Victor Algaze
Technical Innovator & Solution Engineer
I'm a technical innovator who combines engineering expertise with a talent for simplifying complexity. I've built a reputation for turning challenging problems into elegant solutions that delight users. As a recipient of Cisco's Young Pioneer Award, I bridge the gap between technical possibility and practical implementation, whether I'm designing conversation systems, developing IoT applications, or leading cross-company collaborations.
What sets me apart is my ability to understand stakeholder needs without being told explicitly - I translate ambiguous requirements into actionable gameplans. I'm passionate about creating technology that's not just powerful, but intuitive and enjoyable to use. My mision is to đź’«delight my users and make their lives easier
Bridge engineers and designers to create Webex bots that handle files, AI chats, forms, and more—develop fast, deploy securely, and scale on any infrastructure
Build, test, and ship Voiceflow extensions that turn complex choices into seamless interactions—seat maps, live forms, or data visuals—with team-friendly previews and code that just works
Streamline user interactions on WebEx collaboration devices—handle input boxes, live triggers, and custom widgets with clean, minimal code that cuts boilerplate. Built to help teams tired of complexity and reinventing the wheel
Led rapid development of Cisco Live's flagship IoT management prototype, delivering both a mobile and augmented reality interface from "soup to nuts" in just 7 weeks despite limited UX resources. The solution became the standout hit of the conference, with 87% of surveyed customers willing to pay for it and explicit "I want to buy this now" feedback from C-suite stakeholders. The implementation established a reference architecture for Cisco's efforts in this space with teams from all geographies requesting customized demonstrations for their specific client needs.
Facilitated a strategic collaboration with Disney's StudioLab and Imagineering teams to advance production platforms during streaming's inflection point. I built (oftentimes with a power-drill in hand) immersive floor-to-ceiling remote creative collaboration video spaces at Cisco HQ. I also worked with network engineering colleagues on studio-grade reliability tech protecting Marvel/Star Wars assets during remote VFX reviews while engineering solutions to Disney's legendary security protocols, ensuring raw footage remained secure and legacy workflows stayed intact amid explosive content demand.
Spearheaded LLM security and GenAI adoption at Cisco, educating thousands on AI risks and opportunities while developing prompt engineering (and also injection) training and talks accessible to both technical and non-technical staff. I also led the GenAI Engineering Forum, bringing together experts from Cisco Research and across the company to trade notes and best practices during a time of massive technolgy transition. Additionally, I served as the go-to consultant for multiple business units, guiding projects while establishing critical governance and responsibile use guardrails to protect sensitive data.
In this featured interview with my conversation design colleague Melody Kim, I evaluate the California DMV Virtual Assistant, highlighting key UX challenges and proposing AI-driven solutions. Watch as we dissect real-world conversational design issues and demonstrate practical improvements that could transform public service interactions.
This hands-on evaluation showcases my approach to analyzing complex technical systems, identifying friction points, and developing user-centered solutions that bridge the gap between advanced AI capabilities and practical user needs.
Watch on YouTube