Today we evaluate a UX portfolio from a designer who transitioned from being an Educator to Product design. Before Hana Nakano found her passion for product design, she spent the majority of her 20s as a classroom teacher but I realized that life’s too short to stay in her comfort zone. This is not a great case study but there is plenty to learn from it.
As usual I will highlight what UX recruiters and UX hiring managers look for when evaluating such a portfolio using emojis to indicate my emotions.
Let’s begin.
Product Designer Portfolio example — Landing page
Takeaways:
Use project thumbnails that help the recruiter understand what platform the design was for.
Ensure contact details and resume are easily accessible.
Be explicit in explaining how research is conducted, who was involved and what the findings are.
Try to explain how the design improves metrics
Show your portfolio to two people to double check the case study.
Today’s design brief is to redesign the Uber app to boost ride bookings during holiday seasons. This redesign will focus on enhancing user experience, providing holiday-specific features, and optimizing the app’s functionality to handle increased demand.
This is the tenth design brief or practice project for UI and UX designers looking to build a portfolio of credible work. Each detailed client brief is time-boxed, detailed, and crafted realistically enough to give you a hands-on experience of doing a real project. The design brief is meant to help you create realistic work you can add to your portfolio and test if design really is for you.
Designing an app is unique in that there are particular guidelines and best practices already outlined for Android and IOS that are different in some way to web patterns. This challenges the designer to be able to understand how platform constraints affect design.
As is usually the case, I have included the following with each design brief:
Timeline(For this to be realistic each brief has a timeline that is as close to real-world work as possible)
Objectives(What is REQUIRED by the client. This part usually trips designers up as they go off designing what is not required)
Platform(Where your designs will live. Understanding these platforms will give a well-considered solution)
Target audience (Users always come first and the design must accommodate the target audience’s pain points)
References(If you are not sure where to start, clients normally give a set of examples or references they like. The closer the design solution is to the references, the fewer revisions a designer will have to do)
Deliverables(Most importantly how the solution should be delivered. These represent what a well-detailed portfolio case study looks like so hit it out of the park)
Recruiter advice(Portfolio advice from creative directors, CEOs and leading design creatives from the biggest companies)
This will help you build your case study much faster as the project objectives and such are provided.
Let’s begin
Practice Project 10: Redesigning Uber App for Increased Holiday Rides
Client: Uber
Timeline 1–2 weeks. The project is expected to be completed within two weeks.
Objectives
The goal is to redesign the Uber app to boost ride bookings during holiday seasons. This redesign will focus on enhancing user experience, providing holiday-specific features, and optimizing the app’s functionality to handle increased demand.
“The global ride-sharing market is expected to grow from $75.39 billion in 2020 to $117.34 billon in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 55.6%.” – Grand View Research”By 2030, Urban areas will be home to more than 60% of the world’s population, leading to increased demand for ride-hailing services.” – McKinsey & Company
Requirements:
Festive and engaging user interface with holiday themes
Holiday-specific promotions and discounts
Enhanced ride booking and tracking features
Integration of special holiday services (e.g., ride scheduling, gift deliveries)
Improved communication tools for riders and drivers
Optimized performance for both iOS and Android platforms
Safety features and in-app support
Success Metrics to Consider:
Ride Volume: Increase in the number of rides booked during the holiday season
User Engagement: Increased daily active users and session duration
Promotion Utilization: High usage rate of holiday promotions and discounts
User Satisfaction: Improved user ratings and positive feedback in app stores
Target Audience
Jane Lee, 34 | The Holiday Shopper NEEDS Jane is a busy professional who relies on Uber for her holiday shopping trips. She needs reliable and quick transportation to navigate through the holiday traffic, and she appreciates easy access to in-app holiday deals and discounts. However, she often faces long wait times and difficulty finding available rides during peak shopping hours, which adds to her frustration. Managing multiple shopping bags while commuting also poses a challenge for her.
Michael Patel, 40 | The Family Traveler NEEDS Michael is a parent who uses Uber to travel with his family during the holidays. He needs safe and spacious rides that can accommodate his entire family, with features like car seats and child safety locks. Scheduling rides in advance for holiday events is crucial for him. Unfortunately, he struggles to find large vehicles that meet his requirements and faces challenges in coordinating multiple pickups and drop-offs for family members, all while ensuring the safety and comfort of his children.
Sarah Lee, 28 | The Festive Party Goer NEEDS
Sarah is a social butterfly who relies on Uber to attend holiday parties. She seeks affordable and reliable rides, especially during peak party hours, and values the ability to share rides with friends easily. However, she frequently encounters high surge pricing and long wait times during holiday events. Coordinating ride-sharing with friends can also be a hassle, and the uncertainty of ride availability during busy periods adds to her stress.
Requirements
Please test our existing app with users to understand how the current functionality could be improved. Address their biggest pain point.
User-friendly interface that allows for easy navigation
Ability to personalize music recommendations based on user preferences
Option to create and save playlists
Feature for offline listening as a stronger offering
Integration with social media platforms for easy sharing
Ability to purchase concert tickets through the app
Platform
The app should be compatible with either iOS or Android devices. Pay attention to IOS and Android guidelines.
References that our company would like the app to follow in terms of structure and layout. It will be your job to replicate something close to these examples but add your creative flair to it.
Safety and Support Screen: In-app emergency contacts, real-time ride sharing with friends/family, safety tips
Promotions and Deals Screen: Special holiday offers, discount codes, referral bonuses
User Profile and Settings: Personal information, payment methods, ride history, preferences
Testing and Results section
Show your wireframes to 5 people and ask them using your designs what they think about them, what they would improve, and an overall rating.
Take their feedback, iterate the designs, and have a final round of testing with 5 users. See that you improve your overall rating. If not go back to the drawing board and change your designs and retest.
What to do next
Download portfolio project PDFs of all the other existing design projects to do in your own time.
We will evaluating a Junior UX designer’s portfolio who transitioned from a UX/UI designer to a UX Designer in 2023. Ellen Shin is a currently a UX designer based in northern VA and her academic background is in communication and graphic design. We will evaluate the portfolio as a recruiter would when going through design application for a UX role. There are some obvious mistakes that I identified that one should avoid but overall a good portfolio for a Junior designer starting out.
Takeaways:
Ensure you have large clear images of work so that an recruiter can easily evaluate it.
If you frustrate a recruiter who is going through your design work, they can move on from your portfolio to the next one despite how good the work is. Keep things simple and clear.
Present work like wireframes and visual designs with headings, annotations and connected lines to better communicate work
Today’s design brief is to redesign Renault’s South African car dealership website. This was an actual real project that I worked on at my digital agency but for Toyota Global. For this brief I have changed names and some details. This is the 7th design brief or practice project for UI and UX designers looking to build a portfolio of credible work. Each detailed client brief is time-boxed, detailed, and crafted realistically enough to give you a hands-on experience of doing a real project. The design brief is meant to help you create realistic work you can add to your portfolio and test if design really is for you.
As is usually the case, I have included the following sections with each design brief:
Timeline(For this to be realistic each brief has a timeline that is as close to real-world work as possible)
Objectives(What is REQUIRED by the client. This part usually trips designers up as they go off designing what is not required)
Platform(Where your designs will live. Understanding these platforms will give a well-considered solution)
Target audience (Users always come first and the design must accommodate the target audience’s pain points)
References(If you are not sure where to start, clients normally give a set of examples or references they like. The closer the design solution is to the references, the fewer revisions a designer will have to do)
Deliverables(Most importantly how the solution should be delivered. These represent what a well-detailed portfolio case study looks like so hit it out of the park)
Recruiter advice(Portfolio advice from creative directors, CEOs and leading design creatives from the biggest companies)
This will help you build your case study much faster as the project objectives and such are provided.
1–2 weeks. The project is expected to be completed within two weeks.
Objectives
We are looking to redesign the official Renault website in South Africa. The site should provide a seamless experience for potential customers to browse our catalogue, book a test drive and purchase vehicles from our dealership. The website will be the primary sales tool for our business, and we want it to be easy to use, informative and visually appealing.
Success Metrics to Consider: Conversion rate: The percentage of website visitors who purchase a vehicle or schedule a test drive. User engagement: The amount of time visitors spend on the website and the number of pages they visit. Search performance: The number of visitors who use the search function and the accuracy of the search results. Customer satisfaction: Feedback from customers who use the website to purchase a vehicle or schedule a test drive.
This is the current site:
Platform
Please design website screens for desktop (1440px wide and mobile view 365px wide).
Target Audience
John, 35 | Busy Executive NEEDS A quick and easy way to search for cars that fit his budget and preferences. He is also interested in finance and insurance options that can be bundled with his purchase. Schedule is very tight and he doesn’t want to be haggled by salespeople at a dealership.
Sarah, 28 | First-time Car Buyer NEEDS Needs guidance and information about the car buying process. She also wants to compare different models and prices to make an informed decision. She is not familiar with the technical terms used in the car industry, which can make her feel overwhelmed. She is also on a tight budget and needs to find a car that is affordable but still reliable.
Robert, 50 | Experienced Car Enthusiast NEEDS Looking for a dealership that specializes in luxury cars and can provide him with personalized service. He is interested in the latest models and technology features. Robert has high expectations and wants to be treated like a VIP. He is not interested in mass-produced cars and wants a dealership that can provide him with unique and exclusive options.
Specifications/ Limitations
Site must load quickly hence any large interactions must be kept to a minimum.
• Research and testing conducted • Wireframes/UI designs of ⁃ Homepage: Welcome message, featured vehicles, search function ⁃ Search results page: List of vehicles that match search criteria ⁃ Vehicle detail page: Vehicle photos, specifications, pricing, reviews, similar vehicles ⁃ Schedule test drive page: Form to schedule a test drive, available dates and times ⁃ Request quote page: Form to request a price quote, additional information ⁃ Contact us page: Contact information, form to send a message ⁃ Checkout page: Vehicle details, pricing, financing options, payment information
Testing and Results section
Show your wireframes to 5 people and ask them using your designs what they think about them, what they would improve, and an overall rating.
Take their feedback, iterate the designs, and have a final round of testing with 5 users. See that you improve your overall rating. If not go back to the drawing board and change your designs and retest
What to do next
Download portfolio project PDFs of all the other existing design projects to do in your own time.
Portfolio Advice from recruiters
I love to see how designers tackle complex problems in their portfolio case studies. It’s important to not only show the final product, but the process that got you there. – Satish Kanwar, VP of Design at Shopify
I want to see a clear articulation of the problem, the design process, and the impact of the solution. Numbers and metrics are important, but so is the story behind them. – Khoi Vinh, Principal Designer at Adobe
Today’s design brief is a redesign of the existing Swedish tourism site. This was an actual real project that I worked on at my digital agency but for the South African Tourism site. Obviously for our purposes I have changed the details to suit a public design brief. This is the 9th design brief or practice project for UI and UX designers looking to build a portfolio of credible work. Each detailed client brief is time-boxed, detailed, and crafted realistically enough to give you a hands-on experience of doing a real project. The design brief is meant to help you create realistic work you can add to your portfolio and test if design really is for you.
As is usually the case, I have included the following sections with each design brief:
Timeline(For this to be realistic each brief has a timeline that is as close to real-world work as possible)
Objectives(What is REQUIRED by the client. This part usually trips designers up as they go off designing what is not required)
Platform(Where your designs will live. Understanding these platforms will give a well-considered solution)
Target audience (Users always come first and the design must accommodate the target audience’s pain points)
References(If you are not sure where to start, clients normally give a set of examples or references they like. The closer the design solution is to the references, the fewer revisions a designer will have to do)
Deliverables(Most importantly how the solution should be delivered. These represent what a well-detailed portfolio case study looks like so hit it out of the park)
Recruiter advice(Portfolio advice from creative directors, CEOs and leading design creatives from the biggest companies)
This will help you build your case study much faster as the project objectives and such are provided.
1–2 weeks. The project is expected to be completed within two weeks.
Objectives
We are looking for a redesign for the Swedish tourism website. The site is in need of a refresh and we require it to be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and provide all the necessary information to help visitors plan a trip. Our culture should be reflected across the site especially famous landmarks and common local native words.
“In 2020, domestic tourism accounted for approximately 85% of global tourism spending.” – Source: World Tourism Organization.
Success Metrics to Consider
Number of website visitors Engagement rate (time spent on site, pages viewed per session) Conversion rate (number of bookings or inquiries) Customer satisfaction (rating and feedback)
Platform
Please design website screens for desktop (1440px wide and mobile view 365px wide).
Target Audience
Sarah Johnson, 28 | Adventure Traveler NEEDS She is looking for travel experiences that allow her to discover different cultures and trying new foods. Sarah wants to make sure that the travel experiences she books are safe and well-organized, with knowledgeable guides and good equipment.
James Lee, 42 | Family Vacationer NEEDS He is looking for travel experiences that are family-friendly, with activities that can be enjoyed by both kids and adults. James may be concerned about the cost of family travel, as well as the logistics of coordinating travel for multiple people. He may also be worried about keeping his family safe while traveling to unfamiliar places.
Marie Jensen, 55 | Cultural Tourist NEEDS She is interested in visiting museums, historic sites, and art galleries, and may also enjoy attending cultural events like concerts and festivals. She values comfortable accommodations and good food, but is primarily motivated by her desire to learn. Maria may be concerned about language barriers and navigating unfamiliar cities; accessibility and mobility issues.
Specifications/ Limitations
Site must load quickly hence any large interactions must be kept to a minimum.
References
References that our company would like the website to follow in terms of structure and layout. It will be your job to replicate something close to these websites but add your creative flair to it.
• Sketch of conceptual ideas and a sitemap • Wireframes/UI designs of ⁃ Homepage: This should be visually appealing and provide an overview of the destination and the experiences on offer. ⁃ Things to Do: This section should provide information on the top tourist attractions, outdoor activities, and cultural experiences in the area. ⁃ Places to Stay: This section should provide information on the best hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals in the area. ⁃ Local Food: This section should highlight the local cuisine and provide recommendations for restaurants and food experiences. ⁃ Travel Tips: This section should provide helpful information for travelers, such as visa requirements, currency exchange, and transportation options. ⁃ Booking: This section should allow users to book tours and activities directly from the website. ⁃ Blog: This section should provide fresh and relevant content to attract visitors and improve SEO.
Testing and Results section
Show your wireframes to 5 people and ask them using your designs what they think about them, what they would improve, and an overall rating.
Take their feedback, iterate the designs, and have a final round of testing with 5 users. See that you improve your overall rating. If not go back to the drawing board and change your designs and retest.
Portfolio Advice from recruiters
I love to see how designers tackle complex problems in their portfolio case studies. It’s important to not only show the final product, but the process that got you there. – Satish Kanwar, VP of Design at Shopify
I want to see a clear articulation of the problem, the design process, and the impact of the solution. Numbers and metrics are important, but so is the story behind them. – Khoi Vinh, Principal Designer at Adob
What to do next
Download a portfolio project PDF of this design project and all the other existing design projects to do in your own time.
We will evaluating a Junior UX researcher’s portfolio who transitioned from a UI/UX designer to a UX Designer in 2022. Saba Fathi is a currently a UX Researcher & product person who is very passionate about developing simple yet innovative experiences. We will evaluate the portfolio as a recruiter would when going through design application for a UX role. There are some obvious mistakes that I identified that one should avoid but overall a good portfolio for a Junior designer starting out.
Takeaways:
Ensure you have case study thumbnails that relate to the project and the type of platform you were designing for(App, web etc).
Always use case study headings and subtitles that help the reader understand what the project is about
If you show a design process, try to show how each step in the design process was conducted and how it flows into the next step
Always show numbers for context and credibility. Number of testers, number of survey responses, etc.
Today we review Benny Sun’s fantastic design portfolio. What makes it interesting is that Benny transitioned from UX/UI designer to Principal User researcher at Morgan Stanley. He has a background in the educational sector and was a R&D researcher for a Edtech company amongst other things. As usual, I will outline what he does particularly well and share some practical takeaways that you can replicate in your UX portfolio. If you are transitioning to UX or already applying to UX jobs this portfolio review will be insightful.
Let’s begin.
Practical Takeaways
Keep to a consistent look for your UX portfolio projects with clear understandable headings and sub-headings.
Project summaries are super helpful for recruiters who are pressed for time. Include them.
Ensure that your UX portfolio reads well by outlining a design process and show how each step feeds into the next
When showing design screens, sketches or wireframes help the reader by showing annotations and connected userflows.
Always try to be descriptive about how many participants took part in a study and what the results where.
Today we evaluate Otilia Oandelea’s portfolio and UX work. Otilia is a UX & product design intern with 2+ years of experience and finished the Google UX Design Professional course in 2022. Despite being entry level designer, the portfolio is presented really well. I will highlight what UX recruiters and UX hiring managers look for when evaluating such a portfolio using emojis to indicate my emotions.
Takeaways: – Ensure that the site is easy to navigate and has links for an About page, Contact details and resume/LinkedIn -Use clear project imagery and project headings to help guide recruiters and hiring managers – A project summary upfront is critical because recruiters do not spend long on a single application among hundreds – Show before and after screens as your recruiter will not have as much project context as you do about what changed – Showing quotes from usability test participant is great for qualitative feedback around product satisfaction – Major bonus points for adding a prototype – If you do not have results or the project is not launched yet, reflections or “what comes next” are a great way to end a project
This a review of Rachel Baek’s portfolio and one of her case studies. I chose this particular portfolio because Rachel was a teacher for 7 years before transitioning to UI/UX designer. Despite being entry level designer, her portfolio is presented really well and case studies have the perfect layout whether you are a UX designer or UI designer. I will show what UX recruiters and UX hiring managers look for when evaluating such a portfolio using emojis to indicate my emotions.
Let’s begin.
Takeaways: – Use clear project imagery and project headings to help guide recruiters and hiring managers – A project summary upfront is critical because recruiters do not spend long on a single application among hundreds – Breakdown your design process and specify what you did especially if it was a team effort – Show before and after screens as your recruiter will not have as much project context as you do – Showing handover process is great if you worked with developers – Major bonus points for adding a prototype – If you do not have results or the project is not launched yet, reflections are a great way to end a project
As a UX team manager and recruiter, I will be reviewing a Google Certification Course case study from Kevin, a self-taught UX designer based in Illinois. He decided to enroll in the Google UX Design Certificate Program in hopes of enhancing the limited amount of UX knowledge he already had. He studied Creative Technologies, which is an interdisciplinary major that covers several topics such as motion graphics, interactivity, and web design.
I will approach the UX portfolio the same way we normally do when hiring for a entry level designer.
Let’s get into it.
In conclusion
The Google Course definitely seems to give students a good basic UX education framework to help them build a portfolio. This case study was decent but incomplete which introduces doubt in a recruiter’s mind. There are certain sections that needed more information and some that did not make sense.
Takeaways:
Have descriptive project headings so that recruiters know which one may be relevant to them.
Always have a good summary of the problem, designer project role, project type, and when the project was done.
For any UX method used, detail why the method was picked, what the deliverables were, and how this influenced the next steps.
Show iterations, sketches, wireframes alongside sitemaps and user flows.
Detail how testing is conducted, how the feedback was incorporated and if the final design was retested
