Revising Case Study Drafts

Here’s why your case study is getting skipped: → It shows what you did. → But not why it mattered. → And definitely not how you decided. Most designers think a case study is a timeline. “Here’s my research → here’s my wireframes → here’s the final UI.” But that’s not a case study. That’s a to-do list. Hiring managers aren’t looking for your steps. They’re looking for your thinking. Here’s the 6-part structure I use with my clients — the same one that got me a 50% salary bump: → Context: Frame the project with stakes and story. → Problem: Define what was broken — and how it hurt users/business. → Objectives: Be clear on the impact you were chasing. → Research: Highlight insights that shifted your direction. → Design: Narrate decisions, not just deliverables. → Results: End with proof, not polish. Bonus tip? Start your case study like a Netflix cold open: “High bounce rates. Angry users. 3 weeks to fix it.” Now you’ve got attention. So ask yourself: Are you telling a story… or just listing tasks? List or narrative — which one builds trust?

Confession: While I've reviewed thousands of portfolios, I've never read a case study all the way through. I ALWAYS scan them. I just don't have the time to look through every detail. And I know that most other folks who are reviewing portfolios are doing the exact same thing for the same reasons. This means that your portfolio should: 1. Make it easy to scan 2. Use big, high quality visuals 3. Tell quick, concise stories 4. Most importantly, make that story easy to consume in two minutes or less If I were to build my portfolio today, here's how I would do it using these principles: 1️⃣ I'd have a top overview section that has a short blurb of what to expect/what I accomplished AND the final mockups/prototype of what I created. 2️⃣ I'd write out each case study using a word document first to make sure that my headlines told the entire story quickly and concisely. I'd use a classic story arc 1. Context/background 2. Conflict 3. Rising action 4. Climax 5. Falling action 6. Resolution The simpler version of this is the 3 Cs of storytelling: 1. Context 2. Conflict 3. Change (AKA what improved as a result of your work) 3️⃣ I'd optimize my headlines below the overview to tell the story of what I learned. Once everything was written out in a Google doc, I'd edit everything down to the essentials. I'd make sure to pull out the important learnings/quotes and make them big so reviewers could easily scan them. 4️⃣ I'd break up sections with large images to make it feel more interesting and less fatiguing. 5️⃣ I'd ask friends and family to read it and provide feedback about clarity and how much time it took them. If they can easily understand it, see my impact, and quickly go through it, then I'm on the right track. 6️⃣ I'd use LinkedIn and adplist.org to find more folks to provide feedback. Again, I'd focus their feedback on clarity and the amount of time it took for them to go through it.

Prospects don't want to know what you did. They want to know what you'd do for them. But most service providers can't write compelling case studies at all. Your best work is confidential. Your results take years to show. Your clients can't be named. So you default to generic project summaries that help no one. The case study problem isn't just about better writing. It's about working within real constraints. Here's how to create case studies that actually work when you can't share the good stuff: 1/ Focus on the decision-making process, not the outcome. "How we decided between rebuilding vs. patching a legacy system" is shareable even when the client isn't. 2/ Share the questions that mattered, not the answers. "The three questions that revealed why their previous consultant failed" shows your thinking without revealing proprietary methods. 3/ Use composite scenarios from multiple clients. "We've seen this pattern at four different companies" lets you share insights without breaking confidentiality. 4/ Write about what you learned, not what you delivered. "Why most implementations fail in month three" demonstrates expertise without client-specific details. 5/ Turn failures into teaching moments. "The project that taught us to always check this one thing first" shows experience and judgment. Your case studies don't need client names or specific results. They need to demonstrate how you think about problems. When prospects read your case studies, they should think "this person understands our type of challenge." Not "this person got great results for someone else."

No success metrics? No problem. Your case study can still reflect strong business and product thinking. Outside of showing how you landed on your 'final' solution, you can highlight how you think BEYOND THE HANDOFF ❌ "Here are my final designs" = I'm done thinking ✅ "Here's what I'd do next" = I'm always thinking ahead Add a "Next Steps" section to your case study (even if the project didn't ship or you no longer work there, speak to what you would do). Consider talking about: • Metrics you'd track: "Measure task completion time and conversion to learn if the solution is driving expected results and what to explore next" • Research you'd prioritize: "Interview users who dropped off at step 3 to better understand the friction" • Design improvements: "Polish design components and update color palette for accessibility" (especially helpful if you had to use an outdated design system or know that the visual design could improve). • Ideas for tests you'd run: "A/B test the CTA copy to optimize conversion" • Features you'd like to add: "V2 I'll explore adding advanced filtering we learned users wanted, but couldn't fit into scope for V1" You don't need perfect designs or data. You just need to show you understand that good design never stops evolving. Designs aren't ever really final. Your thinking shouldn't be either. Agree? Disagree? Like or comment below 💬 #uxdesign #productdesign #portfolio #casestudies #designthinking #uxcareertips

A different frame turns a boring B2B case study into amazing content. 10 frames to get more mileage out of your B2B case studies: Let's turn them into news-worthy content! 1 - JOURNEY Highlight the client’s transformation journey. [Introduction - Initial Situation - Key Milestones - Final Transformation] Use for: Significant client transformations 2 - BEFORE-AFTER Contrast the client’s situation before and after you came in. [Before Engagement - Key Insights - After Engagement] Use for: Demonstrating clear improvements 3 - CUSTOMER FOCUS Focus on the client’s goals and how the solution helped achieve them. [Client’s Goals - Obstacles Faced - Solution Alignment - Achieved Benefits] Use for: Highlighting how the solution met specific client objectives 4 - EXPERT OPINION Incorporate expert insights to enhance credibility and analysis. [Present Challenge - Expert Analysis - Solution Implementation - Results] Use for: Adding authority to complex challenges through expert perspectives. 5 - HISTORY Detail the project in a step-by-step timeline. [Problem Identification - Planning - Implementation - Final Outcome] Use for: Outlining projects with clear phases and sequential processes. 6 - CHALLENGER Break down multiple challenges and how each was addressed. [Specific Challenges - Solutions for Each - Lessons Learned - Overall Success] Use for: Demonstrating problem-solving across multiple obstacles. 7 - INDUSTRY LENS Frame the case study within industry trends and context. [Industry Trends - Client’s Position - Solution Implementation - Competitive Advantage] Use for: Showing how the solution addresses industry-specific issues. 8 - PAIN POINT Emphasize the client’s emotional struggles and relief provided by the solution. [Emotional Pain Points - Solution Provided - Relief Experienced - Improved Performance] Use for: Connecting emotionally with readers facing similar challenges. 9 - COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP Highlight the joint efforts and mutual benefits of the client-provider relationship. [Initial Collaboration - Co-Creation of Solution - Implementation - Shared Successes] Use for: Showcasing strong partnerships and collaborative success. 10 - WHAT-IF SCENARIOS Illustrate potential risks avoided by implementing the solution. [Client’s Situation - Potential Risks - Solution Implemented - Positive Outcomes] Use for: Emphasizing the value of the solution by highlighting avoided pitfalls. ----- Most case studies are set-and-forget – we know we need to have them on our website, but they rarely get used to their full potential. But a well-done case study is almost ALWAYS my best performing piece of content in a campaign. The key? Moving away from the "Status - Challenge - Solution" framework – to a real story that can be delivered with a newsworthy headline! I haven't tried all of these, but setting a different frame has helped me turn a case study into high-performing content. What's your experience with framing case studies?