Make sure your portfolio provides a good UX. You can do that by creating enticing case study thumbnails and featuring them on your home page. Think about a problem in your own life you wish had a solution, or an app youd love to have on your phone. This case study does an excellent job of laying out user research findings. Quentins was built on the less is more principle. It creates a sense of cohesion even when some of your visuals include colorful pictures. Heres the proof that you dont have to overthink your UI/UX portfolio to achieve something great. Sometimes its worth redesigning the visuals of your case studies because the finished product will look much more professional. Dont be afraid to use the same for your case studies. After all, the point of a case study is to reveal your process, through which your readers can better understand you. Below are some examples of case study deliverables during the design phase. This can be a good tactic if you have NDA-protected work that you want to showcase without exposing it to the whole world. Mina includes only three case studies in her UX design portfolio, which is within the ideal range. Its structure is fantastic. It definitely stands out from other portfolio layouts, while still utilizing the tried-and-true portfolio structure. Her custom thumbnails use the same mockup styles, yet they dont feel repetitive at all. The first thing we see when landing on Sagars portfolio home page is a photo of him at work and an introduction with two CTAs. Its also worth noting how she includes the orange accent color and typography in her portfolio and CV, even though theyre separate: one is a website the other a downloadable PDF document. Focus on process over finished product. Felipe, whos a senior product designer, created a simple yet engaging UX designer portfolio. But Denis shows us how its done: find one common thread a color, shape, etc. You can also create a GIF to showcase certain user flows like this: Or, feel free to take a simple approach with mockups like this: After you blow the reader away with your impressive final design, you can address the next steps in your design process. To give recruiters vital insights, designers tell compelling stories in text and images to show how they handled problems. Showcasing your process is the most important part of a UX design case study. She achieved this by using large, colorful case study thumbnails that capture your attention immediately. In the Pebble Health case study Alexander showcased a whole Visual Design Evolution, explaining how he applied an existing visual language to a new platform. Setting the thumbnail titles to appear on hover only adds to the weightless feel of the home page. This is exactly what a great portfolio home page should achieve: it should make your readers want to learn more. Such narratives showcase designers' skills and ways of thinking and maximize their appeal as potential hires. These seven types of UX case studies make excellent portfolio material for UX designers looking to get their start in the industry. The first step to creating UX case studies is to choose the right projects to feature in your portfolio. UX content designer Nikki St.-Cyr's portfolio features several full-length case studies that are well-organized and detailed. When we hover over Natalies project thumbnails, you can read project subtitles like. He grew up in Texas, matured in Colorado, and spent his late 20s living in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. Choose a project you care about. Leslie Griffiths portfolio breaks with the tradition of one-note UX portfolios. User research and personas. Having your own hosted website can often be worth the extra expense. Recruiters and UX professionals have to look through dozens of case studies each day. By Lexie Kane on March 10, 2019 Topics: UX Teams We had to pleasure of talking to some of the most innovative and influential UX designers in the industry, such as. Present your design process step-by-step, from the beginning to the end. In UXfolio you can set passwords on the portfolio level as well as the case study level: Denise has designed for various industries from real estate, e-commerce, advertising to healthcare. When your projects are so wide-ranging it can be hard to achieve visual consistency on your portfolio home page. He begins on a personal note in his description, pointing out that the Boulderr App was a passion project that he worked on with his friends. For her thumbnails, Marthe opted for the same mockups to create visual consistency. Looking for a way to volunteer your UX design skills? You can learn more about her professional background on the About page. Throughout his case studies, he used many of UXfolios built-in device mockups, so theres a feeling of coherence even between different case studies. The web design case study about the Chamos Language Academy illustrates that the case study format is ideal for almost any design-related project. What isnt in the design, and why? 7. These aim to demonstrate how you approach the UX process, and who you are as a designer. You can use the steps in your process to create a navigation section, such as the one offered in UXfolio, to tie all parts of your case study together. Thus, it is a great template for you if you dont feel like creating separate sections for the research insights or simply want to showcase final UIs as soon as possible. These features include text ideas and guiding questions for copywriting, prototype embedding, scrollable mockups, galleries, statistics section and many, many more. This is a common theme in the best UX portfolio examples. Matchy.. Visuals make long UX case studies easier to understand and less of a chore to read. She includes the tools and skills she used in each, to help future clients/employers see what she brings to the table. Clearly indicate that this is an unsolicited redesign and that you have no affiliation with the company. Justin Morales is a Senior UX designer currently working at Signify Health, a B2B Healthtech company, based in Los Angeles. Many interviews include a design challengean interactive test meant to show how you think. If youre wondering what a senior UX designer portfolio should look like, check out Nuwanthis! Sketches, wireframes, and prototypes. The difference between UX portfolios and UX case studies. Outline your role in the project and who else contributed. Charlees portfolio is embracing variety while still keeping it focused. He includes plenty of colorful visuals to showcase his process and reinforce his text, and he even includes a digital project report booklet where you can get an in-depth look at his research. For example, sometimes a contextual inquiry is appropriate while other times it is not. About the Author oz Oz first started UX Beginner was a way to document his own journey to become a UX designer. Let's go into more detail. She also elegantly solves the issue of how to present small projects that don't merit a full case . Depending on your amount of experience and personal preferences, you may also choose to include the following pages: Resume: Give it its own page on the site or link to it. Use emotive language to show empathy. Of course the final design is important too, but they want to see how youve arrived there. Linh created a striking dusty-pink portfolio that places her introduction into the center via a simple yet eye-catching animated illustration. If you've never written a UX case study, don't worry. Make sure to link this section from your introduction at the top of your case study in case your readers want to jump straight to it. And through case studies you can show it to them. Her case study thumbnails from cohesion and her choice of shades make the entire portfolio look very professional. Dorons case studies resemble the style of Behance. Jon Aizlewood May 19, 2022 Ability to discuss and explain your design decisions and back them up by applying customer insights and business metrics. To show this effectively, youll need to retell the start-to-finish narrative behind the process. Having roughly the same size for all of your projects will keep consistency in check. In most cases, your UX design portfolio should have three sections, a Home Page, an About page, and a collection of case studies (this page is often labeled Work). Another way to add real client work to your UX portfolio is to complete one or two small projects pro bono. In the Spotify case study Audrey presents usability improvements by showcasing the final UIs and indicating what changed and why. Play an active role in our thriving, inspiring, and fun UX Design practice and culture. Itll make the time and effort you put into it much more worthwhile. Sometimes, the first project to go into your portfolio will be a UX project you worked on as part of a design course, UX bootcamp, or degree program. He understands that its not the number of projects in a portfolio that makes an experienced designer, but their quality and scope. A good intro section underpins the rest of your case study. Setting the scene, as Gabriel does, is extremely important. Make clear that this was a design challenge so recruiters are aware of the limitations, such as time constraints. I'm a former teacher transitioning into a career in UX. Quentin begins with a short overview of the project, then makes a fantastic transition onto the design process by stating the problem. It is a much better option than forcing clashing colors and elements next to each other. Just imagine: what if the design lead or recruiter opens the case study that youve included only for the sake of having more case studies? Hyks is a very simple yet impressive portfolio home page, mostly because of his eye-catching thumbnails. Telling the story of your design does not necessarily mean that a case study should be a list of methods and steps ending with a final design. The takeaway here is that you need to put in the effort and time to stand out. Ricardo lays out this case study in a clean, minimalistic way. Featured Case Study: HydroWorx 131% increase in organic contact form submissions 236% increase in organic sessions Ongoing monthly SEO strategy Custom website redesign Comprehensive social media strategy Read Case Study +131% Lead Increase Case studies aren't just for UX portfolios or for consulting proposals: they provide a narrative to describe your work to friends and colleagues. a short but revealing sentence for subtitle. Before we dive into the anatomy of a case study, its important to understand the role of case studies in your online portfolio and where they fit in. Getting started with Pixpa is relatively simple. In this article, well dive into this further and highlight some UX case study examples, templates, and more. Using an unconventional color and building your portfolio around it is a great way to stand out from the crowd. Keep in mind that many nonprofits and small businesses may need more than just design. But many designers abuse the format. Our job at UXfolio includes talking to world-renowned design leaders to find out what theyre looking for in portfolios. I love listening to peoples stories, solving problems, and creating beautiful things that matter thats a simple yet beautiful intro sentence from the portfolio of Oslo-based UX/UI designer, Marthe. Then design it. She is brave in her choice of color and it results in a stunning portfolio. Heres an example of a good structure to follow: Remember, hiring managers comb through a lot of portfolios, so its important to keep yours focused. Copyright 2019-2023 Adobe. To begin, break your case study into these main sections: The bulk of your material will be in section two, when you talk about your process. Bjorns case study thumbnails dont follow an obvious color story, yet they work together perfectly. Whats more, she tied all her elements together, achieving visual coherence by using yellow as the accent color. Showing parts of the final UI on your thumbnails, like Danielle does, is a good way to arouse your visitors curiosity: theyll want to learn more about how youve arrived there. Sometimes one sentence, an image, and a clear navigational menu is enough., Your About page is the place to go into a bit more detail about who you are and how you got started in UX, especially if youve switched from another career., Early on in your UX journey, you may not have a ton of design work to include in your portfolio. Companies like Apple, Meta, Google, Amazon, and AirBnB are known to hire interns on their UX teams. One important feature is the "Back to Top" button on the right-hand side of the case study pages. This is where youll select and showcase projects youre proud of and explain your design process from start to finish. I have completed 1 full case study for my portfolio so far and I'm beginning the next. The thumbnail generator takes your case studies hero section and your images (with or without device mockups) and offers you various thumbnail options. We are looking for a dynamic UI/UX designer who will be responsible [] How did you end up in design? This is a good way to encourage visitors to get in touch. And dont forget, sometimes the journey is more important than the goal itself! UX Challenge This content has been made available for informational purposes only. This commit does not belong to any branch on this repository, and may belong to a fork outside of the repository. If youd like to protect only certain case studies, you can set a password for those projects only. Portfolio example: Clayton Hopkins - #DullesJustice, Clayton Hopkins includes a few pro bono case studies in his portfolio in the form of Medium articles. Audreys bio and introduction are extremely straightforward. Though putting one together might seem like a huge undertaking, once you get an idea of what makes a great portfolio itll come easier. So, UX case studies play a significant role in UX designer's life. Our speakers were keen on conveying how important these case studies are, as recruiters won't simply take notice of your design outputs. Sidney drops a relatable, personal paragraph about distraction then moves on to takeaways that shell be able to use in other projects too. 1. When presenting the outcome of your project, make sure to reflect back on the research findings you mentioned earlier. This is particularly important when giving background on the problem you set out to solve. 11.1K Followers. He included three UX case studies and 3 collections for the rest of his work. Most UX designers have worked on different projects that came with their own colors and styles. Premium Premium Package. Short videos present user task flows in a way that doesnt rely on big blocks of text. Reading a clear introduction is just what recruiters need when they sift through dozens of portfolios. Nobody wants to look at a cramped portfolio and as much as you want to squeeze everything into a thumbnail you need to make some cuts to keep it simple. The case study ends with the learnings. We find Melysias take on this aesthetic particularly stunning because she balances the serious tone of the black background with the colorful thumbnail backgrounds. UX case studies are a form of professional content that mixes text and visuals to present the design process of products or product features. Hiring managers want to be able to see the process, including times where you made design decisions and why. This is your opportunity to highlight your design-thinking skills and what went into each of your design decisions. Yang presents the challenge, team, project duration, her role, and the skills she used to get it done in a clear and easy-to-read format. The client feedback part is especially powerful, as it uses quotes instead of a summary. More or less, the case study . She even validates her design decisions by testing her clickable prototype with users. Sarah put together a beautiful UX portfolio that emphasizes case studies above all else. Next, call attention to the research you and your team completed. Your homepage should include a compelling headline introducing who you are and what you do. Well also take a look at how working UX designers present these types of case studies in their portfolios, and offer some takeaways and tips for making your portfolio shine. Her teams challenge was to design an app to help college students better connect with their classmates. Its up to you which one you chose! Meanwhile, the subtitle describes the scope of the project. They may also need help with development and implementation (and the resources that go with it). Two UI/UX case studies for your portfolio Up to 5 design screens. All case studies should include a section with learnings. Simply put, a case study is the story of a design project you've worked on. The 6 must-have components of a good UX researcher portfolio, according to a user experience career coach. Joshs portfolio is a great example of a project-focused portfolio. In particular, their traffic and clicks skyrocketed they experienced an 885% increase in search traffic and a 473% increase in clicks. Such behind-the-scenes details can set you apart from the hundreds of other designers who are only showcasing their final, polished works. Be respectful of the original designers, and try not to insult their work. While its crucial that your case study is information-packed and an enjoyable read, but it also should be nice to look at. HCI graduate student, Victoria, demonstrates that you can create a unique UX designer portfolio without ending up with an over-designed mess. They want you to explain your decisions and to tell why you decided to go with those specific solutions. Combined with descriptive titles he arouses our curiosity about the projects. Her portfolio contains both case studies and lots of samples of her work. You may not have a huge budget (or any budget at all) when working on a passion project. They make up UX portfolios, alongside optional pages such as 'About Me' or 'Contact'. Each case study starts with a title and a concise description of the UX project. But its also an opportunity to let your creativity shine., Portfolio example: Jeremy Stokes - Cultivate, Jeremy Stokes is a former Google UX intern and current product designer at Duolingo. Victorias take reassures us that app concepts are perfect material for UX case studies, as they show even more of your personality and perspective on design. Its better to have 3-4 great case studies than 5-6 mediocre. The Storytelling Approach in UX Case Studies An essential part of the portfolio of a UX designer is the case studies that pack a showcase of the designer's skills, way of thinking, insights in the form of compelling stories. Being honest, owning your mistakes, admitting what could have been done better and what you have learned during the project shows humility and your willingness to grow. Its not surprising, since shes an experienced UX/UI designer. . Roys Boulderr App case study has a good balance of visuals and texts. Since Denise has experience in UX as well as UI design, she included more projects in her portfolio than the average designer would. Discuss how to put together a portfolio . During a hackathon, a group of designers and programmers get together to collaborate on a project. UX is very much about strategy and if the person is not showing how they got from A to B, they appear to be another UI trying to move into a UX role. Refresh the page, check Medium 's site status, or find something interesting to read. Sagars home page features large thumbnails with illustrations of similar style. In this talk, we : 1. This way you can be sure that you won't be judged based on mediocre work. Portio Hugo is well organized, well-formatted, and named accordingly so it's easy to change any and all of the design. Portio Hugo is a simple, minimal and responsive Portfolio Hugo Theme. Some of her projects are full-fledged case studies, the others are collections of iconography, and logos, storyboards, etc. The course teaches you how to create a solid UX portfolio in record time. It showcases the entire process in a step-by-step fashion. Designing a few UX case studies for your portfolio is a powerful way to help you stand out among the crowd. Include a section outlining next steps if you were to continue the work. Usability testing results chart for a Wish design challenge. Include a positive testimonial from your manager, supervisor, or peers from your time at the company. Work through the entire process, including user research (your friends and family can be your first test subjects). On top of detailed descriptions, she included plenty of photos and artifacts, making it easier for her readers to process all this information. Her project choices share this quality as they showcase nothing but digital products. User research is useless if it doesnt influence your design decisions. Therefore, they should always be in the forefront. Rather than focusing on laying out their design thinking in long, formulaic case studies, they instead focus on simplicity. UX/UI Portfolio: Designing Amazing Case Studies Patricia Reiners, UX/UI Designer // Innovation // Watch this class and thousands more Get unlimited access to every class Taught by industry leaders & working professionals Topics include illustration, design, photography, and more Lessons in This Class 33 Lessons (2h 42m) 1. How are they different from UX portfolios? This allows recruiters to instantly recognize what she has experience in. But they're not the same thing. The intro is kept short, instead, he uses an About me to list the personal information a recruiter might be interested in. Sagars Strategic Design for Misas Spectracase study walks us through his process from the challenge to research, ending with reflections. This way she avoids an overload of information upon the first impression. Keep the same tone as in the rest of your design portfolio's copy, in order to form a clear personal brand and consistent browsing experience. All UX case studies should include relevant visuals as too much text can be intimidating for readers. The Beginner's Guide to Creating a UX Portfolio on Medium | by Mike Curtis | The You Design System | Medium 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. The Prescription tracker case study uses UXfolios sticky navigation section to help the readers comprehension of the projects stages: interviews, user journey, sketch, iterate, prototype, release. Her case study titles and subtitles are effective too. Yet, each contains a nice balance of text and visuals. The takeaway from Maxs portfolio home page is that keeping your portfolio clutter-free will always be a winning strategy. This gives the whole portfolio an airy and light feel. For Julia Feld, nothing brings a community together quite like a hot plate of fresh homemade pasta drizzled. Great case studies combine the following ingredients: While your home page and case studies are the most important elements of your portfolio, you should take it a step further. In Danielles portfolio, the spotlight is on the UIs. If you received feedback during your challenge, include it in your case study. Those numbers leave no room for doubt about the quality of WebFX's services. A UX designer portfolio is designed to showcase a UX designer's work. You need to understand your user (or reader) and their needs, then develop the right solution for them. While case study best practices are great pointers, ultimately it is the project at hand thatll determine your case studys structure and content. Many designers believe that the more youve worked in the industry the more case studies you need in your portfolio. luisv0301/ux-portfolio. Your portfolio website is itself a demonstration of your skills. Give examples of great case studies + how to write one. Method or hypothesis for solving the problem, Design iterations (sketches, wireframes, low and high-fidelity prototypes). Experts discuss new best practices for leading creative teams where collaboration happens remotely & in-office. She includes affinity maps, a user persona, task flow chart, and low-fidelity, high-fidelity, animated, and clickable prototypes.