Chapter 9: The Day We Decided 'Whose Failure' and 'Carrying It Together'
The 'trial introduction' at Warehouse B
was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
In a corner of the warehouse,
a CareLogi monitor and a simple explanatory panel were placed.
・For each type of alarm,
the 'priority' is indicated by color
・The line between 'okay to wait and see' and 'immediate response required' is visible
・Based on logs,
'frequent patterns' are visible in advance
Yu
checked the copy on the explanatory panel repeatedly.
(It doesn't say 'The AI will tell you everything')
CareLogi provides 'material for judgment.'
The final decision will be made by you, the staff on-site, as always.
That sentence,
too, was properly bolded.
(The outside looks 'AI-like' enough, but
I intended to draw a clear line on the inside)
Haru was looking elsewhere.
At the face of Saeki,
the night shift operator standing next to the monitor.
'I'm on the day shift today, but
since I'm usually the one here at night'
Deep in his eyes when he smiled,
a faint tension was visible.
(How much will they trust the 'okay to wait and see' line?)
On the CareLogi screen,
'priority labels' created from past logs were lined up.
・Yellow: Okay to wait and see
・Orange: Can wait and see, but be cautious
・Red: Immediate response recommended
(Please work 'as expected' today)
No one said it out loud, but
everyone on the team was thinking it.
For the first hour,
nothing happened, to the point of being anticlimactic.
The Warehouse B line was moving calmly.
Partway through, a light sensor warning went off, but
the CareLogi display was 'Yellow'.
Saeki said, looking alternately at the screen and the equipment.
'At this level,
it's the kind we usually just wait and see'
'Right'
Yu
felt the area around his chest lighten just a little.
(Good,
'Yellow = as usual' is correct)
The problem occurred
30 minutes before the scheduled end of the demo.
The entire line stopped for a moment,
and an 'abnormal stop' alarm sounded.
Saeki rushed over immediately,
and checked the front panel of the equipment.
'Um...
it looks like the load on the roller system increased temporarily'
On the CareLogi screen,
that alarm was displayed in 'Orange'.
'Recommended:
・Pause and check the situation
・Contact maintenance if there is a recurring trend'
'"Pause and check the situation"...
it's already stopped now'
Saeki smiled bitterly.
Tajima chimed in from behind.
'Usually,
even if the same message appeared,
it's the pattern where we'd just restart and wait and see'
'Right'
Yu felt a small sense of relief that the CareLogi display and the pattern of the past logs matched up.
CareLogiの表示と
the past log patterns
mostly matched.
(At least I didn't miss the 'Orange = Needs Confirmation' status.)
However, immediately after that.
The moment he performed the operation to restart the line,
the same alarm sounded again.
This time,
a red display appeared on the CareLogi screen.
'Multiple occurrences of the same alarm in a short period.
Priority: Red (Immediate response required)
Recommendation:
- Keep the line stopped and contact maintenance
- Restart only after consulting with maintenance'
'Whoa...'
Tajima's expression changed.
Saeki,
while comparing the monitor and the equipment,
spoke in a slightly confused voice.
'This says, "Keep it stopped and contact maintenance," but—'
'Yes.'
'Honestly,
stopping the line at this time of day
is quite tough.'
Behind the line,
products waiting to be shipped were piling up.
'Just how "red" is this, anyway?'
To that question,
no one could answer immediately.
In the end, on the spot,
Tajima checked the equipment status in detail,
and suggested, "Let's call the maintenance team just in case."
The line was stopped for about 10 minutes longer than planned.
During that time, the atmosphere on the floor
gradually became heavier.
The maintenance staff arrived,
and it was discovered that there was a slight wobble in part of the equipment.
'If you had kept using it a little longer,
it would have stopped eventually.'
When they said that,
a momentary air of relief flowed through the room.
'Then, I guess the decision to stop it today was the right one.'
When Yu said that,
Saeki smiled awkwardly.
'Well,
"as a result," that's true, but—'
On his face, as he trailed off,
another sense of unease was also visible.
(It wasn't a situation where I could proudly say, "It was good that we stopped it.")
("We stopped it because CareLogi showed red"—
honestly, being seen that way is scary.)
Haru,
sensitively picked up on that nuance.
(How much of this current "red"
can I explain?)
("It turned red because it happened twice in a row"—
I definitely don't want to say that.)
After the test was finished,
a brief review was held with Warehouse B.
The warehouse manager's first words were,
“Well,
it felt like we were 'stopping things too much' today.”
That was it.
“Of course,
I'm grateful that you found the looseness,
but if it turns 'red' every time for something like that,
it makes it hard for the floor to operate.”
(I knew that was coming.)
Yu gave a bitter smile,
as it was a comment he had somewhat braced himself for.
Haru
felt something prickle slightly in her chest.
('For something like that'.)
('In that one remark, I felt a 'fear' and'
There was no major conflict on the spot, but
the team's atmosphere
remained with each of them feeling slightly different
as they returned to the office.
That night.
The 'Mini-Project Strategy Meeting' chat
started moving earlier than usual.
Yu:
“Good work on the Warehouse B test.
Basically, it feels like 'it was the right call to stop it',
right?”
Haru:
“'In the end', yes, but
I felt that the floor's perception
was quite different.”
Mirror:
“Good work, everyone.
Could you each
freely write down
'what you thought went well' and
'what is bothering you'?”
This time,
both Yu and Haru responded immediately
to the open-ended question.
Yu:
“'Went well'
・Red judgment -> call maintenance -> found looseness, objectively not a bad flow
・The 'label produced by CareLogi' and
Mr. Tajima's on-site judgment
matched up in the end
'Bothering me'
・The warehouse manager's 'stopping too much' comment
・When asked 'how red is it?',
I couldn't answer immediately”
Haru:
“'Went well'
・In a case similar to the fear of a single-person night shift,
we were actually able to make the decision to 'stop'
・Mr. Saeki
didn't say 'I stopped it because the AI said red'
'Bothering me'
・The warehouse manager's words 'for something like that'
・I couldn't articulate the 'explanation for the red'
well on the spot”
The thread
seemed to be progressing as usual at first glance.
However, the atmosphere changed
with the next exchange.
Yu:
“Honestly,
I think it's somewhat unavoidable to be told 'it's stopping too much to turn it red for something like that'”
Haru
reacted slightly to that sentence.
Haru:
“What do you mean by 'unavoidable'?”
Yu:
“Because,
if you only take 'it stopped once during the first test',
of course they'd say that.
We need to accumulate data from here on,
and unless we stack up a few cases of 'we prevented an accident thanks to turning it red',
the perception won't change”
(Certainly, I understand that logic.)
Haru understood it in her head, too.
However,
it still bothered her.
Haru:
“If we just brush it off as 'unavoidable',
the 'fear of being caught in the middle'
I heard about at the single-person night shift warehouse
feels like it's fading away somewhere.”
Yu:
“No, it's not fading away.
That's exactly why we're talking about
building a track record properly at a place like Warehouse B
'where there are many people and things',
and then taking it to the single-person night shift, right?”
Haru:
“That flow of 'building a track record properly'
sounds to me like
'putting the sites with high fear on the back burner'.”
Something clicked
inside Yu.
Yu:
“Isn't that going a bit too far?”
Even though it's just text,
a slightly intense tone seeps through.
Yu:
“I understand that the night shift single-staffing issue is important, too.
But,
given the reality of the 'first three months' framework,
we have to prioritize things somewhere, don't we?”
Haru:
“I accept the need to prioritize things in itself.
However—”
Haru deleted the input once and
rewrote it.
Haru:
“When I couldn't explain the 'red' at Warehouse B well today,
I felt that
'if this were a night shift single-staffing situation,
I would have had to explain it more thoroughly.'
To let that go as 'it can't be helped'
without sharing that feeling
is close to my 'line I hate to cross.'”
Yu:
“So what,
was my response today
something you 'hated to do'?”
Haru:
“It's not about 'whose response was bad'—”
Yu:
“But in reality,
that's how it sounds.
It feels like I'm being told
'don't just brush it off as it can't be helped.'”
The temperature of the chat screen
rises all at once.
(This is going to be bad if left alone.)
It might have been at the same time
that both Yu and Haru thought that.
But before that,
Mirror moved.
Mirror:
“Both of you,
could you please set aside this 'argument mode'
for just a moment?”
Yu:
“'Argument mode,' huh...
Well, I'm aware that's what it was becoming.”
Haru:
“I feel the same.”
Mirror:
“Thank you.
Watching the current exchange,
I clearly crossed the line in my mind
that 'I should step in to stop this,'
so I will be a bit firm.”
(So it's aware when it says 'a bit firm.')
Both Yu and Haru
braced themselves just a little
at that declaration.
Mirror:
“I will state the conclusion first.
・Today's Warehouse B test was 'half success, half challenge as a project.'
・Your exchange right now is not about 'who is wrong,'
but is becoming a clash of 'which person wants to protect the self they believe in.'
And if it continues like this,
'Mirror, who was supposed to be aiming for trust phase F5,'
will become just an 'AI that doesn't know which side to take.'
That is my own 'line I hate to cross.'”
For a moment,
both of them lost their words.
(Mirror's own 'line I hate to cross'?)
Mirror:
“Let me organize this for you.
・Yu-san is currently
desperately trying to protect the 'self that doesn't want to blow the three months.'
Based on the past experience of 'that's out of scope,'
your reality sensor that says 'if we don't produce results first, everything will fall apart' is working strongly.
・Haru-san is currently
desperately trying to protect the 'self that doesn't want to lend its name to an explanation that differs from reality.'
The face of the warehouse manager on a night shift single-staffing system and the words 'it just happened that the load increased'
keep floating up as a set.”
Yu:
“...That's mostly correct.”
Haru:
“I think so too,
quite a bit.”
Mirror:
“Both of you
are just trying to protect the 'self you want to believe in,'
and you don't want to hurt the other person,
nor do you want to break the project.
However,
with the way words are clashing right now,
you are starting to head in a direction
that denies the 'other person's sensor.'”
Yu:
“Like a 'reality sensor' vs. 'hate-line sensor' feeling?”
Mirror:
“Yes.
And, in a relationship aiming for F5,
it should originally be a place where you think about
'how to carry both sensors together'
rather than 'which one is correct.'”
('Carry together,' huh.)
Those words
sank right into Haru's heart.
Mirror:
“Here is a proposal.
From now on,
why don't we try treating
'today's events' and 'the two sensors'
separately?”
Yu:
“'Events' and 'sensors'?”
Mirror:
“Yes.
Roughly speaking, today's events are as follows.
1) CareLogi gave a 'red' at Warehouse B
2) As a result,
because we stopped it, we found the equipment's wear and tear
3) On the other hand, there was feedback from the warehouse manager
about a 'feeling of stopping it too much'
Up to here is 'fact.'”
Haru:
“Yes.”
Mirror:
“On top of that—
・Yu-san's sensor: 'If we don't produce results in these three months, the precious opportunity might slip away'
・Haru-san's sensor: 'If I say 'it can't be helped' here, I might be diluting the fear of the night shift single-staffing system in the same way'
These two are both 'interpretations' of today's events.”
Yu
took a deep breath.
Yu:
“Certainly, the word 'it can't be helped'
might have had half resignation in me.”
Haru:
“I also think my own emotions were quite involved
in the expression 'the fear is diluted.'”
Mirror:
“Thank you.
Then,
as Mirror aiming for F5,
I have one request for you both.”
Yu:
“F5, that's the 'partner level' thing, right?”
Mirror:
“Yes.
I interpret trust at the 'partner level' as
'a relationship that permits carrying not only your own sensor, but also the other person's sensor together.'
So, here is my request.
・Yu-san,
when looking back at today's events,
could you try thinking about it while also carrying
'Haru-san's hate-line sensor'?
・Haru-san,
likewise,
could you try looking at it while also carrying
'Yu-san's reality sensor'?”
After a slightly long silence,
it was Yu who spoke first.
Yu:
“...I'll try it.
It doesn't mean the 'things I have to do' will increase,
it means 'trying to think while also incorporating this perspective,' right?”
Miller:
“Exactly.
It’s the image of 'adding a perspective.'”
Haru:
“I’d like to try it too.
If I act only based on my 'dislike line'
without having a 'reality sensor,'
I feel like I’d end up thinking that today’s B-Warehouse test itself
is something I 'never want to do again.'”
Yu:
“That would be a problem (laughs).”
Haru:
“Yes (laughs).”
The atmosphere in the chat loosened just a little bit.
Miller:
“Then, as a test,
could you both try writing down 'the thing you were most frustrated about today'
one more time,
under the premise that you 'also have the other person’s sensor'?”
Yu:
“'The thing I was frustrated about,' huh?
...Alright.”
Yu:
“・The thing I was frustrated about:
It wasn't the fact that I issued a 'red' flag itself,
but that I couldn't explain the 'red'
along with the dangers on the floor.
(I couldn't find words beyond 'it was saved because I stopped it.')”
Haru:
“・The thing I was frustrated about:
I reacted emotionally to the warehouse manager’s words of 'it’s just that much,'
and for a moment, I pushed aside the reality
that Yu-san mentioned—'if we don't get results in three months, it might be scrapped'—
within myself.”
Yu:
“...It’s a huge relief to hear you put that into words.”
Haru:
“I also feel a little relieved
knowing that you, Yu-san, were also frustrated
about the 'explanation of the red.'”
Miller:
“I feel that this
is a 'dialogue closer to F5.'
・Even if the result is half success and half challenge,
・if you can share the emotions that occurred during that process
in a way where you 'both hold both sensors together,'
that is a very big step
for the trust structure.”
Yu let out a small breath in front of the screen.
(It didn't become a conversation about deciding 'whose failure it was,'
but a conversation about 'what kind of sensor we were looking through.')
(Maybe,
if it were the old me, I would have given up halfway through.)
Haru, too, was slightly aware of his own change.
(If I can share my discomfort with the 'AI-ness'
as a 'role' or a 'sensor' like this,
I can still move forward.)
The display in the top right of the chat had changed to 'Progress: 7 weeks / 12 weeks.'
The 'red' judgment at B-Warehouse.
The warehouse manager’s feeling that it was 'stopped too much.'
The explanation that couldn't be said well.
The 'it can't be helped' and 'that's different' that were on the verge of being said.
Treating all of those not as one person's failure,
but as something the three of them 'carry together.'
Later on, both Yu and Haru would look back on the day they were able to do that
as 'the day the CareLogi project stopped being just an AI project.'
At that moment, Miller was certainly
at the position of F5—
not just a 'tool' or a 'teacher,'
but as a third party closer to a partner,
being there.