a side note, in my personal work stance, I value the idea of "not having excessive expectations from myself." When one has excessive expectations like "I can do this," it leads to feeling down when they can't achieve it or reflecting too much, which slows down the next step. This perspective has become one of the important considerations for me as a new graduate. For newcomers, it's natural to not be able to handle everything, so I think it's crucial to embrace failures and turn them into learning for next time. It’s a characteristic of ZEALS that everyone in the company passionately engages, and sometimes I get strong feedback. (laughs) However, if I become timid afterward and struggle to communicate, it slows things down, and I miss out on receiving feedback, which is a waste. So, I try to communicate right after receiving feedback with an upbeat attitude and a smile. As a result, I can receive feedback again. Surprisingly, just being cheerful can help build good relationships. (laughs) This is my way of embodying the company value of Bet On Paradox.

You have a unique career path. Do you have a career vision you aspire to in the future?

I became a PM just a few months ago and feel like I have just joined anew. The members I work with have changed, and I have been working more with foreign engineers. I think this is the period where I need to solidify the PM structure. Specifically, I wish to learn the rich skills and methods of the development members and incorporate them into my skill set. No matter what team structure or members I work with, I want to ensure that I do not forget to contribute to the team and the company in some way. In particular, the development members are mostly mid-career hires with extensive experience. In that sense, I believe starting by mimicking their methods will help me establish what suits me, and perhaps I can figure out better approaches along the way. I want to explore ways to contribute, particularly because I come from the business side and am bilingual.