Bridging Human Experience and Collective Futures

I work at the intersection of design research, art thinking, and coaching to co-create human-centered systems and communities grounded in empathy and lived experience.

Designing for Community, Resilience, and Co-Creation

My work focuses on understanding how human-centered, design-led approaches can support more resilient and inclusive communities.

Through design research, participatory methods, and reflective practice, I explore how lived experience, cultural context, and collaboration shape the systems we inhabit — and how they might be re-imagined together.

Practice & Collaboration

My practice is grounded in collaborative, context-sensitive work with individuals, organizations, and public institutions. Rather than offering fixed solutions, I engage in processes of inquiry, co-creation, and reflection, shaping each collaboration in response to its specific social, cultural, and institutional context.

Process Design

Collaborating with organizations to design reflective processes that support clarity, alignment, and adaptive ways of working..

Purpose Development

Facilitating dialogue around organizational purpose, values, and long-term direction, particularly in moments of transition or uncertainty.

For Organizations and Government Agencies

Organizational Development

Supporting teams and leaders in reflective, participatory approaches to organizational sense-making and growth.

Policy Formulation

Engaging with public and institutional stakeholders to explore human-centered perspectives in policy thinking, with an emphasis on lived experience and long-term social impact.

Training & Workshops

Designing and facilitating workshops as spaces for learning, reflection, and co-creation, rather than one-way skill transfer.

For Individuals

Life Coaching

Supporting individuals through life transitions by cultivating self-awareness, resilience, and clarity of direction.

Career Coaching

Working with individuals to reflect on career direction, strengths, and possibilities, shaping paths that feel both meaningful and sustainable.

Misaki Toda (杜多美咲)
Design Researcher, Strategic Partner, and Life and Career Coach, working at the intersection of human centered design, reflective practice, and collaborative inquiry.

Born and raised in Oita, Japan, their work has been shaped by a deep sensitivity to place, community, and lived experience. They studied Global Business and Diversity Management at Waseda University, where they developed a strong interest in how cultural context and diversity influence organizational and social systems.

After gaining experience in organizational development and recruitment across major Japanese companies and international environments, they encountered design thinking, which marked a turning point in their professional path. This shift led them away from conventional HR roles toward work focused on human centered value creation, co creation, and systemic change.

Their involvement in the launch and operation of SHIBUYA QWS, one of Japan’s leading co creation hubs, further deepened their interest in collaborative spaces and cross sector engagement, eventually leading them to work independently. Today, they collaborate with organizations, public institutions, and individuals across diverse contexts, integrating design research, art thinking, and coaching into their practice.

Notable engagements include serving as General Producer for a barrier free public private co creation project in Chigasaki City and contributing to the design of process frameworks for intellectual property creation with the Japan Patent Office.