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”!
2. WHO AM I?
3. WHO ARE YOU? • Transitioning to a UX career • Looking for a new job • Adding credibility to your career
4. WHY THIS WORKSHOP?
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.
6. YOU ARE WHAT YOU PRESENT.
7. DEVELOPER OR UXer?
8. DESIGNER OR UXer?
9. UXer OR WIREFRAMER?
10. WHAT’S DIFFERENT? UX portfolios show process.
11. UX PROCESS
12. THIS WORKSHOP: 1. Recognize what goes into a UX portfolio
13. THIS WORKSHOP: 2. Start the base for yours
14. THIS WORKSHOP: 3. Meet some UXers like yourself
15. THIS WORKSHOP: 4. Break the creator’s block!
16. STEP 1: WHAT IS YOUR GOAL? What kind of work do you want to do? (UX/interaction designer, user researcher, full time, contract)
17. WHAT IS YOUR GOAL? Where do you want to work? (Enterprise company, in-house, agency, government, non-profit)
18. WHAT IS YOUR GOAL? Anything else? (Build credibility, speaker, blogger)
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!
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?
21. MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS! • Your name • What’s your background • Share your goal
22. THE GOLDEN RULE The ONE thing you need to take from this workshop.
23. THE GOLDEN RULE: LET IT GO. “I will not get attached to my work.”
24. THE GOLDEN RULE: LET IT GO. This is a process. Iterate.
25. THE GOLDEN RULE: LET IT GO. “I will not get attached to my work.”
26. STEP 2: INVENTORY What are you going to put in it?
27. INVENTORY Projects from start to finish
28. START TO FINISH
29. INVENTORY Work that involved UX process
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
32. INVENTORY What UX activities have you done on those projects?
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
35. ACTIVITY: INVENTORY • Do you have the contents? •Info Architecture - No •Wireframes - Yes •User testing - Yes
36. INVENTORY Did you list your BEST work?
37. INVENTORY If in doubt, leave it out.
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
39. INVENTORY What about the missing artifacts?
40. INVENTORY: MISSING ARTIFACTS Recreate them. (Do not lie - it’s bad & you’ll be figured out)
41. RECREATING ARTIFACTS
42. INVENTORY What if you don’t have any projects under your belt?
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.”
44. INVENTORY: MISSING PROJECT Make it up. (Not lying here either.)
45. INVENTORY: MISSING PROJECT There’s no shame in taking the time to practice your UX skills and demonstrating a great job.
46. HOW DO I “MAKE UP” PROJECTS? 1. Pick a problem to fix.
47. [reformatting Craigslist, Wikipedia]
48. HOW DO I “MAKE UP” PROJECTS? 2. Create a project - app, site, etc.
49. WHO CAN YOU REACH OUT TO FOR A PROJECT? Who could be your “client”?
50. WHOA, WAIT… What if you’re missing the skills?
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
52. PART 2: WORK ON A REAL PROJECT Practice those skills in a real environment. Sneak them into your current job.
53. INVENTORY: WHAT ARE YOUR GAPS? Think about what skills and work you’re missing.
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?
55. STEP 3: ARCHITECTURE How will you organize this work?
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
57. ARCHITECTURE By the project’s lifecycle Project A Project B Project C Project D Project E Project F Discovery Concepting Prototyping
58. ARCHITECTURE Decide what’s best for you and your content, but have a method.
59. STEP 4: DESIGN What do you include?
60. DESIGN Goal: Get you in for an interview.
61. DESIGN Show visuals of the process.
63. DESIGN What about stuff I can’t show?
64. SECRET STUFF Blur out identifying information.
66. SECRET STUFF Password protect your work.
67. SECRET STUFF Use your discretion!
68. DESIGN Tell a story. Go over pain points, challenges, and solutions!
69. Intro Architecture / storyboarding Prototype development Usability testing Iteration
70. DESIGN Less is more. You have 10 seconds to make an impression.
72. DESIGN Show the highlights of the project.
73. DESIGN Unique activities, challenges, or really cool stuff!
75. DESIGN How much is too much?
77. STEP 5: DEVELOP What tools do you use?
78. DEVELOP
79. DEVELOP What should you look for?
80. DEVELOP Know your capabilities, your timeframe.
81. DEVELOP Easy to maintain - you’re iterating.
82. DEVELOP Hire someone, barter, feed.
83. STEP 6: TEST Does this meet my goal?
84. TEST Does this portray me?
85. TEST Ask for feedback - who can you ask?
86. TEST Your friends, people at your table, a UX mentor
87. DON’T FORGET THE GOLDEN RULE: LET IT GO!
88. TEST Take the feedback.
89. TEST Iterate, retest.
90. PRO TIPS Go one step beyond - it’s worth it.
91. PRO TIP #1: Stylize your content - make it look good.
93. PRO TIP #2: Take pics of EVERYTHING.
95. PRO TIP #3: Get a URL
96. AVOID: Lengthy URLs: bluedalek.wix.com/portfolio student.umd.edu/~bluedalek michelletchinUXdesigner.com TRY: Shorter, memorable URLs: simplebits.com edmundyu.com michelletchin.net
97. PRO TIP #4: Find a UX mentor
98. PRO TIP #5: If it’s not working, learn why and iterate.
99. PRO TIP #6: Maintain your portfolio!
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!
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!
102. QUESTIONS?
103. ACTIVITY: NETWORK Exchange contact info with those in your group
104. THANKS! Don’t forget evaluate the workshop! Michelle T. Chin - @soysaucechin #UXDC2015 | #UXPortfolio
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/