# Geoff D.

> Creative Technologist | 0→1 Product Development & Experience Prototyping | Building Interactive Systems to Evaluate and De-risk New Product Directions

Location: San Francisco, California, United States
Profile: https://flows.cv/geoffd

I specialize in 0→1 product development — building interactive prototypes and functional systems that help teams explore, evaluate, and make decisions about new product directions.
 
My work sits at the intersection of product design, engineering, and emerging technology. I translate early-stage ideas into real, testable experiences across software, hardware, and physical environments — enabling teams to move beyond static concepts and into hands-on understanding.

I’m particularly interested in how these systems help people develop intuition for complex capabilities — especially AI — creating experiences where understanding emerges through interaction rather than instruction.
 
Over the past 15+ years, I’ve worked across product design, embedded systems, software development, and UX, leading cross-disciplinary efforts to bring new ideas to life. My work often lives in the earliest phases of innovation, where ambiguity is high and clarity is created through making.
 
I’ve built everything from interactive digital experiences and application prototypes to fully functional physical systems — often for executive and leadership reviews where decisions are made based on direct interaction, not presentation.
 
I enjoy working in spaces where design thinking and technical execution converge — helping teams quickly understand what’s possible, uncover insights earlier, and accelerate the path from idea to product.
 
I’m also the co-founder of Watch Duty, where we built technology that provides communities with real-time wildfire intelligence and situational awareness.

My work is often used to inform product strategy and executive decision-making — enabling teams to evaluate ideas through direct interaction rather than speculation.

## Work Experience
### Co-Founder @ Watch Duty
Jan 2021 – Present

### Creative Technologist (Interactive Systems & Environments) @ Independent / Studio
Jan 2025 – Present | San Francisco Bay Area
• Building a live prototyping environment for interactive systems using physical space as the interface

• Designing sensor-driven systems (time-of-flight, responsive lighting, real-time feedback) that transform physical space into an interactive interface

• Defining and validating new interaction models across spatial, AI-driven, and multi-sensory environments

• Integrating AI to enable adaptive, expressive, and collaborative experiences that deepen human connection

• Developing experience-driven spaces that function as both immersive environments and living portfolios

• Laying the foundation for a broader portfolio of curated, experience-focused spaces

### Senior Design Technologist @ Amazon
Jan 2017 – Jan 2025 | San Francisco, CA
I work on 0→1 product development, building interactive prototypes and functional systems that help teams explore, evaluate, and make decisions about new product directions.

My work sits at the intersection of product design, engineering, and emerging technology — translating early-stage concepts into real, testable experiences across digital, physical, and hybrid systems.

KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
• Led early-stage product exploration initiatives by designing and building high-fidelity prototypes used to evaluate new product concepts, inform strategy, and de-risk decisions prior to engineering investment
• Developed interactive systems and functional prototypes across hardware and software, enabling teams to move beyond static design artifacts into hands-on evaluation and rapid iteration
• Partnered closely with Industrial Design, UX, and Engineering to align concept direction, technical feasibility, and user experience across ambiguous and evolving problem spaces
• Built high-fidelity prototypes for executive and SVP-level reviews, enabling leadership to directly evaluate product opportunities and inform strategic decisions
• Created end-to-end prototype experiences spanning UX flows, applications, and connected physical systems, helping teams uncover insights earlier in the product development lifecycle

AREAS OF WORK
• 0→1 product exploration & concept development
• Experience prototyping (digital, physical, and hybrid systems)
• Interactive systems & functional prototype development
• Cross-disciplinary product development (Design + Engineering)
• Emerging technology exploration

### Senior Software Engineer | Research & Development @ Amazon Lab126
Jan 2014 – Jan 2017 | Sunnyvale, CA
Worked on early-stage product development and R&D initiatives, contributing to the design and implementation of connected device experiences across mobile applications and backend systems.

My work focused on building scalable software systems and prototyping new product concepts, helping bridge the gap between engineering, product, and user experience in the development of new hardware-enabled products.

KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
• Played a key role in developing the Amazon Cloud Cam Android companion app, contributing to the launch of a new connected home product and supporting cross-platform (iOS) development efforts
• Designed and built internal tools and prototyping systems that enabled faster iteration and evaluation of new product concepts
• Architected a load-testing and validation platform for backend services, ensuring scalability and performance under production-level demand
• Prototyped new hardware and software product experiences, translating early concepts into functional systems to evaluate feasibility and inform product direction
• Collaborated across engineering, product, and design teams to support development of end-to-end connected product experiences

AREAS OF WORK
• Mobile application development (Android / iOS collaboration)
• Backend systems and service architecture
• Product prototyping and concept validation
• Connected device and IoT systems
• Cross-functional product development

### Product Lead | Senior Design Technologist @ Stealth HD (d.b.a. CENTR Camera)
Jan 2011 – Jan 2014 | San Francisco, CA
Led product development and engineering efforts for a pioneering 360° video platform, developing both hardware prototypes and real-time video processing systems that enabled immersive capture and playback experiences.

This work focused on building novel end-to-end systems — from camera hardware to software pipelines — enabling real-time panoramic video stitching and interactive media experiences before the category was widely established.

KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
• Led development of a real-time 360° video platform, combining multiple video streams into seamless panoramic output using OpenGL and OpenCL
• Directed development of camera hardware prototypes and supporting software systems, enabling end-to-end capture, processing, and playback of immersive video
• Built and led a cross-functional product and engineering team, driving development from concept through execution
• Launched the CENTR Camera via Kickstarter ($600K+ raised in 30 days), validating strong market demand for immersive video technology
• Delivered systems used across defense, automotive, media, and sports, with deployments ranging from ground-level capture to near-space environments
• Selected for Stanford BASES Forge; won 1st Place at the Stanford Product Showcase and featured at the 2013 Stanford Cool Product Expo, validating early product innovation and market interest

AREAS OF WORK
• 0→1 product exploration and concept development
• Real-time video processing and media systems
• Hardware + software system integration
• Interactive media and immersive experiences
• Cross-disciplinary product leadership

### Hardware Test Engineer @ Apple Inc.
Jan 2009 – Jan 2011 | Cupertino, CA
Contributed to the validation and reliability of consumer hardware products (iPhone, iPad, iPod) by developing and executing test systems across multiple subsystems, including camera and acoustic performance.

Worked closely with cross-functional engineering teams to identify issues, improve system robustness, and ensure products met Apple’s standards for quality, reliability, and scalability.

KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
• Developed and executed hardware test systems for camera and acoustic subsystems, validating performance, reliability, and functionality across early production builds
• Collaborated with hardware, firmware, and manufacturing teams to identify and resolve issues impacting system performance and product quality
• Designed tools and processes to improve testing efficiency and enable more consistent system validation
• Supported product readiness by ensuring hardware met quality standards prior to large-scale manufacturing

AREAS OF WORK
• Hardware validation and test systems
• Camera and acoustic system testing
• System reliability and performance evaluation
• Manufacturing test and product readiness
• Cross-functional engineering collaboration

### Software Engineer @ Louisiana State University
Jan 2002 – Jan 2008 | Baton Rouge, LA
• Developed database-driven web applications used by internal stakeholders
• Supported technical infrastructure and systems used across campus environments


## Education
### Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
Louisiana State University


## Contact & Social
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/geoffdonaldson

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Source: https://flows.cv/geoffd
JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/geoffd/resume.json
Last updated: 2026-04-05