TheFWA - Yukio Okada & Seiichi Nishikawa

I don’t think using all media is the solution to problems. I believe that people are solutions to problems.

Please give us a brief bio of yourself.

(Nishikawa) I am Nishikawa, a Communication Director at ENJIN. I’m a humble contrarian.
(Okada) I am Okada. I’ve been working as a Creative Director/Art Director at several ad agencies and been with ENJIN since its foundation.

What do you do for inspiration?

(Nishikawa) I delude myself into thinking that “no such brief was given to me.”
(Okada) I’m inspired by everything that is happening on earth.

What do you regard as being your biggest achievement?

(Nishikawa) “The Eco Zoo” FWA SITE OF THE YEAR
(Okada) The fact that I’m continuing to do what I do.

How do you relax or unwind?

(Nishikawa) Surfing; going to hot spring baths
(Okada) I do yoga.

If you weren't working on the internet what would you be doing?

(Okada) I’d be designing cars.

What's your favourite part of your job? What's the hardest part of your job? What do you do when you get stuck?

(Nishikawa) I love that my ideas benefit somebody and get paid for it. Maybe the fact that I don’t really think of it as a job is my favorite part of my job. So, I don’t really find anything hard in my job. What do I do when I get stuck? Well, I’ll do something else of course!

How many projects does your company juggle at any one time?

(Nishikawa) I don’t know—too many.
(Okada) I tend not to count.

Who do you rate as being the top 3 design companies?

(Nishikawa)

ROXIK

ZariganiWorks
http://2ngen.jp/

Who is your target audience?

(Nishikawa) All life forms on Earth.

What area of web design lacks the most?

(Nishikawa) Some element of low tech
(Okada) Texture

The web is getting out of the web. Do you find that thinking in digital solutions alone hinders you? Do you feel the urge to solve the problem using all mediums necessary?

(Nishikawa) I don’t think using all media is the solution to problems. I believe that people are solutions to problems. The important thing is to select media from the perspective of “what is necessary for people to become media?”

Looking 10 years in to the future, how far can websites go?

(Nishikawa) I think websites will overcome the boundaries of language and most things will be done by voice commands and gestures. Cultural boundaries, however, are something that cannot be easily overcome and so the reaction to stress that people experience in overcoming cultural boundaries will be the energy that will create new web solutions, I think.

(Okada) Maybe to outer space.

Of all the websites you/your company have produced, which one are you most proud of?

The Eco Zoo
Please check it out.

There is perhaps a shift in web use these days. We are seeing a decline in the purely experiential sites in flash with huge production efforts, to a relationship with clients based on tools and services, that many times have simples interfaces. How do you see that trend developing? Will Flash suffer?

(Nishikawa) I think people, when facing difficulties, usually end up coming up with simple solutions. So, even if what you say is happening, I do not see that as a trend nor take it as a trend. If Flash provides simple solutions, then there wouldn’t be a problem

What would be your ultimate vehicle to travel in?

(Nishikawa) It depends on where you want to travel to, but I’d say the ultimate vehicle is “telecommunications”.

(Okada) Motorcycle

When your company was just getting started, what did you find was most effective for getting new clients?

(Nishikawa) Making proactive presentations to clients by saying, “We took the initiative and came up with a great idea that we wanted to share with you."
(Okada) We first created campaigns based on big ideas for something that interested us and then searched for potential clients and pitched our ideas to them. Nishikawa and I were always working like this when our company was just getting started.

How do you keep your finger on the pulse of the latest web trends?

(Nishikawa) I check out the FWA site.
(Okada) FWA

What country excites you the most in terms of innovation?

(Nishikawa) China, India, and I suppose you can’t leave out the U.S.

Any parting shots or pearls of wisdom?

(NIshikawa) Take action, then something will get moving.

It has been a privilege, thanks very much

(Nishikawa) C U :D
(Okada) Arigato

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