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Augmented reality (AR) technology is upending the entertainment landscape, coupling the physical environment with digital information, mostly in gaming, streaming services, music, and more. Statista estimates that the revenue from the sale of AR hardware to end-users would increase from $300 million in 2020 to $9.1 billion in 2027.
AR’s capability to overlay maps, give real-time feedback, and streamline processes are also starting to revolutionize how people work. Enterprises now adopt AR technology for workforce training, equipment maintenance, and customer demonstrations and experience, to name a few. However, pushing the boundaries of AR technology cannot be easy, and it takes heavily experienced specialists like Vatsal Mehta.
Gaining an expansive experience in program management
A highly experienced Technical Program Manager, Vatsal is known for his leadership in advanced robotic systems and product development. He has a proven track record of success in demanding and high-visibility positions at tech giants like Amazon and Meta, where he has led the deployment of multiple global programs and brought products from conception to market readiness.
In Amazon, Vatsal managed the Prime Day and Peak program in 2017 and 2018 to ensure the Amazon Robotics network could handle demand and fulfill orders to millions of customers. He also led the rollout of the Amazon Robotic Tech Vest, a one-of-a-kind safety product with high visibility and impact, which required regular status updates with Amazon S-team members.
He also cut the robotics product development cycle from 36 months to 14 months by employing a parallelized work process and a self-created requirement development and assessment matrix. The Program Management Office (PMO) and the Product Development Process have benefited from his efforts to define new standards and best practices.
Vatsal has several patents on warehouse automation solutions that have resulted in automation products for the Amazon fulfilment network. He has made significant contributions to this field, such as leading the automation of Amazon Grocery fulfillment, deploying a software-based solution to 42 Amazon warehouses by 2021 and scaling it to 25 Amazon warehouses in 2020.
Bringing a leading AR tool to market
Magic Leap is among the leading names in AR technology. After a year of reduction in force (RIF), the company dove into developing and launching its flagship product, Magic Leap 2 (ML 2), over the last two to three years. Today, ML 2 is one of the world’s most immersive devices in the industry, providing users with their choice of engines.
As lead program manager of the Early Access Program (EAP) for the ML 2 launch, seasoned technical program management leader Vatsal Mehta helped strategic enterprise partners access the device before its commercial launch. His duty was to ensure a smooth launch, enabling partners to develop custom software and use cases that would help market the device.
“My role included ensuring we had the hardware and software ready for partners, the appropriate business entity for international launch, and hitting our performance criteria, among others,” he explains.
Overcoming the challenges to the launch
Vatsal created the launch strategy and execution plan and managed the program’s progress. Having a very tight schedule was One of the obstacles he had to overcome before the big launch.
“The success of this program was crucial to the company, so I provided regular updates to the company’s C-Suite,” Vatsal expounds. His team also had to organize the program immediately to ensure task prioritization and on-time delivery.
In addition, Vatsal had to manage the product expectations across the company, including the expectations of the Chief Technical Officer and Chief Executive Officer. Vatsal had to deal with many stakeholders up and down the value chain and work with various internal departments, including hardware, software, legal, marketing, and sales.
As the program manager, Vatsal had to figure out how many partners they could support for early access, what software version they could share with customers, and what regions of the world they could help. “We had to manage all these different factors while working with logistics and business management teams,” he shares.
The successful launch of the ML 2 EAP enabled the company to roll out the product commercially, making it one of the most sought-after AR products in the market. Its success shows that, while rolling out advanced technological tools can be daunting, having a program management expert can facilitate a smooth market entry.
