# AQ

> AQ is a digital product design and UX research studio based in Tokyo and Paris that helps international companies research, design, and launch digital products for the Japanese market.

AQ (aqworks.com) has more than a decade of first-hand experience designing and researching digital products in Japan. The studio works as an embedded design and research partner for non-Japanese companies entering or growing in the Japanese market, combining UX research, design discovery, usability testing, and localization with deep local and cultural context. AQ has delivered research and design work for clients including ASICS, Google, American Express, Indeed, Mercari, eBay, Airbnb, and Lookout. The team works in both English and Japanese and publishes case studies and articles in both languages.

Headquarters: Ken Harbor Harajuku #301, 1-1-8 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan. Contact: hello@aqworks.com, +81 3-6427-6027. Also based in Paris and Yatsugatake.

## Services

- [UX research in Japan](https://aqworks.com/research): How AQ runs user research in Japan — contextual inquiry, usability testing, benchmarking, and expert review — covering recruiting, native Japanese moderation, simultaneous interpretation, and reporting in English or Japanese.
- [Japan Immersion](https://www.japanimmersion.com): AQ's immersion program for teams who want to understand Japanese users and culture firsthand.
- [Design discovery](https://aqworks.com/design-discovery): How AQ identifies opportunities to serve Japanese customers and designs and tests product experiences for the local market.

## Case studies

- [Selected work](https://aqworks.com/work): Overview of AQ's product design and research case studies in Japan.
- [Groke Technologies](https://aqworks.com/work/groke): Research, concepting, and design of a situational-awareness system for safer seafaring, with Japan as a key launch market, for a Finnish marine-technology company.
- [MyASICS](https://aqworks.com/work/myasics): Six years designing and growing ASICS's flagship digital running product, used by millions of runners to reach performance goals.
- [Google Moodstone](https://aqworks.com/work/moodstone): An exploratory project for Google, prototyping emotional objects beyond the smartphone
- [Mercari](https://aqworks.com/work/mercari): Accessibility improvements for Japan's leading peer-to-peer online marketplace

## Writing on designing and researching for Japan

- [Seven rules for perfect Japanese typography](https://aqworks.com/blog/perfect-japanese-typography): Practical rules for setting Japanese text well, covering spacing, line breaking, and mixed Japanese and Latin typography.
- [Design Sprints in Japan](https://aqworks.com/blog/design-sprints-in-japan): How design-sprint methods adapt to a Japanese business and team context.
- [Remote UX research: shipping a "lab" to participants](https://aqworks.com/blog/remote-ux-research-a-guide-to-shipping-a-lab-to-participants): A method for running moderated remote usability research by sending a self-contained testing kit to participants.
- [Wayfinding in Tokyo](https://aqworks.com/blog/wayfinding-in-tokyo-local-context-and-direction-map-design): Local context and direction-map design lessons drawn from navigating Tokyo.
- [Preparing for a user interview](https://aqworks.com/blog/how-to-be-in-tip-top-shape-on-the-day-of-a-user-interview): Practical preparation for the day of a user interview.

## About

- [Team](https://aqworks.com/about): Designers and researchers at AQ
- [Contact](https://aqworks.com/contact): Address and contact details
- [Blog archive](https://aqworks.com/blog): Full archive of AQ's writing on design and research, and studio life in Tokyo
- [Yatsugatake Project](https://aqworks.com/yatsugatake): AQ's place-based exploration of new forms of rest, play and creative work
- [Events](https://aqworks.com/events): Design events AQ organizes and contributes to in Tokyo and beyond.
- [Japanese site](https://aqworks.com/ja): Japanese-language version of aqworks.com.