I have created this UX Portfolio Checklist partly for selfish reasons to make my job as a design instructor easier. For the past two years, I have been getting the same question, “Is this work good enough for my UX portfolio?” Each time I get asked this, I would have to burn time with a student digging into the specifics of her work to tease out the gaps.
For the same amount of time, I started helping IBM design review portfolios. Designers volunteered to review applicants and either approve or reject the portfolio. We were all responsible for giving our reasons, so that the applicant could have feedback.
Considering my view from both ends of experience, I noted the following trends.
Insights from teaching students
- Nearly all of them do not have a clear idea of what a complete portfolio project looks like
- Most do not understand the importance of stepping the reviewers through their process
- Almost none of them think to validate the problem
Observations from other reviewers
- Most reject portfolios that do not show a clear process
- Reviewers usually stop reviewing a portfolio when they are not convinced the problem is legitimate
UX portfolio checklist for research
Have you done a competitive analysis?
Competitive Analysis for Mobile App Project
Do you have a research outline, notes, and synthesis?
Research guidelines, Notes, and Synthesis
Have you identified your target audience?
Using an empathy map to identify the right user and her motives
Have you identified the right problem to tackle and right solutions to explore?
Identifying the right problem to focus on
Workflows and Wireframes
Have you explored ideas on paper?
Whiteboarding and Paper Prototyping
Have you assembled a quick prototype to test?
Testing concepts and ideas
Do you have refined, annotated wireframes?
Hi Fi Wireframes and Annotations
Do you have a detailed system map?
System Map
Visual
Have you explored a visual language for the product?
Exploring a visual language
Have you explored type?
Studying color and its effect on type and readability
Have you explored colors?
Studying type and contrast
There is a lot more one can do establish a viable visual language for a project. This is the minimum for rounding out a solid UX portfolio.
Final Thoughts
Applicants do not need all of these, but they need enough of this work and visual artifacts to tell a cohesive story. In the end, I hope this guide will help them understand the amount of work required to put together a portfolio. Most of all, they should level set the current state of their work and identify the gaps.
Further Reading
Read Part 2 of the UX portfolio checklist.
Check out this post on the Anatomy of a Kick-Ass UX Portfolio.
Read this post on Quora about what makes a great UX design portfolio.
