About me

INTRO I am a Technical Product Owner bridging the gap between Client Vision and Engineering Execution. With a unique dual background in advanced engineering and finance, I specialize in translating complex, ambiguous requirements into clear, actionable goals for cross-functional teams. My management style is pragmatic and results-driven: I focus on finding cost-effective, scalable solutions that deliver maximum business value while strictly adhering to quality and platform standards.

CORE COMPETENCIES My expertise relies on several pillars that enable me to manage the full lifecycle of complex digital products and omnichannel ecosystems:

OMNICHANNEL DIGITAL PRODUCTS & CLOUD ARCHITECTURE

Background: 10+ years directing external IT vendor teams in delivering full-stack web platforms, high-load backends, and companion mobile apps (iOS/Android).
Value: I possess a native understanding of modern software architecture. I know exactly how frontend interfaces must integrate with robust backend logic and API microservices. I am well-versed in evaluating the trade-offs of different technical architectures (e.g., Monolithic vs. Microservices) to ensure long-term product scalability.
Impact: This allows me to confidently bridge the gap between creative UI/UX design requirements and complex server-side engineering, ensuring stable execution for SaaS platforms, CRM dashboards, and e-commerce ecosystems under heavy user loads.

HARDWARE-SOFTWARE INTEGRATION (The Engineering Foundation)

Background: M.Sc. in Optical & Laser Engineering.
Value: I speak the exact same language as technical architects and hardware R&D teams. I have a native understanding of physical constraints, sensors, and spatial computing logic.
Impact: This allows me to validate technical feasibility early, challenge estimates effectively, and prevent architectural conflicts between software and physical infrastructure before they reach production.

EXPERIENTIAL TECH & BRAND ACTIVATIONS

Background: 8+ years directing technical production for arena-scale events (up to 5,000 attendees) and interactive brand zones.
Value: I bridge physical event staging with custom software (computer vision, optical tracking, projection mapping) and systems integration to create high-impact, immersive brand experiences.
Impact: From touchless, gesture-driven presentations for B2B FinTech conferences to multi-user computer vision gaming installations, I transform passive audiences into active participants, delivering "zero-downtime" interactive installations and complex multimedia shows for global brands.

COMPLEX DIGITAL PRODUCTS & XR

Background: 6+ years managing AAA-quality real-time 3D products and immersive enterprise solutions.
Value: I treat technology as a strategic tool to solve core business problems. I focus heavily on UI/UX, user engagement, and psychological fidelity.
Impact: Whether designing a B2B SaaS dashboard or a high-fidelity VR simulator, I ensure the user journey is intuitive. I specialize in designing solutions for high-stakes environments (e.g., aviation, healthcare, industrial hazard zones), ensuring stable execution under high loads.

PRODUCT LIFECYCLE & HYBRID OPERATIONS

Adaptive Methodologies (Agile vs. Waterfall): I do not force a single framework. I implement Scrum for rapid, iterative software development, Kanban for continuous live-ops maintenance, and structured Waterfall (or PRINCE2 principles) for hardware procurement, compliance, and fixed-budget phases. I know exactly when to deploy Agile flexibility and when rigid Waterfall milestones are required.
Iterative Delivery & UAT: Deep experience managing Live Service products and digital platforms. I organize regular User Acceptance Testing (UAT) cycles, collecting qualitative feedback from end-users to identify and eliminate friction points.
Backlog Triage: I specialize in filtering and prioritizing massive streams of stakeholder feedback against core business goals. I translate "nice-to-have" requests into strict engineering tasks, ensuring the Core Loop remains stable while introducing new features.
Continuous Improvement: Managed the integration of hotfixes and content updates into active CI/CD development cycles without disrupting the production pipeline. I treat digital products as living organisms that require constant monitoring based on real-world usage data.

COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY & P&L

Background: Specialist Degree in Finance & Economics alongside 10+ years of operational management.
Value: I evaluate product features not just for technical feasibility, but for commercial viability and ROI. I act as a strong financial steward for the product ecosystem.
Bridging Sales & Engineering: I act as a technical partner for business development teams. I know exactly what to promise and what to avoid, preventing "over-promising" to ensure the engineering team can deliver on time and within budget.
Winning Proposals & Budgeting: I excel at translating complex client needs into clear technical roadmaps, writing agile user stories, and calculating precise, risk-adjusted budget estimates (RFP/RFQ/SOW) under tight deadlines.

PLATFORMS & ECOSYSTEMS

Web (SaaS & Cloud): Admin panels, CRM dashboards, and robust B2B platforms.
Mobile: Companion apps, AR tools, and cross-platform frontends (iOS/Android).
Spatial & Experiential: High-fidelity VR simulations, real-time 3D environments (Unreal Engine), and interactive sensor/multimedia show integrations.

EDUCATION

M.Sc. in Optical & Laser Engineering (National Technical University of Ukraine 'KPI') Focus: Design of optical systems, physics of optoelectronics, automation of complex calculations.
Specialist Degree in Finance & Economics (International University of Finance) Focus: Macro/Microeconomics, automation of financial systems, budget analysis.

LANGUAGES

English: Professional Working Proficiency
Dutch: A1 (A2 in progress)
Ukrainian / Russian: Native

CONTACTS If you'd like to discuss a project or request a full CV, please get in touch.

Email: vr.r.and.d@gmail.com
LinkedIn: Mykhailo Velychko