Designing a design portfolio

Practical hacks to help your portfolio shine ⭐

Transcript

1. MANNU AMRIT | SR DESIGNER, ATLASSIAN | @MANNUAMRIT Designing a design portfolio from the lens of a recruiter
2. DISCLAIMERS Designed for students, relevant for all Applicable for all streams of design
3. Let’s keep this interactive.
4. Agenda Approach mindset Practical hacks Future proofing QnA 10 mins 20 mins 5 mins 25 mins
5. Agenda Approach mindset Practical hacks Future proofing QnA
6. Designing a portfolio is tough. Creating a robust portfolio to win over recruiters and hiring managers is itself a full-time job. https://medium.com/designing-atlassian/portfolio-reviews-in-the-time-of-quarantine-c8fa7a933bdf
7. A design portfolio is a known solution to a not so known problem space. 🌶
8. Proof of work Showcase your craft, how you think Personal brand Self expression, perceived identity, YOUR story Known solution..
9. Proof of work Showcase your craft, how you think Personal brand Self expression, perceived identity, YOUR story Known solution..
10. Proof of work Showcase your craft, how you think Personal brand Self expression, perceived identity, YOUR story Known solution..
11. What are their pain points? Time scarcity, Scale What do they really need? Signals - Eagerness to learn, Passion, Storytelling, Problem Solving, Craft Who are my users? Recruiter (HR) vs hiring manager (Designer, Researcher) vs yourself Not so known problem space..
12. What are their pain points? Time scarcity, Scale What do they really need? Signals - Eagerness to learn, Passion, Storytelling, Problem Solving, Craft Who are my users? Recruiter (HR) vs hiring manager (Designer, Researcher) vs yourself Not so known problem space..
13. What are their pain points? Time scarcity, Scale What do they really need? Signals - Eagerness to learn, Passion, Storytelling, Problem Solving, Craft Who are my users? Recruiter (HR) vs hiring manager (Designer, Researcher) vs yourself Not so known problem space..
14. What are their pain points? Time scarcity, Scale What do they really need? Signals - Eagerness to learn, Passion, Storytelling, Problem Solving, Craft Who are my users? Recruiter (HR) vs hiring manager (Designer, Researcher) vs yourself Not so known problem space..
15. What’s preventing you from getting that gig is that the hiring managers can’t see your vector of growth. It's about how you learn, not how you work today. JARED SPOOL, @JMSPOOL
16. Mistakes are a turn on Do you own your mistakes & failures on the way? What did you learn from trying to correct them? How good are you at learning? Vector of growth Can you show the distance you've come and the direction your education / experience has taken you? Navigating unknowns Talking about how you've learned & grown in your design journey is the most important part of your story CREDITS: JARED SPOOL, @JMSPOOL
17. DESIGNING A PORTFOLIO IS A DESIGN PROJECT. APPROACH MINDSET
18. Agenda Approach mindset Practical hacks Future proofing QnA
19. Be intentional about the journey you want your audience to take HACK 1
20. 🌟 Information hierarchy Highlight key points + provide additional details for those who are curious 🔢 Sequence of projects First two projects are likely to be decision makers Intentional journey ⏱ Time to consume For a 1st time user, what all info is likely to be consumed in 7-10 mins?
21. 🌟 Information hierarchy Highlight key points + provide additional details for those who are curious 🔢 Sequence of projects First two projects are likely to be decision makers Intentional journey ⏱ Time to consume For a 1st time user, what all info is likely to be consumed in 7-10 mins?
22. 🌟 Information hierarchy Highlight key points + provide additional details for those who are curious 🔢 Sequence of projects First two projects are likely to be decision makers Intentional journey ⏱ Time to consume For a 1st time user, what all info is likely to be consumed in 7-10 mins?
23. Design methods are great only if you understand why you’re using them HACK 2
24. 🙅 Don’t enforce the process Design process is messy and complex, and rarely linear. Be cautious about what your project needs. 🔗 Highlight the connections Did the persona really help you? Does the solution solve the original issue? Why is this solution the strongest one? Why of design methods
25. 🙅 Don’t enforce the process Design process is messy and complex, and rarely linear. Be cautious about what your project needs. 🔗 Highlight the connections Did the persona really help you? Does the solution solve the original issue? Why is this solution the strongest one? Why of design methods
26. Group projects are hard for recruiters to assess an individual on. Unless.. HACK 3
27. 🔦 Highlight your contribution Specify your role, your contribution 📅 Plan your portfolio Internships? Thesis? Exploratory projects? Group projects with different roles & responsibilities? Smart group projects 👁 Same project, different story Tell the story of your project from your perspective
28. 🔦 Highlight your contribution Specify your role, your contribution 📅 Plan your portfolio Internships? Thesis? Exploratory projects? Group with clear roles and responsibilities? Smart group projects 👁 Same project, different story Tell the story of your project from your perspective
29. 🔦 Highlight your contribution Specify your role, your contribution 📅 Plan your portfolio Internships? Thesis? Exploratory projects? Group with clear roles and responsibilities? Smart group projects 👁 Same project, different story Tell the story of your project from your perspective
30. User research is not the same as talking to your users HACK 4
31. 🧠 Insight creation Journey of a user statement to an actionable insight ❓Process, Hypothesis Number of users, unknowns, questions asked Empathy via user research 🤔 Choice of domain Avoid biases, build empathy
32. 🧠 Insight creation Journey of a user statement to an actionable insight ❓Process, Hypothesis Number of users, unknowns, questions asked 🤔 Choice of domain Avoid biases, build empathy Empathy via user research
33. 🧠 Insight creation Journey of a user statement to an actionable insight ❓Process, Hypothesis Number of users, unknowns, questions asked 🤔 Choice of domain Avoid biases, build empathy Empathy via user research
34. Design documentation + storytelling = portfolio* HACK 5
35. 🔍 Zoom in on decisions Be candid about why’s, learnings, hypothesis, tradeoffs, if you had more time, if this was shipped.. 🖼 Problem framing, Iterations Set the stage, relatability, journey from one iteration to another Unblock storytelling 🎨 Visual vs verbose Don’t shy from creating additional assets if they help narrate the story better
36. 🔍 Zoom in on decisions Be candid about why’s, learnings, hypothesis, tradeoffs, if you had more time, if this was shipped.. 🖼 Problem framing, Iterations Set the stage, relatability, journey from one iteration to another Unblock storytelling 🎨 Visual vs verbose Don’t shy from creating additional assets if they help narrate the story better
37. 🔍 Zoom in on decisions Be candid about why’s, learnings, hypothesis, tradeoffs, if you had more time, if this was shipped.. 🖼 Problem framing, Iterations Set the stage, relatability, journey from one iteration to another Unblock storytelling 🎨 Visual vs verbose Don’t shy from creating additional assets if they help narrate the story better
38. Be intentional about the journey you want your audience to take User research is not the same as talking to your users Design methods are great only if you understand why you’re using them Difference between design documentation & portfolio = storytelling* Group projects are hard for recruiters to assess an individual on. Unless.. 🌟 🔗 👁 🧠 🎨
39. Medium of presentation Sharing a link vs presenting in person - differences Some other talking points.. Hosting platform Behance / Notion vs Personal website Liberty of academic proj. Constraints are in your control - where are the crazy ideas? Fail fast, grow faster
40. Can you show me some examples?
41. https://bit.ly/3tqgVP0 Credits: Brian, Github (@brian_lovin) https://bit.ly/3atvoBf Credits: Ivy, Bumble (@JellyIvy) https://bestfolios.com
42. Thin line between inspiration & plagiarism Be aware of your biases
44. Avoid going overboard with personal branding. Unless you’re applying for a brand position, a strong personal brand / visual identity can overshadow your actual case studies. Stay true to yourself, own your strengths and share your shining moments 🌟 🌶2
45. Agenda Approach mindset Practical hacks Future proofing QnA
46. Designing a portfolio is tough. Creating a robust portfolio to win over recruiters and hiring managers is itself a full-time job / project.
47. It’s totally okay to feel overwhelmed.
48. Embrace it Portfolio is a lifelong design project and is here to stay Familiarise problem space Needs, pain points - sound familiar? Leverage your privilege Get feedback. Iterate. Get feedback again. Professors. Peers. Seniors. Alumni. Coffee hours. Youtube. Medium. Twitter. Discord. Clubhouse. Bumble. Future proofing your portfolio
49. Embrace it Portfolio is a lifelong design project and is here to stay Familiarise problem space Needs, pain points - sound familiar? Leverage your privilege Get feedback. Iterate. Get feedback again. Professors. Peers. Seniors. Alumni. Coffee hours. Youtube. Medium. Twitter. Discord. Clubhouse. Bumble. Future proofing your portfolio
50. Embrace it Portfolio is a lifelong design project and is here to stay Familiarise problem space Needs, pain points - sound familiar? Leverage your privilege Get feedback. Iterate. Get feedback again. Professors. Peers. Seniors. Alumni. Coffee hours. Youtube. Medium. Twitter. Discord. Clubhouse. Bumble. Future proofing your portfolio
51. Design documentation + storytelling = portfolio* FUTURE PROOFING
52. There is not a lot of difference between design documentation & portfolio 🌟 FUTURE PROOFING
53. A design portfolio is a known solution to a familiar problem space. A design portfolio is a known solution to a not so known problem space. 🌶 🍫
54. BE SPONGEBOB. DON’T BE AN IMPOSTOR.
55. Be intentional about the journey you want your audience to take User research is not the same as talking to your users Design methods are great only if you understand why you’re using them Difference between design documentation & portfolio = storytelling* Group projects are hard for recruiters to assess an individual on. Unless.. Don’t go overboard with personal branding 🌟 🔗 👁 🧠 🎨 ✌ @mannuamrit