Intern's thoughts: The structure of Clameso

Hello! I'm Ishikawa, an intern.

It's been two months since I started working as an intern at Classmethod. Through my daily work, I feel that I've gradually come to understand what kind of company Classmethod is.

In this post, I'd like to share why I chose to intern at Classmethod and what insights I've gained during my time here.

Why I Wanted to Intern at Classmethod

The main reason I wanted to intern at Classmethod was my interest in "learning what kind of systems are in place at a company that boasts tremendous growth."

Various services in the world are born from "systems". I was fascinated by the concept of "systematization" and realized the excitement of information science, where creating systems makes things behave accordingly, which led me to major in an information-related field at university.

On the other hand, in systematization extended to "generating profit" as a business, there are still many uncertainties because people are involved. There, not only systematic structures like task routing but also challenges like "maximizing individuals" through mentoring arise.

While I believed that balancing "systematization" and "individual maximization" could increase profits, I didn't know the specific mechanisms or methods for maximizing individuals, and I wanted to see how actual companies put this into practice.

The "System Building" and "Individual Maximization" I Found at Classmethod

After working for two months, I've found my own answers.
What supports Classmethod's system building isn't rigid systems or rules but a culture of "community consciousness", and the key to individual maximization is "the power of sharing information".

Specifically, this is reflected in the phrase "let's work hard together" that I often hear within the company. Engineers tend to have high intellectual curiosity and can easily become isolated by immersing themselves in technology. That's why deliberately saying "let's work hard together" and creating a culture of returning individual knowledge to the team (collaboration) becomes a magical phrase that ultimately resonates with the engineers' own growth. No matter how excellent the tools (like Slack and DevelopersIO) are, the system won't function without this consciousness at its foundation.

Additionally, the power of sharing that supports "individual maximization" is evident in the information flowing through DevelopersIO and Slack's misc (casual conversation) channels. By sharing, our thoughts become organized, and what might be just a casual comment for us could be incredibly important information for someone else. I find this culture of information sharing truly wonderful.

The True Meaning of "Ho-Ren-So" and My Struggle with Asking Questions

Actually, at first, I wasn't able to "ask about things I didn't understand (share information)" at all.

Modern young people are often said to "lack the basic business skill of Ho-Ren-So (report, contact, consult)," and I was no exception—my mentor pointed out my lack of Ho-Ren-So.

At that time, my mentor taught me "what the purpose of Ho-Ren-So is." It is a "tool to protect ourselves."
Why is it a protective tool? Because by practicing Ho-Ren-So, our superiors recognize not only the "results" but also the "process." If we share the process, they might be able to help us when we're in trouble. In other words, the true meaning of Ho-Ren-So emerges in "creating a state where we might receive help" (through sharing).

For someone like me who felt barriers to sharing and couldn't ask about what I didn't understand, this advice really resonated. Because of this experience, I truly realized the importance of "asking when you don't know."

At Classmethod, by building connections on a daily basis, "routing questions" to appropriate people when we don't understand something happens smoothly. I now understand that this "environment conducive to sharing" maximizes individuals and realizes a system for efficient problem-solving as an organization.

However, to communicate what you don't understand, you need verbalization skills to explain "what you don't understand." I realized that it is these verbalization skills that make the high level of information sharing Classmethod's selling point.

"Purpose-Based Thinking" Supporting Information Sharing Power

Verbalization is very difficult, and I myself often get discouraged by my low verbalization skills, but I feel that Classmethod employees are very skilled at verbalization.

At the root of this is "organized thinking." I discovered that both sales staff and engineers consistently have a logic for organizing their thoughts. That is "purpose-based thinking."

Thinking based on purpose means visualizing the goal. Recognizing that solving the "issue" is the "purpose," considering the "means" to achieve the purpose, and taking action. (My mentor's explanation about "the purpose of Ho-Ren-So" is exactly this way of thinking.)

I felt that this thinking process being firmly established regardless of whether one is in sales or engineering leads to high verbalization skills and information sharing power.

Additionally, I realized that this "purpose-based thinking" is a very important concept that leads to improved customer satisfaction and, consequently, increased profits.

Conclusion

I'm finding it very interesting to realize that Classmethod is growing within various systems and cultures like those mentioned above.

The more I learn, the more I want to know about Classmethod's systems. I hope to continue absorbing many things through my internship!