How to Build a Relevant Concept Art Portfolio

Not getting another interview after your portfolio presentation? Maybe this is why 👇 I've sat in many portfolio presentations. I also work with numerous mentees, helping shape their stories. The biggest mistake I always see is not showcasing the why behind your work. Context. So many presentations go like this: - Hi, it me 👋 - Here's my first case - Here is a persona I made - Here is another persona I made - Here is an arbitrary user flow - Here is a sketch I made - Here is a wireframe I made - Here is the final solution - I learned a couple of things Your presentation should be a story, not a simple show and tell. Don't just tell your audience WHAT you did. Tell them WHY you did it. The why connects your thought process to your design. We want to hear what drove your decisions. Paint a vivid picture of the challenges you faced, the insights you stumbled upon, and the brainstorms that led to breakthroughs. What separates you from other designers is how you think and your design decisions. ✅ Frame your failures ✅ Dissect your decisions ✅ Incorporate your successes ✅ Create a beginning, middle, and end ✅ Show the path from initial idea to final Each slide and each statement should reveal a bit more about your thinking process. Details matter. Subtleties matter. They all add up to a powerful narrative. When your presentation is infused with purpose and passion, your work shines. It demonstrates your technical skills and your capacity for critical thinking, problem-solving, and empathetic understanding. And that's what sets you apart. Not just the sheer quality of your work but also the depth of thought put into it. Make them remember what you did and why you did it. Because, in the end, it's the why that truly matters. ------------------------------------- 🔔 Follow: Mollie Cox ♻ Repost to help others 💾 Save it for future use

We all know we're supposed to "show instead of tell." But most design portfolios fail to do this and here's why. 👇 Designers love showcasing their raw work in their portfolios including outputs or deliverables such as: → Sketches → Diagrams → User flows → Wireframes → Sticky notes → Journey maps But to be honest, 90% of the time, I have absolutely no idea what is going on in those images. For example, I'll often come across a screenshot or picture of 25+ sticky notes, but: → They are too zoomed out. → If I zoom in, they're too blurry. → Even if I can seem them, they're too overwhelming. Then I start asking myself questions such as: → Am I supposed to read every sticky note? → What's important about these sticky notes? → Is this worth my time and attention to decipher? This is where storytelling comes in. What if instead of showing a raw zoomed out screenshot of sticky notes, we instead pulled out the key highlights and takeaways? Then we can guide the reader's attention to what's actually important, and optionally include a link to the original raw image afterwards. This creates a far more compelling narrative for our audience (hiring managers and recruiters), and ensures we're showing the right level of detail that is necessary to understand the story. Now to be clear, I'm not saying you should entirely avoid raw images or assets (or even raw Figma files). For example, these can be effective during the interview process because the designer can use their voice to guide their audience through the image. But when it's an online written case study submitted with an application, then you won't be in the room when a hiring manager first sees it. In that moment, your story will need to stand on it's own. It will need to communicate the right level of clarity and detail to compel the hiring manager to offer you an interview. In summary, when we want to "show instead of tell", that doesn't mean slapping a raw screenshot or image in our portfolio. It means reflecting on how we're using our words and images to give context, clarity, and tell an impactful story. Use it effectively to your advantage. What are your thoughts? #ux #design #portfolio #casestudy #storytelling

Let’s chat about the purpose of a portfolio because I feel like this is getting lost in translation somewhere. The purpose of a portfolio is to highlight your skills and abilities. You are showcasing what makes you uniquely you with your designs and what you could bring to a team and an organization. In order to do this, you need to tell a story around the designs. The most common mistake I see when reviewing portfolios is that the person will share a screenshot or a PPT file and not provide any context around it. Hiring managers can make an educated guess as to why you created this artifact and how you did something, but that’s the main problem is that they are guessing. They could be 100% wrong in their assumptions. You want your portfolio outlined in a way that if you were not present, they would still be able to understand the big picture. To do this, consider adding these talking points: - Summary of the project - Problem / Goals - Objectives - Stakeholders - Your role on the project - Target audience - Design process - Tools - Deliverables - Reflections In my opinion, this should give insight into everything and then, when you have your interview, the hiring manager should have a much better understanding of you as a designer. And most likely, they will want to dive in deeper into your portfolio projects, and you’ll be ready because you’re prepared (and awesome). Of course, if you have more questions around portfolios and how to make them, there is a whole week in Instructional Design Institute dedicated to portfolios. The next cohort starts in 12 days and I can't wait to nerd out with folks!

Crafting an engaging portfolio filled with your best case studies can feel like a daunting task, especially in industries where showcasing our work isn't always straightforward. It's additional effort, but trust me, it's worth it. My top recommendation? Make it an annual habit, updating it as you go. While you may never truly love it, once you start to hate it, it's probably close to completion. On average, I go through about 7 iterations of each case study. Why? Because presentation matters. Think of it as telling the story of your journey—how did you sell this to stakeholders? What will resonate with your audience? What sets this work apart from others in your portfolio? Over the years, I've evolved my approach. I used to focus solely on the final project, then expanded to showcase various elements. Now, I've found a sweet spot. I begin with an overview, followed by a concise 'how did we get here' section detailing research, explorations, flows, and wires. Then, I dive into the results—the strongest product screens, testing iterations, and anything that sparked excitement during the process. Finally, I wrap it up with a conclusion, summarizing the project and adding any supporting data or impacts, if applicable. Remember, your portfolio is your chance to shine, so put in the effort to make it shine bright! Amazon Design Amazon Music Amazon #design #productdesign #ux #ui #userexperience #mentorship