The team behind FOURDIGIT’s practical education program, designed to nurture service design talent, recently conducted a workshop as part of a joint Japan-Thailand training program held at KOSEN-KMITL in Thailand.

 

This initiative was launched at the request of KOSEN-KMITL, following FOURDIGIT’s successful track record in providing service design education at several universities across Thailand. The workshop served as a practical learning environment for solving social issues through design thinking. A total of 12 students participated—eight from KOSEN-KMITL and four from the National Institute of Technology (KOSEN), Tokuyama College in Japan. FOURDIGIT provided four specialists to serve as facilitators and lecturers.

Held from February 25 to 27, 2026, the workshop challenged students to tackle the theme of “Improving Quality of Life (QOL) for the Elderly.” Students from both countries were divided into two mixed teams to develop personas, map customer journeys, and identify core pain points to propose innovative service solutions.

 

To ensure a meaningful learning experience, faculty members from KOSEN-KMITL and Tokuyama KOSEN collaborated with FOURDIGIT lecturers in advance via online meetings to define the curriculum and learning objectives.

 

Prior to the workshop, students researched the living conditions of the elderly in their respective countries. During the program in Thailand, they conducted live interviews with local seniors to deepen their empathy and understanding of the personas. All lectures and final presentations were conducted in English, serving as a common language for cross-cultural communication and collaboration.

Megumi Abe, Ph.D., President of Tokuyama College of National Institute of Technology (KOSEN)

 

“This workshop marked a significant new milestone for our institution, bringing together Japanese and Thai students in mixed teams to tackle the shared social challenge of improving the Quality of Life (QOL) for the elderly. Using English as their primary tool for collaboration, students embraced the design thinking process and conducted interviews to uncover authentic customer insights, cultivating a mindset that values diverse perspectives. By shifting the focus from ‘making’ to ‘understanding the user,’ this initiative has not only broadened our students’ horizons but also strengthened their ability to empathize with diverse value systems. Building on the success of this foundation, we are committed to the continued and sustainable development of this program.”

 

Dr. Seiji Kano, KOSEN-KMITL

 

“Tackling the challenge of supporting the elderly was an incredibly ambitious task, especially for students who may not have many seniors in their immediate circles due to the declining birthrate in both nations. For some, this was their first time traveling abroad, making the experience even more significant. While technical colleges often focus heavily on the ‘how’ of technology, the skill to design based on ‘customer’ needs is becoming increasingly vital. I believe this workshop would have been even more profound had the students been previously grounded in UX-based design thinking. I hope to see this program expand to other KOSEN campuses in Japan.”

 

Ming, Lecturer (FOURDIGIT Thailand Education Team)

 

“At FOURDIGIT’s service design school, we aim to teach more than just methodology. We want to convey that design is not just the ‘designer’s role’ but something born from collaboration with diverse stakeholders.
Although the theme of ‘aging’ felt distant to their own lives, I was deeply moved by how the students supported each other across nationalities and bonded instantly. During the interviews, they listened sincerely to bridge the generational gap. The seniors who participated also praised the warm atmosphere. It was inspiring to see Thai and Japanese students work so diligently from a user-centric perspective. I hope the friendships formed here become lifelong memories, and I am honored to contribute to education in Thailand.”

As the digital economy grows rapidly across Southeast Asia, there is a significant shortage of talent with extensive design experience. This gap is also reflected in the educational sector. The field of design requires a broad perspective that integrates business and technology, yet opportunities to gain these practical skills remain scarce. Consequently, companies struggle to find qualified talent, leading to high post-hiring training costs.

 

 

Driven by the desire to address these local recruitment challenges and to promote design as a vital industrial solution, FOURDIGIT has partnered with Thai universities to apply its accumulated expertise to human resource development. In 2025 alone, we provided design programs to six universities.

 

 

FOURDIGIT provides service design, branding, UX design, and continuous improvement support across Japan and Southeast Asia, including corporate training. We also lead projects in Okinawa that combine regional problem-solving with digital design talent cultivation. Leveraging these experiences, we are committed to accelerating organizational growth in Thailand, reducing corporate training costs, and actively contributing to the evolution of design education.

KOSEN-KMITL (King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang – KOSEN)

The first college in Thailand to fully implement the “KOSEN” (Japanese-style National Institute of Technology) educational system. KOSEN-KMITL opened in May 2019, followed by KOSEN-KMUTT in June 2020. These institutions cultivate practical and innovative engineers to support the industries outlined in the “Thailand 4.0” policy.

 

・ Acting Director: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nattawoot Depaiwa
・ Location: 1 Chalong Krung, Lat Krabang, Bangkok 10520, Thailand
・ URL: http://www.kosen.kmitl.ac.th/en

 

 

National Institute of Technology (KOSEN), Tokuyama College

 

・ President: Megumi Abe, Ph.D.
・ Location: Gakuendai, Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan
・ URL: https://www.tokuyama.ac.jp/index.html