From user needs
to useful delivery.

DELIVERY EXAMPLE / HALO INFINITE

Delivering a time-sensitive executive demo.

Initially assigned as the narrative team’s technical representative, I took on broader coordination for a Halo Infinite gameplay demo shortly before its deadline. I worked across engineering, narrative, world development, and creative leadership to identify dependencies, resolve blockers, and move the required features through completion.

Outcome. Delivered the gameplay demo on time for executive review.

Reflection. The experience reinforced that delivery leadership includes clear ownership, stakeholder alignment, and visibility into decisions alongside completing the technical work.

TECHNICAL EXAMPLE / HOLOLENS TELEMETRY

Instrumenting 3D capture for evaluation.

The problem. A complex 3D capture process needed observable data to evaluate the technology’s effectiveness and understand user interactions during pre-production testing.

My contribution. I configured Azure-based telemetry collection to capture system behavior alongside the user’s experience:

• 3D capture data: detailed object-capture points and system-generated data.
• UX interactions: when users started and stopped capture.
• Processing duration: how long processing took to produce a result.
• Outcome: whether the final capture succeeded or failed.

The value. Established an initial foundation for observing and evaluating the technology during pre-production testing, connecting user actions with processing time and capture outcomes.

Retrospective example from Microsoft, 2016. This describes instrumentation for evaluation; no quantified improvement in capture performance is claimed.

RETROSPECTIVE CASE STUDY / CUSTOM NODE CREATION

From a vague request to a self-service feature.

What Flow did. Flow was an in-house, node-based visual scripting tool for authoring gameplay—conceptually similar to Unreal Engine’s Blueprints. For readers familiar with Zapier or n8n, the visual workflow analogy is a useful starting point, applied here to game logic.

Flow supported designers, technical artists, artists, and sound designers in a studio of roughly 50–70 people.

The problem. Designers and artists wanted to create their own nodes without depending on engineering. Their initial request needed to be translated into an actionable feature.

My ownership. As product owner for Flow and the feature, I defined and prioritized the work. I coordinated with core engine developers and the previous tool owner, kept my technical lead informed, and took the feature through implementation and release.

Delivery and iteration. After delivery, I continued maintaining and improving the feature. Designers and artists gained the ability to create their own nodes without writing code, reducing the engineering bottleneck around enabling gameplay features.

Retrospective account of work at 5th Cell, 2014–2016, based on my recollection. The outcome is qualitative; no measured time savings are claimed.

PRODUCT DISCOVERY / LITESPRITE

Connecting technical feasibility with a clearer user experience.

Research. Investigated health wearables available at the time and the APIs needed to assess their viability with Unity development.

UX collaboration. Worked directly with the game designer on a more cohesive experience, shaping an immersive main hub to help users navigate the app’s features and mini-games.

Feature concept. Proposed a “butterfly walk” to encourage daily walking through discovering different bugs and wildlife for a collection.

Advisory-board communication. Presented the roadmap and proposed product direction to the advisory board, including Ed Fries, and received positive feedback.

Retrospective example from 2013–2014. Wearable integration was feasibility research; the walking experience was a proposed concept.