​Asana supports Fujitsu's transformation to "Fujitra", a future connected by a connected team

Fujitsu Limited, one of Japan's leading system integrators and comprehensive electronics manufacturers, has been developing a company-wide digital transformation (DX) project called "Fujitsu Transformation" (abbreviation: Fujitra) since 2020, with the aim of strengthening its competitiveness in the digital era. The project covers not only products, services, and business models, but also business processes, organizations, corporate culture, and climate.

Fujitra is tackling important issues from management level to the field, such as creating new businesses, enhancing business growth and profitability, standardizing and streamlining processes, and improving the HR system and working environment. ​Fujitsu chose Asana as the hub tool for this project. ​We spoke to Mr. Joju Fukuda, EVP CDXO and CIO, who leads Fujitra, and other members who use Asana on a daily basis, about the background of the implementation and its effects.

Fujitsu is working on DX throughout the company to strengthen its competitiveness in the digital age

Fujitsu provides a wide range of services in the field of information and communication technology (ICT), including system integration, IT services, network services, and electronic devices. ​In recent years, the company has also focused on the development of cloud services and artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and has been driving the ICT industry through its experience and innovative technology.

Fujitsu's company-wide DX project, "Fujitra," aims to improve operational efficiency and create new value by promoting digitalization within the company. ​This project is based on the company's purpose of "bringing trust to society and making the world more sustainable through innovation" in order to become a company suitable for a rapidly changing era. ​Fujitra's efforts and achievements have greatly contributed to the development of its own solutions and services, and its mission is to solve social issues as a reliable DX partner for customers by utilizing digital technology based on real experience.

Fujitra is led by CDXO (Chief Digital Transformation Officer) and CIO Mr. Fukuda, who is the project leader, and is promoting "full participation" while taking the lead with all management members. ​DXOs (DX Officers) have been established in major departments, group companies, and overseas countries and regions. ​We have created a community of about 60 DXOs, and All Fujitsu has established a system that is the best overall for things as a team.

Mr. Fukuda, who leads Fujitsu, said, "Fujitsu's role is to focus on various possibilities such as technology, IT, data, smartphone apps, in-house SNS, and cost optimization through standardization of business processes, and to turn these into projects so that the global group can work together across departments to promote them."

Overcoming the constraints of where and when you work to increase productivity by 40%

Fujitsu has set a goal of increasing productivity per employee by 40% over three years as part of its medium-term management plan that began in April 2023. ​The ultimate goal is to increase profits and business results by increasing productivity. ​To achieve this, it is essential that employees can devote more time and energy to the strategic work they are supposed to do.

As a gateway to transformation, we are deploying Asana globally across departments and regions, enhancing team strength while overcoming time differences. ​Even if we are physically distant, we can build a relationship of trust more than ever before. ​We believe that various changes and evolutions will occur in all areas, such as clarifying who will do what and by when, and being able to consult with each other as needed, ultimately achieving a 40% improvement in productivity.”

Mr. Fukuda also touched on the recent spread of digital tools, saying, "In my private life, I can easily chat and use social media to keep up with acquaintances I haven't seen in years. ​In such an era, many people are likely to question whether using email to communicate with others in business will lead to improved productivity."

Mr. Fukuda says that the reason he became interested in Asana was that companies based in Silicon Valley on the west coast of the United States were adopting it one after another.

Fujitsu, like companies in Silicon Valley, faces intense competition and high employee turnover, so we need to eliminate personal biases. ​I heard that such companies were making Asana their standard tool, and I thought this tool was the right one.”

Structuring work and passing on knowledge. ​Asana supports data-driven decision-making

Mr. Fukuda cited several benefits of using Asana. ​One is "thorough structuring." ​Instead of starting work in a vague manner, it is important to first grasp the overall picture and identify the tasks that should be prioritized. ​For example, it is necessary to structurally understand all the information necessary for the project, such as the tasks to be prioritized during the working hours of the day, the relationship between tasks such as the fact that the next process cannot be moved unless the previous process is completed, and the phases that require the action of others.

Mr. Fukuda says that Asana naturally structures and visualizes the work process, allowing him to increase trust and productivity while eliminating waste.

Communication with my secretary, which I used to do via email and chat, has been streamlined by using Asana. ​Task priorities are organized, and progress is visible at a glance. ​By reducing unnecessary conversations and making it easier to align my thoughts with my secretary, I can manage tasks without stress. ​Improving trust and maximizing output between two people is definitely a plus.”

In addition, the fact that everyone can see the progress of tasks has also led to improved efficiency for the entire team. ​Osamu Yuzuki, CIO Office Manager at the Digital System Platform Headquarters, said, "Teams that use Asana often find that the time spent on work for work, such as preparing documents, reporting to superiors, and attending meetings, is reduced by about 30%. ​I think this is because employees' tasks are visualized and they can execute them properly."

The second benefit is the "inheritance of knowledge and experience." ​Efficient working styles in departments and teams, especially the working styles of high-performing members, are being turned into libraries and deployed to other members. ​Asana allows you to share, copy, and use efficient ways to proceed with a specific job, as well as templates that are useful when starting a job. ​It is possible to formalize knowledge and experience at the organizational level and deploy it throughout the company.

Asana's usability has also been highly rated. ​Ta Ishibashi, CIO Office of the Digital System Platform Headquarters, said, "Fujitsu has many departments, and there were situations where the transparency of schedules was reduced due to complex efforts, but now we are using Asana to improve task management for each department. ​One of the appealing aspects of Asana is its UI/UX. ​It has a built-in mechanism that allows you to concentrate on your work, and the UI is light and playful, making it easy to use for people of all levels."

Data-driven decision-making is also encouraged. ​Mr. Fukuda said, "Today's world is data-driven. ​The important thing is to visualize things objectively from the perspective of data. ​For example, you can logically and objectively confirm that Team B is more productive than Team A, or which tasks you have been spending too much time on recently. ​The data that is always shown in Asana makes it easier to aim for the ideal work style for you and your organization," explained Mr. Fukuda.

Circulating positive effects by allowing employees to work in their own way

Fujitsu has experienced various benefits from using Asana, but the key to maximizing these benefits in the future is the widespread adoption of Asana. ​Mr. Fukuda said, "Currently, thousands of people are using it, but I think the effect will be maximized throughout the organization only when it reaches tens of thousands of people. ​It's only meaningful if everyone uses it."

In addition to this, we believe that a synergistic effect can be obtained by improving the "quality" of use in parallel. ​To pass on better "knowledge" and "experience," it is necessary to share excellent templates and libraries. Therefore, refining how to use them within departments and teams through daily use will lead to the maximum utilization of "knowledge" and "experience."

We also plan to strengthen our collaboration with data and digital technologies to further improve efficiency. ​For example, we will also explore approaches that combine data and the latest technology, such as AI detecting and pointing out problems with the progress of work, and RPA automatically connecting to the next process when a task is completed in Asana.

Mr. Fukuda concluded by saying, "Many people don't think they 'want to work.' ​Work is a means of living, and the ideal is to be able to carry it out efficiently in a short time with as little stress as possible. ​And the ultimate goal is to be able to devote energy to the original purpose, enjoyment, and rewarding. ​I also believe that helping each other will lead to the benefits and joys of belonging to a company. ​Conveying and proposing this idea to customers will lead to business, which is a good cycle. ​We want to create such positive effects."

Being able to do the work you want to do is the first step towards well-being. ​At Fujitsu, we aim to realize this through the promotion of Fujitra, and by connecting teams centered on Asana, we aim to lead to a positive future not only for ourselves but also for society.