articles

The Cashless Paradox  For any global visitor, Japan has long been a land of fascinating contradictions: a nation of futuristic bullet trains and talking toilets that, until very recently, ran on physical cash. As UX researchers in Tokyo, we’ve had a front-row seat to the dramatic unraveling of this very paradox.  If we turn the clock back just seven […]

We at Uism pride ourselves in our curiosity. No place is that better exemplified than in the connections we strive to make with a wide variety of people, and expand our knowledge and understanding. These Chance Chats are an opportunity to share what we’ve learned from the people we’ve come across, especially the kind of people who would be difficult to connect with and have the chance for an in-depth […]

In the world of UX, we’re often obsessed with a frictionless experience. We strive for usability, speed, and seamless journeys. These are vital, of course. But in our quest for efficiency, are we forgetting something more fundamental? The human experience of choice.  Every day, we click, decide, and act through user interfaces. But how free […]

Words like emoji and otaku have entered the global business lexicon, each offering a unique window into Japanese culture. It’s time to add a new one to your list: Oshikatsu (推し活).  On the surface, Oshikatsu might look like simple fandom. It translates loosely to “supporting one’s fave,” with “oshi” (推し) being the favorite idol or […]

Fireworks as More Than a Spectacle  For many outside Japan, hanabi (花火) are simply a beautiful pyrotechnic show. But for the Japanese, they are a seasonal tradition that evokes a deep sense of summer, nostalgia, and community. What if we told you that a Japanese fireworks display is not just a cultural event, but one […]

Have you ever committed to losing weight, downloaded a health app, and then quit after a few days?   You’re not alone, and you’re not to blame.  In a world saturated with digital innovations, countless apps and services are designed to support healthier living. Yet changing health behavior remains difficult. It requires not only adopting new […]

A Lesson in Usability from My 4-Year-Old Son One afternoon, my 4-year-old son pointed at the TV remote and asked, “How do I make it louder?” I told him, “Just press the volume button.” But instead of pressing it, he looked at the remote in confusion:“What’s ‘volume’? Which one is that?” In that moment, I […]

Introduction: Japan’s Unique Mobility Needs Hidden in Plain Sight  Global automotive trends are racing ahead—electrification, autonomous driving, connected cars. Japan is keeping up technically, but if you glance at the country’s best-selling vehicles, something seems… off. Among all this cutting-edge progress, why are Japan’s streets dominated by boxy, ultra-compact vehicles called “kei cars”?  In 2024, […]

As the importance of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion has increased in recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on accessibility. Designing products and services that are easy for everyone to use is not only socially responsible, but essential to a company’s sustainability.   In UX research, directly incorporating the voices of people with disabilities is […]

Introduction  As UX researchers, we depend on real people to understand their needs, frustrations, and emotional journeys.  But what if we could simulate those people instead?  With generative AI evolving so quickly, there’s been growing interest in using “synthetic users”, meaning AI-generated personas that respond to research prompts as if they were real. These virtual […]