The UX Portfolio Workshop: Roll Up Your Sleeves, We’re Getting Past “Portfolio Creator’s Block”

These are the slides from the sold out UX Portfolio workshop I facilitated at UXDC15 in Washington, DC on 10/9/15. The slides are mostly for visual purposes around the content that I talk about. If you're interested in having a portfolio workshop conducted for your organization or conference, feel free to contact me!

Transcript

1. UX PORTFOLIO WORKSHOP:
   by Michelle T. Chin | @soysaucechin
   #UXDC2015 | #UXPortfolio
   Roll up your sleeves, we’re getting past
   “Portfolio Creator’s Block”!
   

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2. WHO AM I?
   

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3. WHO ARE YOU?
   • Transitioning to a UX career
   • Looking for a new job
   • Adding credibility to your career
   

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4. WHY THIS WORKSHOP?
   

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5. WHY A PORTFOLIO?
   It’s your key to unlocking an opportunity.
   Hiring Managers use your portfolio
   as a way to gauge your skill set and abilities.
   

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6. YOU ARE
   WHAT YOU PRESENT.
   

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7. DEVELOPER OR UXer?
   

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8. DESIGNER OR UXer?
   

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9. UXer OR WIREFRAMER?
   

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10. WHAT’S DIFFERENT?
    UX portfolios show process.
    

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11. UX PROCESS
    

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12. THIS WORKSHOP:
    1. Recognize what goes into a UX portfolio
    

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13. THIS WORKSHOP:
    2. Start the base for yours
    

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14. THIS WORKSHOP:
    3. Meet some UXers like yourself
    

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15. THIS WORKSHOP:
    4. Break the creator’s block!
    

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16. STEP 1:
    WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?
    What kind of work do you want to do?
    (UX/interaction designer, user researcher, full time, contract)
    

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17. WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?
    Where do you want to work?
    (Enterprise company, in-house, agency, government, non-profit)
    

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18. WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?
    Anything else?
    (Build credibility, speaker, blogger)
    

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19. EXAMPLE GOALS
    I’m creating a UX portfolio because:
    • I’m a graphic designer that wants to become a
    UXer for a non-profit association.
    • I’m ready to advance my UX career.
    • I want to work for an in-house company on
    mobile products.
    The more concrete, the better!
    

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20. ACTIVITY: WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?
    Take a few minutes to determine your goal.
    • What kind of work do you want to do?
    • Where do you want to work?
    • Anything else?
    

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21. MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS!
    • Your name
    • What’s your background
    • Share your goal
    

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22. THE GOLDEN RULE
    The ONE thing you need to take from this workshop.
    

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23. THE GOLDEN RULE:
    LET IT GO.
    “I will not get attached to my work.”
    

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24. THE GOLDEN RULE:
    LET IT GO.
    This is a process. Iterate.
    

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25. THE GOLDEN RULE:
    LET IT GO.
    “I will not get attached to my work.”
    

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26. STEP 2:
    INVENTORY
    What are you going to put in it?
    

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27. INVENTORY
    Projects from start to finish
    

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28. START TO FINISH
    

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29. INVENTORY
    Work that involved UX process
    

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31. ACTIVITY: INVENTORY
    • Write down projects you’ve done relevant to
    your goal - strive for five!
    • Projects from start to finish
    • Projects that involved UX process
    ABC Website Acme iPhone
    App
    Shutter
    Photography
    Site
    

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32. INVENTORY
    What UX activities have you done on those projects?
    

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34. ACTIVITY: INVENTORY
    • On the back of each index card, list the UX
    activities you did for each project

    

    • Use the checklist as a guide
    • Complete the checklist - what have or haven’t
    you done yet?
    •Info Arch.
    •Wireframes
    •User testing
    

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35. ACTIVITY: INVENTORY
    • Do you have the contents?
    •Info Architecture - No
    •Wireframes - Yes
    •User testing - Yes
    

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36. INVENTORY
    Did you list your BEST work?
    

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37. INVENTORY
    If in doubt, leave it out.
    

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38. ACTIVITY: INVENTORY
    • Are these projects really your best work?
    • Are they really relevant to your goal?
    Uncle Bob’s
    Blog
    NASA.gov
    Biking App
    Cooklite
    Calorie
    Counter App
    

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39. INVENTORY
    What about the missing artifacts?
    

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40. INVENTORY:
    MISSING ARTIFACTS
    Recreate them.
    (Do not lie - it’s bad & you’ll be figured out)
    

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41. RECREATING ARTIFACTS
    

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42. INVENTORY
    What if you don’t have any projects under your belt?
    

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43. INVENTORY:
    MISSING PROJECT SCENARIO
    For my next job, I want to work on mobile apps…
    but all my UX experience is with websites.
    “I need to demonstrate mobile UX experience.”
    

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44. INVENTORY:
    MISSING PROJECT
    Make it up.
    (Not lying here either.)
    

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45. INVENTORY: MISSING PROJECT
    There’s no shame in taking the time to practice your UX
    skills and demonstrating a great job.
    

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46. HOW DO I “MAKE UP”
    PROJECTS?
    1. Pick a problem to fix.
    

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47. [reformatting Craigslist, Wikipedia]
    

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48. HOW DO I “MAKE UP”
    PROJECTS?
    2. Create a project - app, site, etc.
    

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49. WHO CAN YOU REACH OUT TO
    FOR A PROJECT?
    Who could be your “client”?
    

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50. WHOA, WAIT…
    What if you’re missing the skills?
    

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51. PART 1: LEARN THE SKILLS
    Give yourself a project
    that allows you to practice the skills.
    Image: http://bitmethod.com/blog/book-
    review-a-project-guide-to-ux-design
    A Project Guide to UX Design
    by Russ Unger and Carolyn Chandler
    

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52. PART 2: WORK ON A REAL
    PROJECT
    Practice those skills in a real environment.
    Sneak them into your current job.
    

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53. INVENTORY:
    WHAT ARE YOUR GAPS?
    Think about what skills and work you’re missing.
    

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54. ACTIVITY: WHAT ARE YOU GAPS?
    • On index cards: What are the projects
    missing in your portfolio?
    • On the checklist: What are the skills you
    need to learn or improve?
    • On the worksheet: What are some ideas for
    projects where I can practice these skills?
    

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55. STEP 3:
    ARCHITECTURE
    How will you organize this work?
    

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56. ARCHITECTURE
    By topic (e.g., mobile, user research, etc.)
    Project A
    Project B
    Project C
    Project D
    Project E
    Project F
    Mobile Website Software
    

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57. ARCHITECTURE
    By the project’s lifecycle
    Project A
    Project B
    Project C
    Project D
    Project E
    Project F
    Discovery Concepting Prototyping
    

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58. ARCHITECTURE
    Decide what’s best for you and your content,
    but have a method.
    

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59. STEP 4:
    DESIGN
    What do you include?
    

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60. DESIGN
    Goal: Get you in for an interview.
    

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61. DESIGN
    Show visuals of the process.
    

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63. DESIGN
    What about stuff I can’t show?
    

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64. SECRET STUFF
    Blur out identifying information.
    

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66. SECRET STUFF
    Password protect your work.
    

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67. SECRET STUFF
    Use your discretion!
    

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68. DESIGN
    Tell a story.
    Go over pain points, challenges, and solutions!
    

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69. Intro
    Architecture / storyboarding
    Prototype development
    Usability testing
    Iteration
    

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70. DESIGN
    Less is more.
    You have 10 seconds to make an impression.
    

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72. DESIGN
    Show the highlights of the project.
    

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73. DESIGN
    Unique activities, challenges, or really cool stuff!
    

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75. DESIGN
    How much is too much?
    

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77. STEP 5:
    DEVELOP
    What tools do you use?
    

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78. DEVELOP
    

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79. DEVELOP
    What should you look for?
    

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80. DEVELOP
    Know your capabilities, your timeframe.
    

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81. DEVELOP
    Easy to maintain - you’re iterating.
    

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82. DEVELOP
    Hire someone, barter, feed.
    

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83. STEP 6: TEST
    Does this meet my goal?
    

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84. TEST
    Does this portray me?
    

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85. TEST
    Ask for feedback - who can you ask?
    

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86. TEST
    Your friends, people at your table, a UX mentor
    

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87. DON’T FORGET
    THE GOLDEN RULE:
    LET IT GO!
    

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88. TEST
    Take the feedback.
    

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89. TEST
    Iterate, retest.
    

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90. PRO TIPS
    Go one step beyond - it’s worth it.
    

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91. PRO TIP #1:
    Stylize your content - make it look good.
    

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93. PRO TIP #2:
    Take pics of EVERYTHING.
    

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95. PRO TIP #3:
    Get a URL
    

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96. AVOID:
    Lengthy URLs:
    bluedalek.wix.com/portfolio
    student.umd.edu/~bluedalek
    michelletchinUXdesigner.com
    TRY:
    Shorter, memorable URLs:
    simplebits.com
    edmundyu.com
    michelletchin.net
    

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97. PRO TIP #4:
    Find a UX mentor
    

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98. PRO TIP #5:
    If it’s not working, learn why and iterate.
    

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99. PRO TIP #6:
    Maintain your portfolio!
    

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100. WHAT NOW?
     • Use the workshop materials as a guide moving
     forward
     • Gather materials for the projects you have
     • Work in small chunks
     • Iterate, iterate, iterate!
     

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101. DON’T FORGET
     • The Golden Rule: Let it go.
     • You are what you present.
     • Iterate; maintain.
     • Stay in touch with the folks you meet today.
     • Complete the eval, please!
     

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102. QUESTIONS?
     

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103. ACTIVITY: NETWORK
     Exchange contact info with those in your group
     

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104. THANKS!
     Don’t forget evaluate the workshop!
     Michelle T. Chin - @soysaucechin
     #UXDC2015 | #UXPortfolio
     

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105. REFERENCES
     • A Project Guide to UX Design: For user
     experience designers in the field or in the making
     (2nd Ed.) by Russ Unger and Carolyn Chandler

     • Examples of Portfolios:
     • Jess Hang: http://portfolio.jesshang.com/
     • Tyler Womak: http://portfolio.tylerwomack.com/
     • Simon Pan: http://simonpan.com/
     

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