Thank you for reading. I’m Hirotomaru, the writer of this article. In June, I visited the Nagoya City Science Museum as part of our employee training program. It was a full‑sensory day of “seeing, touching, being amazed… and even sleeping (!?).” The theme was: Playing with science and encountering the universe.
Every exhibit was a huge hit!
The science museum is divided into three sections: the Technology Building, the Life Science Building, and the Astronomy Building. Each one is packed with hands‑on exhibits, and there was so much to see that half a day wasn’t nearly enough.
The Extreme Cold Lab, where you can experience a −30°C environment, was especially popular—despite it being a Friday, the numbered tickets ran out early. A large group of elementary school students seemed to be there on a field trip, so every floor was buzzing with energy. I even spotted one of our employees making friends with the kids! From creating an artificial tornado to watching a 1.2‑million‑volt discharge show, the whole place was full of excitement.
Planetarium “Brother Earth”
The highlight of the day was, without a doubt, the world‑class planetarium “Brother Earth”! Inside its massive 35‑meter‑wide dome, the experience felt as if we were completely enveloped by the universe.
We began with an explanation of Nagoya’s night sky in June. The stories and meanings behind the Summer Triangle, the North Star, and the positions of Saturn and Mars were so captivating that I found myself completely absorbed.
The visuals were stunning—it felt as if I were gazing up at a real star‑filled sky. Since I rarely get the chance to look at the stars in everyday life, having this quiet moment to simply take in the sky felt truly special.
Black Hole Special: Drawn Into the Darkness of the Universe?
The second half focused on the special theme: black holes. “What does it mean that even light can’t escape?” “Time gets distorted? What exactly is spacetime?” I found myself drawn deeper and deeper into these cosmic mysteries that we never encounter in everyday life.
The visuals and sound effects of the black hole were incredible, letting us experience what it might feel like to be drawn into the pitch‑black, bottomless vortex at its center. The reclining seats were so comfortable that it seems some people were pulled into a sleep even deeper than a black hole…
Beyond Learning: An Encounter with Science
This day at the Nagoya City Science Museum was more than just a tour or a training session—it was an intellectual adventure filled with the joy of discovery and moments of genuine wonder. Experiencing the many science‑based exhibits was truly enjoyable.
And that concludes our off‑site learning report from the Nagoya City Science Museum—a day filled with science, relaxation, and plenty of laughter! Stay tuned for the next article!!
I’m oz, and I’ll be covering this study session article. This time, we held our study session “Low-Code Development Experience with OutSystems Part 3,” so let me share how it went!
Continuing from last time, this study session also aims to “deepen understanding of low-code development and OutSystems by experiencing development with OutSystems.” With many members joining for the first time this session, it became an even more lively study session.
The study session will proceed as follows:
① Development Experience with OutSystems ② Summary and Q&A
Development Experience with OutSystems
While delivering a PowerPoint presentation, we simultaneously progressed with actual development using the OutSystems environment. The main activities conducted this time were as follows: Data Import and Export ・Let’s create an Entity (table) ・Let’s create master screens (list/detail) from an Entity: Scaffolding ・Let’s read and write Entity data from the created screens
Let’s create an entity (table)
First, add a table to store the data handled by the app. Next, give the table a name that reflects its purpose so you can understand what kind of information it manages. After creating the table, proceed to add columns. Assign each column a name corresponding to the actual item you wish to store, and simultaneously determine the data type based on the type of data to be stored, such as string, number, or date.
Let’s create master screens (list and detail) from an Entity: Scaffolding
Typically, when creating a master screen, you need to design and implement the list screen and detail screen from scratch. However, OutSystems offers a convenient mechanism that automatically generates a master screen to a certain extent simply by preparing a table. This automatic generation feature is called Scaffolding. Using Scaffolding creates basic master screens such as list displays, registration, updates, and deletions as templates, greatly reducing development effort.
Let’s try reading and writing Entity data from the screen we created.
The master screen created with Scaffolding allows basic operations as-is, but adding further functionality makes it more practical. This time, we will enable direct data entry from the web screen, bulk data import using Excel files, and conversely, the ability to export data as Excel files. From the web interface, you can register or update data one record at a time by setting values in the input fields on the screen and saving them. Additionally, by adding the Excel import feature, you can register or update multiple records at once simply by uploading an Excel file. Furthermore, enabling the output of registered data as Excel files simplifies data verification and integration with other systems. By combining screen input, Excel import, and Excel export, the master screen is designed to be user-friendly for daily operations.
Summary
This study session covered even more practical content than the last one, and I believe it successfully conveyed the benefits of low-code development and OutSystems. As development progressed, when questions or difficulties arose, nearby members actively exchanged ideas, discussing questions and issues together. As a result, I feel that my understanding has deepened even further.
We plan to continue hosting study sessions focused on OutSystems development! Stay tuned for our next article.
At Dandelions, we regularly hold communication events to deepen mutual understanding among team members and build stronger collaboration. These events and discussions take place in a relaxed, café-like atmosphere that transcends departments and job titles—just like chatting over coffee. That’s why we call this initiative “Dandelions Café.”
This time, the theme was “What Makes a Company One I’d Want to Stay With.” Teams spent about two hours researching and discussing the topic, followed by presentations from each group.
Ideas born from diverse perspectives
Through the presentations, we got a glimpse into how each member views the company in their daily work and what they truly think. The opinions stood out in two main categories: an active perspective, focusing on how we can contribute to the company’s growth, and a passive perspective, reflecting what kind of environment we expect from the company to keep working there.
Opinions from an active perspective
Opinions that reflect an awareness of the types of talent and actions needed for the company’s growth
such as creating systems—like organizing manuals—that prevent workload from being concentrated on specific employees
These reflected the perspectives of team members who are clearly mindful of the organization’s overall dynamics in their daily work.
Opinions from a passive perspective
Adequate salaries to keep up with rising living costs
Enhanced employee benefits such as transportation and housing allowances
Expansion of remote work options
The desire for a comfortable and secure work environment left a strong impression.
There were also some unique ideas!
Lavish rewards for perfect attendance each month
A system that allows employees to bring their pets to work
Some suggestions aimed at making the company atmosphere more enjoyable brought smiles to our faces.
A discussion that led to new insights and learning
Through this theme, we discovered just how much perspectives can differ depending on one’s role and experience—even within the same company. It felt like a valuable opportunity for both leadership and younger team members to understand each other’s ways of thinking.
Differences in opinions can sometimes appear as gaps, but looking at it another way, they’re simply different expressions of the same desire—to make the company even better. This discussion offered valuable insights for Dandelions to continue growing and evolving.
After the discussion, we had our usual social gathering.
At Dandelions, we’ll continue to value open dialogue across all roles and positions, as we work together to create a company that’s not only easier to work in, but also a place where everyone can grow even more.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. I’m “OZ,” and I’ll be your writer for this post. Earlier this year, four of us who joined the company together visited Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens. As part of a team-building event, we were given the following three missions ・Get to know our fellow new hires better ・Explore the zoo while discussing which areas could be improved with IT ・Find the sponsorship sign for the Dandelions
Get to know our fellow new hires better
The missions were super easy—almost like they didn’t even exist! Since we were already good friends at work, we completed them without any
Explore the zoo while discussing which areas could be improved with IT
This mission sparked a lot of ideas! First, we noticed that tickets at the entrance gate were being handed out one by one in paper form. We discussed how switching to QR code tickets could reduce the workload and improve efficiency. However, some pointed out that not everyone owns a device capable of scanning QR codes, like a smartphone. Another idea was to add QR codes to the animal information signs, allowing visitors to watch videos of the animals in action or read more detailed descriptions. There was also a suggestion for a system where visitors could select the animals they want to see, and a map would display a recommended route—taking into account feeding times and other factors to create an efficient path.
Find the sponsorship sign for the Dandelions
While my teammates had been to the zoo before and seemed to know their way around, I was the only one unfamiliar with the place and ended up wandering on my own. I decided to explore without looking at the park map, just going wherever my feet took me—but then it started to rain. Without an umbrella and unable to continue exploring, I finally asked my teammates for help. Thanks to them, I was able to find my way and reach the destination.
Summary
During our visit to the zoo, I was able to bond more with my teammates and discover sides of them I hadn’t seen before, which made the experience really enjoyable. I’d never walked around while thinking about how things could be improved with IT, so it felt fresh and eye-opening. It made me wonder—maybe this is how new ideas for work are born?
That’s all for this time. Stay tuned for the next article!
For anyone who writes code, the editor is one of the most important tools. A good editor can speed up your work, reduce mistakes and even make learning new languages easier. Because of that, we regularly try new tools in our team.
We held a Cursor study session to explore this AI-assisted editor together. Some of us were already curious about it, others had never heard of it. The session was a chance to see what Cursor can do and to discuss whether it could improve our daily development work.
What Is Cursor?
Cursor is a modern code editor built on the same foundation as Visual Studio Code. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and supports most VS Code extensions, themes and keybindings, so it feels familiar from the start.
What makes Cursor stand out is its deep AI integration. Right inside the editor you can:
Highlight code to get instant explanations
Generate new snippets or refactor existing ones
Ask it to write tests or documentation
This turns the editor into both a productivity tool and a learning companion.
Advantages of Using Cursor
During our session we noticed several advantages:
Familiar yet enhanced: Everyone who had used VS Code adapted quickly.
AI assistance built in: We could ask questions about our code and generate snippets without leaving the editor.
Cross-platform and extension support: All our favourite VS Code extensions worked.
Integrated terminal and Git: We compiled, ran and committed code without switching windows.
Helpful for learning: Beginners in the group liked being able to have the AI explain functions or concepts directly in the file.
Our Cursor study session showed us how an editor can do more than just hold text — it can actively support learning and speed up everyday tasks.
How to Install Cursor
We also walked through installation together. It’s straightforward:
Download the installer for your operating system: – Windows: run the .exe file. – macOS: drag the app into Applications. – Linux: use the .AppImage file or your package manager.
Open Cursor for the first time. You can sign in with GitHub or an email to sync your settings.
Click the gear icon at the bottom left to adjust themes, fonts, and AI options.
Within minutes everyone in the room had it running.
How to Use Cursor
In the study session we tried out some basic workflows:
Opening a project: Drag a folder into Cursor to see all your files in the Explorer.
Creating a file:Ctrl + N to create, save with .html, .java, etc.
Using the terminal: `Ctrl + “ (backtick) to compile or run commands inside the editor.
Using AI: Highlight code and press Ctrl + I to ask for an explanation or to generate/refactor code.
Extensions: Click the Extensions icon to install language packs, snippets, linters or themes.
We even wrote a small HTML page and a simple Java program right there. Seeing Cursor’s auto-completion, automatic tag closing and AI suggestions made the exercises smoother for everyone, especially for members who were new to those languages.
Conclusion
Our Cursor 勉強会 confirmed that an editor can be more than just a place to type code. With easy installation, a familiar interface and powerful AI built in, Cursor helps both beginners and experienced developers learn faster and work more efficiently.
