Introducing the Departments that Support the Growth of LINE Search!

 

 

▼ About the Strategic Operation Department

The Strategic Operation Department is responsible for the operation of AI field, LINE Search and other LINE services positioned as strategic business

Note: Masks were only removed for photos

 

Nakafuji: To put it simply, LINE Search is the search service that is available within the LINE app. From the search bar within LINE, you can search for things like news, weather forecasts, what a word means, or something you want to know in your daily life, and get the comprehensive information you need.

 

The big difference from other companies' search engines is that you can search for original content offered by LINE such as Stickers, or LINE Music, not just images and videos that were obtained through crawling.

 

By making LINE original content searchable so that users can get the results they want when searching for something, they can have an experience unique to LINE Search.

― Please tell us about the roles of the Media Operation and Strategic Operation Departments in LINE Search.

 

Nakafuji: The SR Team that I belong to in the Media Operation Department is responsible for multiple aspects of LINE Search work, but our most representative project is "search result optimization." In that optimization, we monitor the search results that are related to current hot topics, consider how search results can meet user needs, and make adjustments.

 

Additionally, service operations work takes place 24 hours a day all year, so we can respond quickly to system errors such as the contents displayed as search results not being viewable to a user. Depending on the content, quick and accurate feedback is requested from us to LINE Corporation or development departments.

 

LINE Search is also positioned as one of LINE's core businesses, and there are a lot of stakeholders involved in our work. In order to accomplish that, communicating and coordinating with LINE Corporation and related development departments is an important task, and we work together closely. We always receive requests to adjust content from other departments, so continuing to meet those expectations and demands is another of our roles.

― Please tell us about what you do specifically with LINE Search.

Nakafuji: Besides the search result optimization I mentioned earlier, our department also create databases and create accurate content.

 

In database construction, we catch up on what topics users are currently focusing on, and ensure that information is reflected on our services in real time. We have an abundance of database types, including topics like people, TV programs, movies, and manga. 

 

Creating accurate content is work that we do to create content that lets users access the information they want. The primary difference between database construction and that is that it's a very free format, and it's possible to create things from a user perspective. 

 

For example, we can create a timetable of music shows, and allow a transition to a page where you can listen to an artist's music from there. We were able to get a lot of feedback from our users, which let us feel the effects of our work.

― Please tell us what kind of career background allows people to flourish in this line of work.

Koishi: Our members come from a variety of backgrounds, including financial services, travel agencies, hotels, call centers, and more. The needs of our service users are extremely diverse. By having members with a variety of background, they can consider how to make better services from their own perspective, which is the ideal for us as a department.

Nakafuji: A lot of our members also come from different fields, including paper and web media. The work we do is diverse as well, so I get the impression that those who have a variety of skills and experience do well.

 

― This is our last question, what kind of people do you want to work with? 

Nakafuji: I want to work with those who want to meet user needs, and have a mindset of wanting to contribute to society. The work we do is challenging, and we often run into issues, so I want people who think about what they should do, and take the initiative to carry it out to join. 

 

Additionally, when an issue we can't solve within our department arises, I think that the people who can make requests to related departments without hesitating, think about a framework towards a solution, and communicate effectively excel. 

 

Among the many LINE services, this field is one of the areas where the services are particularly growing rapidly, so I want to work with people who can stand in a user's shoes and have the appetite to take on challenges and contribute to service development.