5 Traits of an Exceptional Design Portfolio
As designers, our portfolio sites are what we are primarily judged on by our peers and by potential employers. Since graduating from my UX/UI design program, I feel like I have been constantly revamping my portfolio. I’ll see another designer’s site and be inspired by their animation, illustration, case study, branding, etc., and want to tweak my own portfolio. I have never felt “done” with my portfolio site — I’m starting to think it will be a constant work in progress.
I’ve probably looked at over 100 different design portfolio sites for inspiration over the past couple of months. While I’m still iterating on my own, I feel like I’ve come to a place of understanding in what makes a portfolio site decent vs. what makes it really stand out. If you’re still figuring out what to include in your own site, take a peek at these elements I’ve noticed across the “best” UX/UI design portfolios.
1. Great UX (duh) 🏆
Obviously enough, the best UX portfolios are the ones that have great UX themselves. If you are using this site to market yourself and all your design skills, I can’t think of a better way to demonstrate that skill than by creating a seamless experience on your own portfolio.
To craft a strong, functional user experience, a portfolio should make sure that the site has clear, intuitive page navigation. There should not be any questions about what is a link, where it links to, what each page contains, etc. The portfolio should be as simple as possible in functionality and navigability, such as this example.
2. Strong personal branding 🌈
My absolute favorite portfolio sites happen to belong to designers who show a strong, consistent sense of their personal style and brand. Coincidentally (or not), these are the same sites I see repeatedly cited in lists of the best UX/UI design portfolios. You can tell a lot about a person based on what they use to represent themselves and their work, including their logo, color palette, mission/vision statements, images, illustrations, layout, typography, and tone conveyed through their content.
Compare the above homepages of two different designers, Vandana Pai and Jonathan Patterson. Through their use of color, imagery, type, etc., you can get a strong feel for who this person might be, or what kind of designer they consider themselves to be. Pai’s page creates a personal brand that seems refined & sophisticated, while Patterson’s feels bright & bold. Creating a distinct style allows potential employers to get to know you a bit before you even meet.
3. Detailed case studies 📚
Of course, the way designers show on our portfolio sites that we are capable, skilled people is through our case studies.
By using our case studies, we explain what the problem was, how we contributed, our process, who we worked with, how we solved the problem, and what our final product was. In comparing many different portfolios and case studies, it became clear that the strongest ones were ones that told a story.
In order to tell a full story, the studies need to include details. The studies didn’t just lay out the facts and move on — they crafted a picture of the who, what, when, where, why, and how. They showed the designer’s voice, their strengths, their ability to solve problems. They included images of deliverables at each stage to show the process. By going into details, these designers and their portfolios show a deep understanding of the design process. It makes the portfolio really engaging and exciting.
4. Includes something personal 👩🏻🍳
Employers don’t just hire your skillset; they hire you as a person. So it makes sense to include a little bit about you in your portfolio site. The best ones know how to keep it brief, keep the content in your own original voice, and stay professional while being a little personal.
From what I’ve seen, the best ways people add in personal pieces are through images of themselves, quick “about me” paragraphs, “currently” sections that share what the designer is currently watching, reading, writing, etc.
5. Every element in moderation ⚖️
Of course, while having all of these elements can make for a great, well-rounded portfolio, it can also turn it into a bit of a mess. Of course, I will not post any portfolio examples here because that’s super rude. But as with everything in life, moderation is key. Detail in your case studies is awesome! Detailing every last thought or interaction you had while working on the project is excessive. Sharing a personal anecdote? Fun! Listing off the 30 random things you do when you aren’t designing? Probably not a good look since this is, you know, a professional portfolio.
Keeping everything in moderation in your portfolio shows you know what balance looks and feels like, which is a great selling point for you as a designer and human being.
I would love to hear or see what you think makes an amazing design portfolio, so share a comment or connect with me if you want to talk about which ones are inspiring you lately!
