#Japan #Tokyo #Engineering #Shift #development

SHIFT's Prestigious Recognition in Development

In recent news, SHIFT, Inc. has proudly announced its inclusion in the "Development Organization Brand Award 2026," which honors the top 30 companies showcasing high brand strength within their development organizations. This recognition is based on an extensive survey targeting 1,165 engineers performed by the Japan CTO Association. SHIFT secured an impressive 29th rank, reflecting its growing influence and reputation in the industry.

Comments from SHIFT's Executive

Ryusuke Ito, the Head of Development Department at SHIFT, expressed gratitude for this esteemed award, stating:

"We are deeply honored to receive such a prestigious accolade. SHIFT has evolved from its roots in software testing and quality assurance, expanding our business while fostering close collaboration with customers' system development projects. As a later entrant to the market, we have leveraged our expertise in data analysis and systematic structuring to establish a collaborative development environment involving both human teams and AI. It is a tremendous honor for our entire engineering organization to receive this level of recognition."

Ito further emphasized that this award represents a starting point for the organization. SHIFT is committed to supporting every engineer's career and aspirations, continuously striving to create an enabling environment where all engineers can thrive in an era increasingly characterized by AI.

Overview of the Award

The "Development Organization Brand Award 2026" was facilitated by the Japan CTO Association, which aims to highlight the best companies as perceived by engineers regarding the strength and quality of their development brands. For a complete listing of award recipients, see the official announcement here.

SHIFT's Key Initiatives in Development

SHIFT has established a development framework emphasizing collaboration between humans and AI, consistently pursuing high quality and productivity. It has created unique standards, including the "SHIFT DQS (Development Quality Standard)" and the "SQF (SHIFT Quality Framework)," designed to ensure reproducible quality regardless of the personnel or projects involved. By integrating these frameworks with AI, SHIFT has significantly increased development productivity and provided high-quality solutions across all aspects of the development lifecycle, from individual processes to extensive system modernizations.

AI Modernization

Moreover, SHIFT is actively involved in advancing AI solutions, including their cutting-edge testing solution "NEMURANAI."

Technology Neutral Approach and Strategic Alliances

Advancing from a technology-neutral standpoint, SHIFT emphasizes the constant evaluation and selection of optimal and latest technologies without dependency on specific vendors. Their proactive approach to forming alliances accelerates the integration and implementation of cutting-edge technologies alongside diverse partner companies, enhancing their R&D and service offerings.

Supporting Engineers' Growth

SHIFT also invests significantly in the autonomous growth of its engineers through extensive learning and career support programs. Their proprietary e-learning platform, "SPARK," includes around 180 courses, alongside a career development program named "TOPGUN," offering about 90 courses. Such initiatives foster an environment where engineers can independently elevate their technical skills and carve out their career paths.

Knowledge Sharing Culture

A culture of knowledge sharing is pivotal at SHIFT. More than 20 internal study groups foster the dissemination of expertise across organizations, promoting continuous learning. This culture extends outside the organization through SHIFT's technical blog, which boasts over 540 authors contributing more than 2,700 articles. SHIFT also supports external technical communities by providing venues for events and facilitating engineers' participation in speaking engagements.

Recognition for Excellence

SHIFT’s commitment to showcasing its technical expertise and proactive information-sharing practices has garnered various accolades within the industry, including:

• - Best Speaker Award and Best Booth Award at the "Developers Boost 2025".
• - Selection of 15 members in three categories, including the prestigious "AWS Ambassador" by AWS.
• - Recognition of SHIFT employees at the "Best Engineer 2026" by Cisco Systems.
• - Special Award from the "2025 Japan AWSome Business Leaders Award".

About the Japan CTO Association

Founded in September 2019, the Japan CTO Association aims to promote technological self-transformation as a norm within Japanese society, leveraging the insights and experiences of technology leaders for broader social transformation.

About SHIFT, Inc.

Founded in September 2005, SHIFT serves as a service integrator, assisting clients from project inception through development and operation, utilizing the latest technologies like AI to support their business evolution and contribute to solving societal challenges.