When people hear “consultant,” many think “demanding work.” But what does a consultant’s day actually look like? In this article, we follow a day in the life of Shin Yamaguchi, a Manager at JDSC Inc., and ask him about both the rewarding moments and the tough parts of being a consultant.
Profile
Shin Yamaguchi
JDSC Inc., Manager
After graduating from university, he joined Nomura Research Institute, where he worked on consulting for manufacturing and logistics industries, supporting business reform and DX initiatives. He was posted to India in 2017–2018 and to the United States from 2022 to 2024, supporting the global expansion of Japanese companies entering those markets. He then joined JDSC in September 2024. As a strategy consultant, he currently leads DX initiatives in manufacturing and logistics. He works with data scientists and engineers to drive client business reform and talent development.
A day in Yamaguchi’s schedule
8:30
After dropping his child off at daycare, he heads straight to the office and starts work.
9:30
Joins a project-team meeting. They confirm tasks and the path forward. His manufacturing client is global and currently pursues “strengthening DX capability” and “shifting from selling things to selling experiences” as key strategies. So the meeting is not just status updates — he aligns with the team on what technical and business priorities to focus on. They also use this meeting to decide how to allocate resources across issues.
11:00
Meeting to strengthen JDSC’s internal capabilities. Manufacturing-domain experts and data scientists join, and they discuss how to embed the knowledge and know-how built up over the years across the company. Together they craft the strategy for getting the most out of the organization’s capabilities.
12:00
Lunch meeting with data scientist colleagues. Topics often include digital twins, generative AI, and advanced cases from Western manufacturers. Casual conversation helps him catch up on the latest tech trends and feed them into the next round of client proposals. It is valuable time for gathering information on industry trends and technology.
13:00
Prepares for a regular meeting with the client. The theme is “strengthening DX capability in manufacturing,” and he organizes the key points and challenges. He focuses on producing materials that support management decisions, not just technical content. He also frames issues by theme — such as developing digital talent and organizational design — so the discussion can continue across future meetings.
15:30
Regular meeting with the client’s CTO and business leads. Beyond short-term project issues, they discuss the “next move” from a medium- to long-term perspective — organizational reform and culture building. They explore methodologies for shifting from selling things to selling experiences, and consider how robotics can change the way work is done. This is an important meeting for clarifying the direction of the client’s DX initiatives.
17:30
After the client meeting he heads straight home and switches to remote work, holding an online meeting with project team members. He organizes the points and issues from the client meeting and confirms the action plan for the next session. He makes sure to share the key points with the team while the discussion is still fresh. The aim is to move quickly toward solving the issues.
18:30
Wraps up work. He picks his child up from daycare and prepares dinner together. After dinner, he gives the child a bath, reads picture books, and gets the child to sleep. He pays attention to work-life balance, securing solid family time even on weekdays. He treasures this part of the day for switching out of work mode.
22:00
Time to reflect on the day. He looks back on what he did, organizes new insights, and sets the next steps. This reflection is his daily habit — time he sees as necessary for his own and the organization’s growth going forward.
- [What is a consulting firm?] Types of firms and the work involved
- What’s appealing about the consulting industry? Job content and traits of those suited to it
Yamaguchi’s thoughts and feelings about being a consultant
― What do you find rewarding in your daily work?
What I find rewarding is working with clients on their challenges and actually feeling them change over time. In consulting, the early stages of a project often involve abstract discussion toward the goal. But being able to see firsthand how on-site initiatives play out and ultimately change the business is a huge source of fulfillment. Playing a part in a client’s transformation and being able to spark innovation together is, for me, the biggest reward. I think this is something I can feel especially at JDSC, where we work with data scientists and engineers and can deliver concrete solutions.
― What do you find tough about the job?
JDSC’s strength is the “trinity” of collaboration across different roles, but gaps in mindset can arise between roles. Adjusting those gaps and pulling the team toward the same goal is tough. For example, consultants look for solutions from a business angle, while data scientists and engineers look for solutions from a technical angle. Resolving these role-driven differences in thinking is tough but also rewarding.
Of course, working through the pile of issues one by one is also hard. But overcoming them and ultimately delivering a big impact for the client brings a strong sense of accomplishment.
― What kind of consultant do you want to be going forward?
I want to grow into a consultant who can see projects from a wider perspective and provide end-to-end support from strategy through execution, and bring innovation to life together with clients. Until now, my role centered on surfacing client issues and proposing solutions. Going forward, I want to engage in deeper discussions with client leadership and be someone capable of having a significant influence on the client.
I want to keep pushing forward by actively using cutting-edge technologies such as AI. I want to stay on top of rapidly evolving digital technology and use it to contribute to clients’ growth. Five or ten years from now, I would be glad to have contributed to innovation efforts where the clients I worked with are having a positive impact on society as a whole.
JDSC Inc. Company information
| Company name | JDSC Inc. |
| Capital | JPY 11 million |
| Representative Director | Elte Satoshi Kato |
| Employees | 108 (as of November 2024) |
| Business | ・Development and licensing of algorithm modules leveraging machine learning ・Development and operation of IT systems ・Advisory and consulting in data science |
