Augmented Reality Headset (Concept)
Year
2017
Services
Product Design, UX/UI Design, Product Strategy, Competitive Research, Design Management
Company
Amazon Web Services
Intro
In 2017, rising momentum in the Augmented & Virtual Reality (AR/VR) space prompted AWS leadership to explore whether Amazon should pursue an Amazon-branded AR headset. I was asked—along with a UX designer reporting to me—to lead an internal initiative to assess feasibility, define potential customer value, and outline what it would take to bring such a device to market.
Goal
The objective was to determine whether an Amazon-branded AR headset was viable—technically, competitively, and whether it could integrate well within Amazon’s broader ecosystem—and to provide a clear strategic recommendation for senior leadership on how (or whether) to proceed.
Process
To build a foundational understanding of the AR/VR landscape, I conducted a deep competitive and technical analysis to map current capabilities and identify gaps. I attended the leading AR/VR conference in Silicon Valley, where we tested devices, evaluated emerging technologies, and met with vendors shaping the space. Using these insights, I led the creation of a comprehensive executive pitch deck outlining high-value customer use cases, integration opportunities across Amazon’s ecosystem, and recommendations on enabling technologies and potential acquisitions. After gaining leadership approval to move into concept visualization, I sourced and hired a creative agency, wrote and storyboarded the concept videos, and partnered directly with the agency’s producer—ultimately directing and appearing in the internal pitch materials.
Result
Our research showed that the technology required to deliver a compelling customer experience was still approximately five years out. Based on our findings, we recommended pausing the initiative, and leadership aligned with the recommendation. Although the decision was not to move forward, the project achieved its core goal: delivering a rigorous, data-driven feasibility assessment while demonstrating my ability to rapidly ramp up in a new domain, synthesize complex information, and lead cross-functional creative work to guide executive decision-making.