Slate Strategies is developing an e-commerce business focused on dog health. It will feature the best dog supplements, beds, and other products to promote dog health and longevity. There will also be a resource section with articles from respected publications like the american kennel club, pub med, petmd, etc along with a podcast featuring various dog health specialists from around the world.

The goal of this project is to develop a design that's a little different from the other pet/dog sites that are out there today by utilizing a highly intuitive and easy to use site. The goal is to really simplify the customer journey and boost sales while also being highly useful resource that people come back to frequently for new news on new products, to search for ways to treat specific ailments in their pets, training tips, etc. I'm thinking users can land on a page that allows them to shop by breed or product type and go from there. If breed is selected it could be really great images of the dogs of that breed and click on that would lead to a filtered page of dog products based on known health conditions affecting that specific breed.

1. Project Plan- Identify project goals, milestones, and set a timeline for the project
2. Review requirements and existing designs- Familiarize themselves with the existing product to understand the requirements, design work, and feedback that already exists, and to identify gaps to be filled in the next stage.
3. Competitive research - analysis of direct or indirect competitors' design strengths and weaknesses, with actionable recommendations focused on how to differentiate from the generic e-commerce store. Example websites to explore are included below.
4. User research- work with Slate Strategies to identify potential users to conduct interviews, and/or inform persona development to better understand users needs
5. Design and/or redesign recommendations- use research findings to design the ideal purchase flow for the distinct user types. Workshop ideas and turn those into wireframes or mockups that show exactly how the solution could work. Iterate to bring to a higher level of fidelity (as time allows)
6. Finalize- Handoff all deliverables and findings in a package that allows for your work to be easily understood and incorporated into future projects.

Some example websites to explore:

https://www.chewy.com/

https://thebark.com/

https://www.akc.org/

https://iheartdogs.com/