A New and Unprecedented Business Scheme

Connecting users and clients
A brand-new business model never seen before

Launched on March 2, 2018, the Rakuten Super Mini Job team currently comprises of 15 members working on engineering and sales planning. Just as the engineers are always focused meeting on customer needs during development, the sales planners are not just focused on making the sale. Every project member thinks about how to contribute to the bigger picture while utilizing their expertise to contribute to the team. Kino, who has been involved in the project since the beginning, shared his perspective.

　Because we’re such a small team, each of us needs to handle a wide range of tasks. It may be challenging sometimes, but perhaps that’s what makes it satisfying.

Kino

Yuya, a sales planner in the team, studied econometrics at university and joined Rakuten with the aspiration of contributing to projects that leverage big data. In this regard, his role in the Rakuten Super Mini Job team closely aligns with his aspirations. While helping his client design the task, he always keeps in mind that users participating in data gathering should find the process enjoyable, underlining that the service is not just about data analysis.

　The Rakuten Super Mini Job team values the opinion of all of its team members, and above all else, the team prioritizes the convenience of its users. We do not create features at the expense of the security of our users, even if it offers significant value to our clients. The goal is to build “win-win-win” relationships between us and our clients and users.

Yuya

Construction of new system sparked multiple intense debates among members with different experience
and from different organizations

The recently launched "Order System" is one example of the team’s efforts to achieve the ideal balance between all stakeholders. Through this new system, clients can now pose questions to users directly, ensuring faster and more convenient data collection. By prioritizing a user-friendly design and going through meticulous discussions, the team received high evaluations in usability tests on the new feature. However, the journey to releasing the feature was far from smooth.

　The Order System, which allows clients to gather data directly, is an effective way to expand the Rakuten Super Mini Job business scheme. However, enabling clients to approach users directly also poses significant risks. While we regularly conduct verification tests with new data collection undertakings, the Order System required particularly careful judgment.

Kino

It was crucial to enhance security measures to prevent fraud by restricting collection of users' personal information and ensuring that users wouldn’t be forced to disclose any information unintentionally. As Yuya jokes, “I looked for a solution until I got a headache.” Engineers conducted rounds of trial and error, while sales planners engaged in discussions for days on end. The team leveraged not only the know-how of its members but also the know-how of people from other business units. Both members directly involved in the project and those being consulted had heated discussions as they pooled together their expertise on the subject.
Given that the system enables clients to pose questions directly, meticulous attention was required for screen layout and design to ensure that the user interface felt natural and intuitive. Monica, responsible for user interface and user experience design, played a crucial role here. She says that drawing on one’s creativity to provide novel solutions is what lies at the core of a UI/UX designer’s job.

　With everything being a first for the team, there wasn’t a manual for them to refer to. Even though we believed we understood our fellow team members, when it came to visually representing the service, sometimes we were accurate, and other times we were not. Drawing on my experience as a designer, I believe I contributed to the service by visually representing everyone’s ideas, summarizing their thoughts, and then examining them.

Monica

The members, with their diverse backgrounds and extensive experience, engaged in heated debates about the new undertaking. This was an essential step they needed to deliver a service prioritizing user satisfaction.

　At Rakuten, if you can effectively articulate your reasoning behind your statements, everyone, regardless of their level of experience, will be willing to listen to you. Such an environment to foster open communication and mutual respect is unique to Rakuten. Looking back, it was a tough time for me, but I think it was a valuable experience that led to my personal growth.

Yuya

Nothing is impossible for the Rakuten Super Mini Job team,
and their journey has just begun

The intense debates had already yielded results, and the service was on the brink of release when Sora, who currently serves as the person in charge of operations and business promotion, joined the project. She was surprised to be tasked with presenting the new service to the entire company shortly after joining the team. Despite her initial astonishment, as it was her first time in such a position, Sora embraced the opportunity with enthusiasm, feeling fortunate to be entrusted with such a significant role.

　My primary areas of responsibility have been evolving rapidly, even just over the past year. It was tough at first, but now I find the speed of change exciting.

Sora

In recent years, there has been an increase in inquiries from clients about trying out new things with the service. Sora finds it both intriguing and gratifying to propose new options by combining multiple existing ones and presenting them to clients. She believes that by combining existing options, infinite possibilities can be explored, which adds to the excitement of her work. The team’s motto is “Nothing is impossible for the Rakuten Super Mini Job team.”
When someone in the team comes up with an idea, they promptly propose it via the team chat group. If others respond positively to these ideas, a new project spring to life. The agility unique to small teams is a significant strength for the Rakuten Super Mini Job team.

The team has been working to provide users with enjoyable content while continuously tracking client requests and changing trends. However, they recognize that there may still be latent needs in the market waiting to be addressed. With a deep appreciation for the unique value they bring, the Rakuten Super Mini Job team will persist in their mission to deliver enjoyable experiences to users, rewarding them with Rakuten Points, while also supplying clients with the data they need.

*This article is based on the information at the time of the interview.