What Makes a UX Portfolio Stand Out?

1. Clear organisation: A well-organised portfolio makes it easy for employers or clients to find the information they need. Include clear sections, such as project descriptions, case studies, and skills.
2. Quality case studies: Case studies showcase your process and problem-solving skills. Include a brief overview of the project, the challenges you faced, and how you solved them. Use visuals, such as sketches, wireframes, and user flows, to illustrate your design process.
3. Showcase a range of skills: Demonstrate your ability to work on various aspects of UX design, such as user research, information architecture, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing. Showcasing a diverse skill set makes you a more versatile and valuable candidate.
4. Visual aesthetics: Pay attention to the visual design of your portfolio. Use clean and modern layouts, complemented by high-quality images and appropriate typography. Showcasing a visually appealing portfolio demonstrates an attention to detail and design sensibility.
5. User-centered approach: Emphasise your ability to understand and meet user needs. Explain how you conducted user research, incorporated feedback, and iterated on your designs. Employers value designers who prioritise the user's experience.
6. Collaboration and communication skills: Showcase projects where you worked effectively in cross-functional teams, collaborated with developers or stakeholders, and communicated your design decisions clearly. UX design is a collaborative process, so highlighting your ability to work well with others is crucial.
7. Continuous learning: Demonstrate your passion for learning and staying current in the field. Include any relevant certifications, courses, or workshops you have completed. Showcase personal projects or explore emerging technologies to show your dedication to ongoing improvement.

My initial goals when going into the creation of my portfolio are:

1. Letting the work speak for itself - not clouding the content with over the top graphics or interactions.
2. Keep it concise - showing the recruiter exactly what I have done in a clear and direct way in order to immediately convey my skills
3. 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.

<aside> ⭐ REFLECTION: I am looking forward to creating my portfolio as it’ll be nice to gather in all of my work from the past year of designing. I am a bit daunted by the thought of writing a case study as I think it’ll be hard to summarise such a large volume of work into a more concise essay format. I would like to focus on my banking brand and my smart watch UI for my case studies as I feel that they are two of my strongest projects.

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