But many designers abuse the format. His favorite medium is photography and he is a lover of UX because it means constantly helping people. In particular, their traffic and clicks skyrocketed they experienced an 885% increase in search traffic and a 473% increase in clicks. This section is where youll provide high-fidelity mockups of your product. They also ensure that the end-to-end journey with their products or services meets desired outcomes. Refresh the page, check Medium 's site status, or find something interesting to read. 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. Get free online user experience lessons at uxtraining.net. Showcasing your process is the most important part of a UX design case study. Behance offers a free online portfolio platform for creative work, including UI, UX, and graphic design. Hiring managers want to be able to see the process, including times where you made design decisions and why. The client feedback part is especially powerful, as it uses quotes instead of a summary. This is a good way to encourage visitors to get in touch. -Join a Code for America brigade to help design new tools for local communities. Our job at UXfolio includes talking to world-renowned design leaders to find out what theyre looking for in portfolios. If you can tell an effective story while integrating human-computer interaction principles throughout, youll come across as a great UX designer that any company would like to hire. These examples come from portfolios of prominent designers, so don't be intimidated by the quality of work and presentation. The Notch case study could be used as a template by any designer whos not scared of copywriting. We find Melysias take on this aesthetic particularly stunning because she balances the serious tone of the black background with the colorful thumbnail backgrounds. His passion project, Cultivate, lays out a clear problem to solve: theres a stigma around talking about mental health, particularly within the Black community. Your homepage should include a compelling headline introducing who you are and what you do. UX Portfolio Case Study template (plus examples from successful hires) | by Calvin | UX Planet Write Sign up Sign In 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. Sagars home page features large thumbnails with illustrations of similar style. Its not rocket science, but there are certain guidelines to follow to make your portfolio a success. A project from his experience as a documentary filmmaker bolsters his UX portfolio and speaks to his capability to perform as a professional. Its not surprising, since shes an experienced UX/UI designer. 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). This can be a good tactic if you have NDA-protected work that you want to showcase without exposing it to the whole world. To achieve a polished vibe, Roy kept all his personal and professional information to his About Me page. A UX case study tells the story of how you create a great website or app and, in particular, what you do to improve the UX of the site. But as you take classes, participate in hackathons, and work through passion projects, your collection of materials will start to grow.. Includes examples of real portfolios and advice for new researchers. Portfolio example: Clayton Hopkins - #DullesJustice, Clayton Hopkins includes a few pro bono case studies in his portfolio in the form of Medium articles. The case study ends with the learnings. In the Mimic case study Josh decided to showcase the final designs by focusing on challenges and user needs. Here are the most common user research methods: As you explain the process for your methodology, answer these key questions: A comparative and competitive analysis is a good way to describe the results and what you learned, as shown below: Or, you can include your key takeaways in bullet points, as shown in this example: Next, walk the reader through your design phase. The title reveals the purpose of the app/project. 4. For example, sometimes a contextual inquiry is appropriate while other times it is not. He uses case study level password protection on two. Design leads or recruiters will not read through 10 case studies, so its better to curate your best work only, like Nuwanthi does. 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. Objective: The objective of this project was to design a responsive newsletter website for my college society that would provide an informative platform for students . 14 UX designer portfolio examples Let's check out these 14 UX portfolios to help you create your own design in a way that captures the spirit of your work, as well as a sense of who you are. -Lend your graphic design skills to a worthy cause with donate:code. During a hackathon, a group of designers and programmers get together to collaborate on a project. You could borrow this technique and present iterations based on user research to tell the story of a project. It's the single most vital component of any design career move you will ever make. She keeps it sleek with the white background of her portfolio front page, using one of UXfolios streamlined templates. In her UX/UI case studies, Jaclyn gives honest and straightforward accounts mixed with well-crafted visuals to tell her design stories. A service that uses plant care as a method to empower users to cultivate (and talk about) their own mental health., User journey map from the Cultivate case study. Her portfolio contains both case studies and lots of samples of her work. Long case studies work only if the project calls for it. Created the design for a mobile app, need someone to work on pdf case study so I can use it in my portfolio, I will design screens/images and maybe some videos. Ability to discuss and explain your design decisions and back them up by applying customer insights and business metrics. Instead of simply showboating on her stunning UIs, Danielle provides background and details, proving that she is designing with purpose. UX case studies are one of the essential parts of a UX designer's portfolio. 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. After the event, Yang even added an illustration showing how the app would bridge the gap between user experience and business value based on feedback from hackathon judges.. Another way to add real client work to your UX portfolio is to complete one or two small projects pro bono. This is exactly what a great portfolio home page should achieve: it should make your readers want to learn more. With a pretty impressive portfolio, Arshad Wala uses a case study on the UX of the Xbox to demonstrate his problem-solving and design skills. The Pain Points and User Motivation section gives a detailed description while remaining easy to follow thanks to the content structure. This is a common theme in the best UX portfolio examples. During an interview with the e-commerce platform Wish, Tammy Taabassum completed a four-day design challenge where she was asked to improve the app in some way. Recruiters and readers don't have hours to review your portfolio, so feature only 3-5 of your absolute best projects. If youre wondering what a senior UX designer portfolio should look like, check out Nuwanthis! Youd probably point out details and show what exactly changed so try applying this mindset to your written case studies as well. Realistically, a product will continue to grow in an iterative process; explaining the direction the product is heading or talking about features that are coming up in future iterations is a great way to showcase this. Her project choices share this quality as they showcase nothing but digital products. (including typography, color palettes, logos, and visuals).. Itll make your job easier and itll help your audience too, as theyll know what to expect from your next one. Setting the thumbnail titles to appear on hover only adds to the weightless feel of the home page. This is your opportunity to articulate which user research methodologies fit into your design process. Include 3 to 4 Relevant UX Case Studies Your UX design portfolio should contain 3-4 relevant UX case studies to sufficiently demonstrate your abilities. Let's go into more detail. UX portfolios are made of UX case studies. Nicolas UX design portfolio is a love letter to minimalism. Therefore its understandable that UX leads and recruiters want to see your approach and process. The result? You need to understand your user (or reader) and their needs, then develop the right solution for them. The 6 must-have components of a good UX researcher portfolio, according to a user experience career coach. Designing a few UX case studies for your portfolio is a powerful way to help you stand out among the crowd. In the Spotify case study Audrey presents usability improvements by showcasing the final UIs and indicating what changed and why. Using UXfolios thumbnail styles, Quentin made sure that the case study titles appear on hover only. Avoid signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for unpaid work. Daley Wilhelm Jun 10, 2022 Writing effective agency case studies It's harder than it looks, and why film posters are a good start. Roys Boulderr App case study has a good balance of visuals and texts. This way we open each project with some background knowledge. This type of project is great for: Establishing familiarity with the design process, Shu Jiang, a product designer at Google, includes an excellent example of an unsolicited redesign of the app Houzz in her portfolio. While the introduction of the Riley Hospital case study is quite short it does have all the details necessary to understand what comes next: Sometimes its hard to summarize a long project but it really pays off to shorten and minimize the text you write. Youve seen some of the best portfolios and youve probably realized that they share many similarities. Build a concise, clean, portfolio. Play an active role in our thriving, inspiring, and fun UX Design practice and culture. This structure is basically the case study equivalent of presenting user research findings to a client. What is a UX case study? 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. User flows and customer journey maps. He presents interaction coupled with details on what caused problems for users and how this problem was solved. The course teaches you how to create a solid UX portfolio in record time. UX/UI case studies can include the following: 1. Luckily, its possible to craft a stellar portfolio that shows off your skills before youve ever had a paying client. Many designers believe that the more youve worked in the industry the more case studies you need in your portfolio. Make clear that this was a design challenge so recruiters are aware of the limitations, such as time constraints. Of course, the number of iterations you present is not set in stone. She digs into the insights and challenges uncovered during her user research, points back to other apps where she found inspiration and ideas, redefines the Wish apps information architecture, and validates her design with usability testing. Your key elements here might include: As you continue building your story, answer the same questions that you did for the research section: If possible, include a deliverable for each methodology. 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. This way your visitors can still check the public parts of your work. They may also need help with development and implementation (and the resources that go with it). Portfolio example: Tammy Taabassum - Wish Design Challenge. The case study walks through the projects user research, product design iterations, validation through user testing, and user journey map before wrapping up with key takeaways and lessons learned.. In a goal to improve accessibility of Xbox content outside of desktop use, he lay outs the issues that need to be solved and clearly highlights the objectives of his case study. If you've never written a UX case study, don't worry. Her teams challenge was to design an app to help college students better connect with their classmates. Include as many visuals in your case studies as possible: wireframes, personas, user flows, sketches, and even doodles if you please! Such behind-the-scenes details can set you apart from the hundreds of other designers who are only showcasing their final, polished works. Recruiters and readers dont have hours to review your portfolio, so feature only 3-5 of your absolute best projects. For one, your story should be at the heart of your case study. 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 Reading a clear introduction is just what recruiters need when they sift through dozens of portfolios. And dont forget, sometimes the journey is more important than the goal itself! Refresh the page, check. It is a much better option than forcing clashing colors and elements next to each other. Both analytical data and learnings would be impactful closures for a case study, but combining the two is even better! What isnt in the design, and why? Where teams create the worlds best experiences at scale, powered by the leader in creative tools. Also, pay mind to your introduction. Join Khrys to learn more! Sidneys My Fave Places case study contains a fantastic Lessons Learned that wraps up everything in the best possible way. Showcase your process, not just the finished product. Nuwanthi prefers her case studies on the shorter side. Reflecting on a project shows that you didnt just move on to the next one after delivering the design. Sketches, wireframes, and prototypes. A particularly interesting example is the website design he did for a group of lawyers offering free legal aid to travelers at Dulles Airport in response to the Muslim travel ban in 2017., Homepage concepts for #DullesJustice project. But, since they are under his own domain name on a dedicated website made with UXfolio, they have a more portfolio-ish aura to them. If you dont want to add too many case studies to your portfolio (or you just dont have enough projects yet) using larger thumbnails is a great way to fill the space in your portfolio. Like other proficient designers, Sagar showcases 3 case studies, the perfect number according to recruiters. Having your own hosted website can often be worth the extra expense. Next, call attention to the research you and your team completed. Focus on process over finished product. Remember: Outcomes are evident for you, but not for others, since they didnt work on the project with you. Linhs Data Privacy Browser Extension case study is well-structured and engaging. These seven types of UX case studies make excellent portfolio material for UX designers looking to get their start in the industry. Just because youve never completed UX design work for a paying client doesnt mean you have to apply for your first job with an empty portfolio. When we hover over Natalies project thumbnails, you can read project subtitles like. Feel free to link externally to any documents that may be too lengthy for your portfolio site. Refresh the page, check Medium 's site status, or find something interesting to read. A typical mistake I see in UX portfolios is lack of content explaining their contribution to the effort, the images are only the final product and not the process to get there. Aesthetically pleasing branding strategies help them effectively reach more customers. Sarah put together a beautiful UX portfolio that emphasizes case studies above all else. Whats more, Sarah included lots of visuals such as information architecture maps, sketches, low-fidelity prototypes, brand application guidelines, and even slides from her final presentation. In her Bubs case study, we get a walkthrough of all the projects stages. Shubnhams Tax Planner case study is the perfect mix of visuals and text. This gives the whole portfolio an airy and light feel. She even validates her design decisions by testing her clickable prototype with users. First consider the overall structure of your UX portfolio, which should demonstrate your skills and value as a designer. 3. To give recruiters vital insights, designers tell compelling stories in text and images to show how they handled problems. Follow his example! This way you can be sure that you won't be judged based on mediocre work. Jeremy also highlights his visual design strengths with a full brand guide that highlights the meaning behind his design choices. This is a more holistic approach instead of the usual process-explanation take. This allows recruiters to instantly recognize what she has experience in. 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. And its worth hovering for these titles and subtitles! Then design it. Follow this UX case study template and youll be well on your way to your dream job. We had to pleasure of talking to some of the most innovative and influential UX designers in the industry, such as. These portfolios have sleek, pared-down interfaces that link out to the designer's body of work. He grew up in Texas, matured in Colorado, and spent his late 20s living in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. Writing a case study is the way a UX researcher demonstrates their value. Portfolios for UX Researchers: Top 10 Recommendations Summary: A portfolio of past projects can advance the career of a UX researcher. Whats more, Jaclyn wrote an engaging and memorable About page, which is a hard thing to do. In 2021 weve been seeing more and more dark UX portfolio examples. If youve worked on different projects, you can write case studies for the ones that call for it, while categorizing the rest of your work into collections. Such thumbnails alongside a concise and intriguing introduction make for a winning combination. The idea is to have a functioning piece of software by the end of the competitive event, usually constrained to 24 to 72 hours.. While its crucial that your case study is information-packed and an enjoyable read, but it also should be nice to look at. If you also find yourself writing about versions or solutions, feel free to show some sketches and scribbles. Think about a problem in your own life you wish had a solution, or an app youd love to have on your phone. 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. Such narratives showcase designers' skills and ways of thinking and maximize their appeal as potential hires. main. With 9 years of experience under her belt, Nuwanthi knows a thing or two about curating her work. We created it specifically for UX professionals, so its packed with powerful features thatll help you through the portfolio-building process. Charlees portfolio is embracing variety while still keeping it focused. Work through the entire process, including user research (your friends and family can be your first test subjects). The case study includes. The thumbnail generator takes your case studies hero section and your images (with or without device mockups) and offers you various thumbnail options. Most of her info is reserved for the About page, allowing her work to take center stage. In this talk, we : 1. Attending a hackathon gives you the opportunity to design a real app while collaborating with a real team of other designers, developers, and engineers. A UX design portfolio will highlight your unique professional experiences, skills, and design process, and showcase UX/UI case studies and examples. Your portfolio website is itself a demonstration of your skills. User research is useless if it doesnt influence your design decisions. Rather than focusing on laying out their design thinking in long, formulaic case studies, they instead focus on simplicity. He does a great job at using the blue accent color throughout the case study. What makes for a great UX portfolio? If you received feedback during your challenge, include it in your case study. Quentin begins with a short overview of the project, then makes a fantastic transition onto the design process by stating the problem. She includes affinity maps, a user persona, task flow chart, and low-fidelity, high-fidelity, animated, and clickable prototypes. Its also an option to present more information about the projects right on your own portfolio home page. Sarah arranged the case study into 5 main sections: Under each section, we get further details, arranged into smaller sections. Maintain your tone of voice. Thats because theres a portfolio formula that works. Be sure to mention what you would have done differently if you did.. Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), HTML, UI/UX design, React, JavaScript, Web Development Tools, User Interface, Front-End Web Development, HTML and CSS, Responsive Web Design, Test-Driven Development, Object-Oriented Programming (OOP), Linux, Web Development, Bash (Unix Shell), Github, Version Control, Debugging, React (Web Framework), Web Application, Application development, Unit Testing, Web Design, User Experience (UX), Accessibility, Pseudocode, Algorithms, Communication, Data Structure, Computer Science. Pixpa is an all-in-one portfolio building tool, offering modern, pixel-perfect templates, an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, customisable gallery layouts to showcase your work, and affordable pricing plans. Its the starting point and the first impression. This is also your time to showcase any unique hobbies or things that make you, well, you. If you aim to be a generalist, choose projects where you worked on all elements of the design process. Read about prioritizing personas, mapping user journeys and practical techniques to achieve an engaging user experience. We are looking for a dynamic UI/UX designer who will be responsible [] The second main page is your About Me. Yesha Shah 144 Followers 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. 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. Audreys bio and introduction are extremely straightforward. Theres a reason why UX designer portfolios are structured the way they are. Visuals make long UX case studies easier to understand and less of a chore to read. So, achieving visual consistency with your project thumbnails can be hard. UX Case Study template A UX case study is a detailed but summarized presentation of a design project, its goals and objectives, the research methods used, the process to find a solution and the results achieved. Be sure to take photos of your work when completing a whiteboard challenge during an interview.. I don't mind if you have a template of case study and you will change in it He included three UX case studies and 3 collections for the rest of his work. Roys is a playful and stunning UX portfolio with popping colors. Use emotive language to show empathy. In these cases, consider volunteering as a team or doing pro bono work as part of a nonprofit hackathon. Thats where you can utilize Shubhams technique: create a thumbnail template that can be used for any project with only a few tweaks. Then, he conveys everything he and his team did in detail and with relevant visuals. To show this effectively, youll need to retell the start-to-finish narrative behind the process.