Making a Portfolio that Stands Out
That is without doubt the goal in creating my portfolio. It has to stand out amongst competition.
My initial goals when going into the creation of my portfolio are:
- Letting the work speak for itself - not clouding the content with over the top graphics or interactions.
- Keep it concise - showing the recruiter exactly what I have done in a clear and direct way in order to immediately convey my skills
- Having a robust website - one that I will have no concerns that there will be any issues with it when an employer comes to view the website.
UX magazine published an interesting article detailing how to make a portfolio website stand out.
How to Make Your Portfolio Stand Out
They say to carefully choose which work to include in your portfolio. Don't just include everything. Select pieces that best showcase your talent and energy. Industry professionals want to see a variety of projects that demonstrate your ability and experience. Create a portfolio that is tailored to the specific opportunity you are seeking. Focus on the work that aligns with the desired style and skills. It's okay to showcase personal projects as well. Each piece in your portfolio should have a story behind it, including the client's goal and your approach. Show the process you went through and consider including working drawings. Display your work in its intended context, such as on a phone for a mobile app design. It is also important to introduce yourself and express your passion and interest in the opportunity.
What should a portfolio include?
A UX design portfolio website should include the following components:
- Introduction: A brief introduction about yourself, your background, and your expertise in UX design.
- Projects: Showcase your projects in a visually appealing manner. Provide a description of each project, highlighting the problem, your approach, and the final solution. Include any research, wireframes, prototypes, user testing, and final designs that you have worked on.
- Case studies: Provide detailed case studies for selected projects. Explain your design process, methodologies used, and the impact of your design on the user experience. Include any challenges faced and how you resolved them.
- Visual Design: Showcase your skills in visual design. Include examples of your typography, colour palette, iconography, and any other visual elements you have used in your designs.
- User Research: Highlight your expertise in conducting user research. Show examples of how you gathered insights, conducted interviews or observations, and utilized that data to inform your design decisions.
- Interaction Design: Showcase your skills in creating interactive experiences. Include examples of your interaction design, animations, microinteractions, and any other interactive elements you have designed.
- Usability Testing: Demonstrate your ability to conduct usability testing. Include examples of how you conducted tests, collected feedback, and applied the insights gained to iterate on your design.