Over the past 165 years Macy's has demonstrated a commitment to innovative thinking that ensures their continued relevancy in the ever-changing retail market. In the summer of 2015, Macy's sought out internal Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to particpate in a year-long effort leveraging 22 individual task forces operating under the umbrella theme of "Innovation 2020" to provide the company with multiple vectors of opportunity to pursue.

Creative was not initially considered in the identification of participanting SMEs, but a short-staffed User Experience (UX) department necessitated the need to look outside the UX ranks. Based on my adjacency to UX and background in the Health & Wellness sector, I was asked to join a team working in this focus area.

After a year of collaboration and multiple rounds of review, in Q1 of 2016, 8 of the original 22 teams were chosen by the C-suite to advance, each with a budget of $1m. Using a concept and mock-ups that I had presented to my partners under the heading of “Market by Macy’s,” the task force developed a plan for a store-within-a-store centered on the theme of “Strengthen, Nourish, Restore.”

Within the Innovation 2020 task force, I merged my deep understanding of Product Design with the knowledge I had gained working closely with my User Experience and Product Management partners. I provided valuable UX insight, including wireframes and taking the task force through a Journey Mapping exercise that led to important insights and team growth. Additionally, my creative skills were called upon to provide floor-plan and in-store mock-up executions, deliverables not usually requested of traditional Designers.

See more below to learn about my impact on this project and how it influenced experiences for years to come, or download the PDF below.

“We believe that customers want more locally-sourced food options, broader knowledge of health & wellness offerings, a greater sense of community, and better access to Macy’s inventory of products.

If we leverage our parking lots by making these spaces available to local farmer’s markets, food fairs, health & wellness festivals, and partnership product offerings,

it will incentivize our customers to attend these markets,

resulting in added sales at sponsored booths, increased foot traffic in the store, revenue from real estate on lower traffic days, and greater overall conversion.”

Excited by our store-within-a-store concept, stakeholders approved our plan, and the experience was implemented in Macy's Easton, OH, “Store of the Future” during Q2 of 2016. The "Market by Macy's" concept itself has demonstrated significant value and has subsequently influenced several strategic endeavors over the years to come.