In the competitive field of UX Research and Design, a well-crafted portfolio is key to getting recognised by recruiters and hiring managers. It is an opportunity to showcase your UX skills, thought processes, projects, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. A strong portfolio serves as a visual résumé, demonstrating how you approached problems and contributed to creating user-centred solutions.
What to Include in a UX Portfolio
About Me
A brief introduction about who you are, your background, and your approach to UX. Highlight your strengths and areas of expertise, such as UX research, interaction design, or usability testing.
Case Studies
Your portfolio should highlight projects you have worked on, covering the following key areas:
Your Role: Clearly define whether you were a UX researcher, UX designer, or played a hybrid role.
Problem Statement: What was the challenge, problem, or business opportunity?
Research: Describe methods used (user interviews, surveys, usability tests, competitor analysis).
Process: Showcase wireframes, user flows, and iterations.
Solution: Present final designs and explain how they solve the problem.
Impact: Provide results with measurable metrics, usability improvements, or business outcomes.
Design Artefacts
Include wireframes, prototypes, personas, journey maps, and usability test results. Use annotated visuals to explain your design decisions
Tools & Skills
List the tools you use (e.g., Figma, Adobe XD, Miro) and key UX skills (e.g., heuristic evaluation, accessibility, information architecture).
Contact Information
Include your email, LinkedIn, and a downloadable résumé so recruiters can easily reach you.
What If You Have No UX Experience?
Many aspiring UX professionals struggle with the question: "What if I don’t have any real-world experience?" Here’s how you can build a portfolio from scratch:
Work on Personal Projects: Choose everyday products, apps, or services and redesign them using UX best practices. Show your research, problem-solving, and design thinking.
Participate in UX Challenges: Platforms like Daily UI or UX Hackathons provide structured challenges that help build a body of work.
Volunteer for Non-Profits or Small Businesses: Offer to redesign a local charity’s website, conduct usability testing for a startup, or contribute UX expertise to open-source projects.
Do Case Studies on Existing Products: Conduct a heuristic evaluation of an app, analyse user pain points, and suggest improvements.
Show Learning in Action: Even coursework projects from UX boot camps, online courses, or university studies can be transformed into strong case studies.
My Experience Reaching Out to UXers on LinkedIn
When I started my UX journey, I contacted experienced UX professionals on LinkedIn to ask for feedback on my portfolio. Surprisingly, many were willing to help! Some reviewed my case studies, pointed out gaps, and shared insights on industry expectations.
A key lesson I learned is that UX professionals are generally open to mentorship and guidance. Don’t be afraid to connect with designers, researchers, and hiring managers to ask for feedback. Their insights can be invaluable in refining your portfolio.
How to Use Your Portfolio to Get Hired
Customise It – Tailor your case studies to the job description. Highlight relevant projects.
Keep It Concise – Recruiters skim portfolios, so make yours clear, concise, and easy to navigate.
Host It Online – Use a personal website (Wix, Webflow, or Notion) to make your portfolio easily accessible.
Showcase Process, Not Just UI – Employers want to see your problem-solving approach, not just the final screens.
Link Your Portfolio to Your LinkedIn Profile – Recruiters often find candidates on LinkedIn, so make sure they can access your work easily.
Practice Your Presentation – Be ready to walk through your portfolio in interviews. Strong storytelling skills can set you apart.
Finding Good Portfolio Examples to Emulate
One of the best ways to improve your portfolio is to study well-crafted examples. Look at portfolios of successful UX professionals to understand structure, storytelling, and presentation style. Here are some inspiring portfolios:
Yash Shenai, Product Designer at Adobe: Portfolio
Joshua Lucas, Product Designer at Google: Portfolio
Manuel Rocco, Design Lead at DataCamp: Portfolio
Tushar Gupta, Product Designer at Microsoft: Portfolio
Josh Mateo, Product Designer at Netflix: Portfolio
Ludovic Delmas, Co-founder of Kickass UX: Portfolio
Robin Noguier, Interactive Designer: Portfolio
Final Thoughts
Building a well-structured, clear, and compelling UX portfolio takes time, but it’s a crucial step towards landing your dream job. If you’re just starting, focus on creating strong case studies, even if they are self-initiated projects. Learn from others, seek feedback, and continuously refine your portfolio.
Remember, storytelling and impact are key. Craft your portfolio to highlight your UX thinking, and you’ll be on your way to securing your next UX role! 🚀
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