Nishimatsu Construction Co., Ltd.

Masuda

I come from an accounting background, and my involvement with company-wide data began when I transferred to the Corporate Planning Department in 2013. Management frequently requested analysis of various operational data, but the data required for analysis was not readily available and was scattered across various departments. It took a significant amount of time to request and collect data from each department, and I realized that this was a critical issue that hindered the speed of management decision-making.

Consequently, I proposed the need for a specialized department to examine ICT strategy and determine how to organize data and systems company-wide. As a result, I was transferred to lead this effort myself. Since then, every time I have proposed initiatives such as data utilization or DX promotion, I have ended up taking charge of them myself (laughs).

Masuda

Data management methods varied by department, and even when data was collected, the granularity and accuracy were inconsistent, meaning it was not in a state suitable for analysis. Therefore, preparatory tasks such as data cleansing prior to analysis were extremely laborious.

For example, when attempting to aggregate data for a specific project based on a single axis, the coding systems differed depending on the department or system. Even in cases where a client and a supplier were the same company, the data was not linked, making it impossible to see the relationship. Conducting effective data analysis was extremely difficult.

Masuda

First, regarding data, I realized that there are different stages to data utilization, such as what kind of data is needed, in what situations, and at what speed. Therefore, I presented these stages along with our company's current status, and finally, I outlined our future direction and roadmap. To explain this to the management team, I first gave a presentation to all members of the President's Office, including my then-supervisor, the Head of the President's Office, stating that DX requires the development of three key areas: data, human resources, and organizational structure.

Regarding the importance of data in particular, I started from the fundamentals, such as defining what data and information are, and explaining the differences in information requirements depending on one's position, such as information needed for management versus information needed for daily operations, to advocate for the necessity of data. This led the Head of the President's Office to show understanding and support the prioritization of infrastructure development when explaining it to the President.

For the implementation, we first conducted interviews with each department regarding their data-related challenges. We began by identifying where and what data existed within the company (As-Is), considered a model for data retention (To-Be) (Figure), and proceeded to design the architecture.

Masuda

In our common data utilization infrastructure, it was necessary to organize client, employee, and construction data as master data. Among these, for client data, it was necessary to connect the client data held by each system using a unified code system and perform data cleansing and matching to ensure accurate and reliable data. That is why we decided to consider the introduction of uSonar (LBC code) (Figure).

Masuda

To begin with, the perspective is that establishing a data infrastructure is an upfront investment. Since the return on investment depends on how the established infrastructure is utilized, I believed from the start that it would be difficult to explain and gain management's approval for a data utilization infrastructure project solely from the perspective of cost-effectiveness. I persuaded them by explaining that by integrating with uSonar data, a 'Golden Record' (true master data) for client data would be established, which would then enable the advancement of data utilization.

Masuda

Building the data utilization infrastructure itself took about 10 months, but the uSonar implementation portion was completed in just over two months, excluding the data cleansing process. I believe it was very smooth because you checked requirements in advance and responded flexibly to our progress.

Masuda

Although we have not measured the quantitative effects, I feel that value beyond operational efficiency is being created, such as being able to retrieve data smoothly when needed and being able to visualize and analyze data from new perspectives. Specifically, it has become easy to perform data analysis and extraction using diverse aggregation axes, such as by individual client or by client group, which is useful when making proposals, decisions, and establishing management policies. I consider it a necessary expense for maintaining, updating, and ensuring the accuracy of corporate data.

Masuda

What I discovered during our interviews was that I was not the only one struggling to locate data when I needed to perform an analysis; in fact, everyone was facing the same issue. With the introduction of the data utilization platform, we are now able to provide data, which has shifted the mindset toward, "If the data is available, let's use it." I feel that because we are now able to collect and analyze internal data more comprehensively than before, the accuracy of our discussions has improved.

However, regarding our client master data, while it has reached a level where we can match, consolidate, and utilize it, I feel there is a need for further refinement to make it immediately actionable for business operations. To elevate the data to a level suitable for business use, we must not simply match and cleanse it, but rather assign LBCs at the time of client master registration to organize the information. We have already begun this process in some areas, and once fully implemented, I believe it will become data that can be utilized within our business systems.

Although our data utilization platform has only just begun, we have received inquiries from various companies, including other general contractors, asking, "We want to work on MDM as well, so please teach us how." This makes me feel that we are making some progress with advanced initiatives. Moving forward, I hope to continue taking on challenges in cooperation with our partners, including uSonar, to achieve success in data utilization and, ultimately, DX.

Masuda

Data is essential for DX. Some may be struggling to gain management's understanding during discussions regarding the cost-effectiveness of implementation. In this era where data is of paramount importance, it is necessary to view these costs as essential expenses and upfront investments from the perspective of protecting the company's valuable assets. More importantly, it is crucial to promote DX and generate results using the data you have organized. We are also still in the early stages. Let's work hard together.