UX Portfolio Improvement

Don't structure your UX case study like this: - Problem - User Research - Affinity Map - Persona - Site map - Sketches - Wireframes - Prototype - Usability test - Visual design Why? 1. It looks like a cookie cutter portfolio 2. It looks like a checklist 3. It doesn't help the hiring manager understand you, your critical thinking, or your process 4. It doesn't tell a realistic story 5. It's not unique to you What to do instead? Use the classic 6-part storytelling arc: - Background/context - Conflict - Rising Action - Climax - Falling action - Resolution Tell your story like it really happened. Act like you're telling your friends about what you did. This means you should include your personality. Act like each headline is the only thing the hiring manager will read. This means you use each headline as a hook to grab their attention and educate them on what you did. Finally, before you immediately dive in to design everything, start by writing this story out in Google Docs. Only after you've nailed the story and the headlines, THEN start designing it.

🤔 Design portfolio pro-tip: Level up your user flow communication through showing your decision tree. While showcasing basic user flows is a good start, hiring managers often go beyond that. In a sea of portfolios, distinguish yourself by demonstrating: 1. Deep user understanding: Embed user insights and pain points within your flow charts. 2. Creative problem-solving: Highlight how your user flows tackle specific challenges and optimize the user journey. 3. Impactful storytelling: Weave a narrative through your flows, showcasing how they influenced design decisions and drove positive outcomes. Remember, hiring managers want to see evidence of your design thinking and strategic impact, not just technical proficiency at creating a user flow chart. Instead, show your thought process: 1. What are the different types of flows you considered? 2. How did you make a decision on the end result? 3. What research, log data, audits or user feedback did you consider to make your final decision? For example, in this diagram below, my decision process could look something like this: DECISION Reason 1: Reduced onboarding steps by 3 screens Reason 2: Reduced onboarding abandonment by 30% Reason 3: Allow users to skip part of the onboarding flow and return later, increasing signups by x% Let me know if you have any questions! #design #portfolio #portfolioshowcase #uxcommunity #uxdesign #uxdesigner

Recently I’ve been receiving a number of DM’s asking about generalized tips for portfolios. And although I’ve been sending off links to everyone, I realized that it may be time to resurface some of the common “mistakes” I’ve noticed on Junior portfolios. 1️⃣ Not making your title obvious Hiring Managers have very little time to decide if they should move you forward in the interview process. That is why you don’t want to waste any time, even a few seconds. So having your title be understood within the first 2-3 seconds really plays a big difference. Think about ways to help it stand out so that your reader can know your area of specialty without doing any work or digging. 2️⃣ Creating a checklist, not a story It is important to note that there are two stories at play. One is the play by play of what you did. The other is your case study. Although this one should provide insights into what you did, it should be a more simplified and stripped back version of the story. This allows you to think through which deliverables are the most important, ultimately creating a better overall experience for your reader. For help with this one, check out my link in the comments. 3️⃣ Not thinking about the overall flow I’ve seen so many case studies where I end up at the bottom with no navigation showing so my only option to see more work is to scroll back up to the top and figure out my next step from there. In reality, I know that only takes about a second or two, but if we remember that our reader only spends 60 seconds max, losing 1-2 on scrolling is a lot. One way to fix this “mistake” is to add a button at the bottom of the case study that takes you directly to the next project. This way, you are creating a flow for your reader so they don’t have to think, while engaging with a number of different projects. 4️⃣ Not showing your personality I understand that using a template is an easier route, but by doing this it makes it harder for your case study to standout. The reason being is that it tends to look like all the others. Think about ways in which you can bring in pieces of who you are. This can be done through graphics, illustrations, or even fonts and colors. I have seen some that have gone as extreme as making their site look like a video game but it also doesn’t need to be that intense. Do what feels right for you. These are just four of the most common “mistakes” I have noticed. There are several other ones since everyone is going to have an opinion. These insights are from years and hundreds of portfolio reviews (Maybe even in the thousands now!) These 4 tips are a great starting point to try and elevate your portfolio. But if you want more personalized feedback, take a look at the link in the comments to understand how I can help you more.

Your CV & Portfolio Should Tell Your Story – Not Someone Else’s 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 In a world where interviews are getting tougher, standing out isn’t just an option anymore friends—it’s a necessity. Yet, I see so many candidates submit a Canva-template resume, even a JPEG image of a resume and a Dribbble-inspired look alike portfolio of someone else, the same Freepik graphics and the same hashtag #UIkits as your own project, hoping to impress. Truth be told and this is could be your turning point.1st copy-pasting someone else’s style won’t showcase your unique value. N E V E R! Your CV and portfolio should be a true reflection of YOU—your skills, your impact, the problems you solved (even as a member of the team) and the journey that made you successful. Hiring managers don’t just look for designers; they look for original thinkers and problem solvers. After my job post for positions at Apple and Google , I received 100s of DMs with the same questions and after going through a ton of CV's here's my 5 keys to standing out in your resume submissions and making interviews. -𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 and explain the ‘why’ behind your designs. What problem did you solve? What impact did it have? - Align your CV & portfolio to the role such that your tailor your materials to highlight skills relevant to the job. 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐭. - Be authentic & original as generic designs and processes don’t get impress, 𝟗𝟓% 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐕𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭. - Designers MUST demonstrate business impact as companies now hire designers who drive results, for the no thought UI outcomes there's many tools. 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝. - 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐲 and hence your portfolio should back up your words, your passion, clarity, and storytelling and that's the main thing that will make you unforgettable. Reenforcing for your good- 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞—so don’t let your CV and portfolio be one. Be bold. Be original. Be YOU. #Designjobs #Strategy #InterviewTips #UX #CareerGrowth

Tiny details in your portfolio—and what they tell me At UX studio, I’ve hired many designers and reviewed thousands of portfolios over the years. Today, even the smallest details can tell me a lot about who you are as a designer and how you approach your work. Let me show you what I mean: 🚩 You send a portfolio with too many, irrelevant projects—This tells me that you either didn’t do your research on our company, or worse, you don’t know how to prioritize. I’m not looking for quantity; I’m looking for quality and relevance. 👍 You have a domain—When you send over a portfolio with yourname.com, it tells me you take your work and personal brand seriously. It’s a small detail, but it speaks volumes about your professionalism. 🚩 You send a PDF portfolio—My first impression is that you’re not aware of the trends, or you don’t know how to create a website in 2024. (If that’s the case, get started with UXfolio, you’ll see how easy it actually is.) 👍 You mention other people in your team—It says that you’re a team player. In our field, collaboration is key, and working well with others is non-negotiable. 🚩 Your case study process is too polished—If all your projects follow the same textbook-perfect structure, it tells me that you might not have real-world experience. Real projects are messy, collaborative, and complex. 👍 You show iterations—Showing the evolution of your designs, including initial sketches, wireframes, and prototypes tells me that you took many factors into consideration before ending up with a nice, flashy UI. 🚩 Your writing is ambiguous—Unfinished sentences, typos, and grammar mistakes all tell me that you don’t pay attention to details. Communication is a huge part of what we do, and if it’s hard to understand your work, it’s going to be hard to work with you. 👍 Your portfolio has a unique perspective—It tells me you have creativity and passion and you will not end up with generic, uninspired designs. While the red flags in a portfolio make me cautious, I always give candidates a chance to prove my first impression wrong. However, it’s helpful to know what the tiny parts of your portfolio say about you and your work. Anything to add to this list? Let me know in the comments!

Want to build a UX portfolio that actually gets you interviews? It starts with a strong case study. I created this simple outline for one of my mentorship clients, but it was too good not to share. If you’re a UX or product designer on the job hunt, this can help you tell your story clearly, show your impact, and stand out from the crowd. Here’s the case study formula I recommend (plus a few tips to make yours even stronger): 🔹 Background/Context: What was the project about? What was your role? Timeline? 👉 Tip: Keep this to 3–4 sentences. Add a visual of the final product. 🔹 The Problem: What problem were you solving, and why did it matter? 👉 Tip: 1–2 clear sentences. Bonus points for "before" screenshots or user quotes. 🔹 Discovery: How did you get up to speed? 👉 Tip: Share your research highlights and key findings. Show evidence of collaboration with your team and stakeholders. 🔹 Design & Iteration: How did you approach the design? 👉 Tip: Include early sketches, whiteboard sessions, and messy Figma explorations — it shows your thought process. 🔹 Testing (+ more iteration): Who did you share your designs with, and what did you learn? 👉 Tip: Summarize the feedback you got and how you incorporated it. 🔹 Impact/Outcomes: What happened because of your work? 👉 Tip: Even if the product didn’t ship, focus on what you learned, how you moved it forward, and what impact you had. A few key reminders: MAKE IT SCANNABLE. Use visuals, headings, and type hierarchy to guide people through. Tell a story. Move through your project step by step so it’s easy to follow. Be selective. You don’t need to show everything you did — just enough to show the problem, your thinking, and the outcome. Hope this helps someone out there polishing their portfolio! If you want the full template (including extra tips), feel free to DM me — happy to share. 🚀 [EDIT:] I'm so glad y'all are loving this! if we're not connected, please include a note in your connection request so I can send the full template your way. Cheers! #uxdesign #productdesign #portfolio #uxcareer

Imagine waking up and knowing your portfolio stands out. These 7 steps will get you there. 1. Make your focus obvious: Are you a single-player designer or a multiplayer designer? Do you mostly do indie work or have experience at a AAA game studio? Make it clear at a glance. 2. Only include your best work: Each project should add something unique. That doesn’t mean every work has to be ready for release. Prototypes, mods, and game design documents can be great if they show what studios look for. 3. Highlight the most valuable parts: Proud of your multiplayer gameplay? Include a quick YouTube montage of players gaming with you discussing your work. Always include subtitles for hiring managers in busy offices. 4. Show and talk about your design process: Design is about intentional decisions and analysis. Share challenges and how you overcame them. Explain why you made particular decisions. Reflect on what went well and what didn’t. This analysis can make even a rough project valuable. 5. Keep iterating your portfolio: Update your portfolio as you improve. Iterate and replace older work. Don’t let an older less skilled version of you cause a studio to reject you. 6. Keep it easy to digest: Recruiters and hiring managers have limited time. Make your information simple and concise without losing important nuances. Videos are huge for adding context. 7. Showcase your pivots: It’s okay to cut back big plans for a smaller finished project. Studios do this constantly. Show that you can make tough adjustments. It’s fine to mention disagreements or directions that didn’t pan out, as long as it gives insight into your design approach and ability to iterate. Never throw anyone under the bus. Your portfolio is your first impression — make it count. Keep improving, and opportunities will follow 🚀 🔔 Follow for weekly jobs, resources, and game design insights. ♻️ Repost if your network may find them useful. 

93% of Junior UX portfolios I see don't do this. 😔 👇 ↳ Reflect Real-World Problem Solving: → Many portfolios show beautiful interfaces but fail to show the designer's process of solving problems that matter. 💡 Pro tip: If you're new to UX, don't use bootcamp or school projects only. Get freelance or hackathon work as case studies. ↳ Have Personal Branding: → Many UXers don't give enough background on themselves. Companies hire you, not your 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐨. ↳ Showcase Collaboration and Feedback: → It's rare to see a designer's ability to: ✅ Work on a team ✅ Articulate their working process ✅ Show their design changes based on feedback ↳ Show the Research Process: → The best case studies tend to: ✅ Showcase qualitative and quantitative data to back their designs ✅ Incorporate their insights into their solutions ↳ Show Empathy and Understanding: → I've noticed many junior designers have zero context to their users and the business in their case studies. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯: → Don't demonstrate their problem-solving process → Don't tell me why they did what they did and why it matters → Don't explain why their solutions help users and the business 🥇 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻: ☑ Craft a compelling story for your case studies that don't bore your reader to death ☠️. ☑ Show the results: what went wrong, what went right and what did you learn? ☑ Show how you've worked with others and leveraged feedback in your designs. ☑ Show your research process, how you gathered and interpreted data, and why it informed your design decisions. ☑ Articulate what problems you tackled and why. Show your thought process and how your design solves these issues effectively. ☑ Please for heaven's sake, get a real portfolio website. In this competitive market Dribbble sites, Behance sites, PDFs, and Figma files are not enough. ✨ Portfolios are hard to maintain and even harder to grow, but if you care about your UX career they are worth it. --- PS: What's stopping you from finishing your portfolio? Follow me, John Balboa. I swear I'm friendly and I won't detach your components.

UX Portfolio pro tip: Hiring managers don't care about *your* previous work. They only care what your previous work says about your ability to do the work they need their new hire to do. Everything in your portfolio needs to tell them how you'll do their work. Your portfolio needs to say, loud and clear: -- I have done this work before. -- I would love to do it again. -- I would love to do this work for you. -- I'll do a great job. Anything else in your portfolio is noise. Hiring managers don't want a puzzle. Don't make them try to piece together that you're right for the job. Your portfolio must shout how you're a great fit from the very first words on the page. "Your UX portfolio isn't a museum. It's a sales brochure." — Mitchell Clements The hiring manager tells you what they are looking for in their job ad. Your UX portfolio needs to be a direct and precise response to that ad. You get one chance. Don't waste it.

Recently I reviewed 100+ design portfolios. Here is what surprises me the most. 👇 Designer’s tend to hide their impact, results, and achievements. But why? 🤔 If you have measurable outcomes and results, be proud of them! Highlight them. Promote them. Make them easy to find. Don’t bury them in a large paragraph at the end of a 10 minute case study. These metrics are often what sets you apart from a crowd of applicants. The reality is every applicant is claiming to be “passionate” and to have the same skills (research, design, collaboration, etc…) But not every candidate can claim the specific impact and results that YOU have achieved. This is often what sets you apart. Here are some easy ways to promote them: → Put your biggest achievement in the title or subtitle of a case study. → Highlight your results in a quick summary at the top of the case study. → At the end of your case study, use visual hierarchy to highlight and promote your impact instead of burying it in a thick paragraph of text. In addition: → Add your accomplishments in your resume bullet points. → Add your accomplishments on your Linkedin profile. If you don't have measurable results, that's okay too. But if you do, be proud of them! Thoughts? 👀 #ux #userexperience #design #portfolio #resume