Business transformation begins with experience design

More and more companies are voicing this concern. According to Tharayil Ciril, who leads the Experience domain at Fujitsu’s consulting business Uvance Wayfinders (hereafter “Wayfinders”), the key to unlocking AI’s value lies in UX.
How should user experiences—the point of interaction between humans and AI—be designed and evolved into something truly innovative? At Wayfinders, UX serves as a shared language that aligns stakeholders, transforming ideas into implementation. In this interview, Ciril shares practical insights into how customer experience can continuously evolve in the AI era.

“The more advanced AI becomes, the more important it is—not what it can do, but how it is used.
That difference is created by UX,” says Ciril.

As digitalization accelerates, companies face the critical challenge of embedding technology into products and services in ways that translate into business value. In this context, renewed attention is being paid to User Experience (UX)—the totality of interactions users have with products and services.

Today, consumers evaluate offerings based on more than just functionality or price. Experiences such as ease of use and stress-free operation significantly influence how products and services are perceived. Intuitive interfaces reduce cognitive load, while seamless journeys give users compelling reasons to continue using a service. Over time, this drives lower churn, higher retention, and stronger brand trust.

Advances in AI have dramatically expanded how UX can be enhanced.

“With AI, we can automatically analyze user behavior data in real time—where users hesitate, where they drop off, and what supports decision-making. Generative AI also enables personalized UX optimization, allowing us to deliver tailored experiences to individuals at low cost—something that was previously impossible at scale,” Ciril explains.

In the AI era, UX is no longer just a design consideration—it is becoming an integral part of the business model that continuously generates enterprise value. Companies that invest in UX are already differentiating themselves through stronger customer retention, operational efficiency, and competitive advantage.

“No matter how advanced AI becomes, it is still humans who use it. That’s why experience value matters so much. We remain deeply committed to technology that creates better experiences,” says Ciril.

UX serves as the bridge between people and technology. As its importance continues to grow, the need for professionals who can orchestrate this connection becomes ever more critical.

The Wayfinders Experience Team, where Ciril belongs, is an execution-oriented organization capable of delivering end-to-end—from UX design through development and delivery. It is structured to implement technological value globally as “experience.”

Ciril himself, a designer and engineer from South India, has built a career of over 18 years in Japan.

“Fujitsu’s purpose—‘bringing trust to society through innovation and making the world more sustainable’—deeply resonates with my own career vision. Leveraging expertise rooted in both creativity and technology, I want to go beyond simply delivering technology and contribute to user-centered experiences that genuinely improve people’s lives,” says Ciril.

Wayfinders provides the foundation to realize that vision.

“Traditional consulting firms are strong in human intelligence—what you might call ‘brain power.’ Wayfinders’ strength lies in the technological foundation Fujitsu has built over decades. That allows us not only to define strategy, but also to design, implement, and deliver the systems that realize it—working side by side with our clients. It’s an environment where we can truly deliver great ideas to the world,” he explains.

UX perspectives are essential when translating diverse technologies into practical value.

“We design with the future in mind—one, two, even five years ahead—considering how society and systems will evolve. In a fast-changing era, we consciously design from the customer’s perspective, aiming to create solutions that endure. At the same time, a genuine desire to build better things is essential. Our team is full of people who love creating, and that passion is one of our greatest strengths,” says Ciril.

Ciril is also leading the development of multiple AI agent platforms.

“Fujitsu has fascinating technologies and outstanding engineers. But technology has no meaning unless it delivers value to society. That’s why I want to build AI agent platforms that complement product planning—areas that are difficult to cover through human effort alone. We’re currently in the prototype phase, starting with internal use and aiming to offer these solutions to customers in the future,” he says.

When companies develop new products or services, one major challenge is how accurately stakeholders can share the images in their minds. Gaps between customer expectations and development teams’ assumptions lead to rework and slow progress.

The Wayfinders Experience Team addresses this challenge head-on.

A key principle is co-creation—moving forward at the same eye level as the client.

Rather than simply receiving requirements and delivering outputs, the team carefully aligns on goals, user personas, and underlying challenges. This approach surfaces unspoken assumptions and anxieties early, minimizing misalignment and enabling all stakeholders to move forward with confidence.

“Instead of jumping straight into architecture or source code after hearing the customer, we should take one more step—discuss thoroughly and design the ideal UX first,” says Ciril.

Speed is another defining characteristic. Ciril often brings fully developed mockups to client meetings.

“Many consultants spend time on PoCs, but I start by building mockups. When clients can see and interact with something tangible, even those without technical backgrounds can easily share feedback,” he explains.

UX has long been a source of competitive advantage, but AI has elevated its importance even further. Technologies such as generative AI, multimodal models, and behavioral data analysis are shifting experiences from “reacting to needs” to “anticipating and fulfilling them,” dramatically enhancing value.

What Wayfinders emphasizes is not adopting AI itself, but designing how experiences change through AI.

“In the AI era, even a single day’s delay can be a major loss. Change happens at incredible speed, and clinging to past successes can quickly erode competitiveness,” warns Ciril.

As AI evolves daily and new experience-enabling technologies emerge, outdated experiences can rapidly diminish brand value. Continuously evolving customer experiences with AI as a given is now a decisive factor in competitiveness.