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
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 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
Today’s design brief is a redesign of an existing platform namely Spotify’s music app.
This is the seventh 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
Client:Spotify
Timeline 1–2 weeks. The project is expected to be completed within two weeks.
Objectives
Our goal is to redesign the Spotify music app to provide a richer and more personalized music streaming experience for users. The app should allow users to onboard, discover new music, create playlists, and easily access their favorite songs. “By 2026, the music streaming market is projected to reach $76.9 billion globally.” – Allied Market Research.berg
Success Metrics to Consider:
User engagement metrics, such as the number of songs listened to and playlists created User signups and ratings Conversion rate for concert ticket purchases through the app Number of app downloads and active users
Target audience
Marcus Lee, 35 | Musician NEEDS Likes to create and share his own music with others. He wants a platform that allows him to easily collaborate with other artists, share his work, and get feedback from the community. Finds it challenging to get his music noticed in the crowded music industry and struggles to find a platform that caters specifically to independent artists like him.
Sophia Patel, 23 | Music Enthusiast NEEDS Enjoys discovering new artists and attending live concerts. She also likes to create playlists for different moods and occasions. Finds it frustrating when she cannot easily find new music recommendations or when she has to switch between multiple apps to listen to different genres.
Sandra Jenkins, 28 | Fitness Enthusiast NEEDS
Enjoys working out and needs music to keep her motivated during her exercise routine. She wants a platform that allows her to easily create workout playlists and discover new music that fits her workout style. Finds it frustrating when the music app doesn’t provide enough variety in workout music or when the app doesn’t have features that help her track her fitness goals.
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.
Youtube Music Apple Music Pandora
Deliverables
• Onboarding screens – These screens will introduce the app to new users and explain how to use it. They might include a welcome message, an explanation of the app’s features, and instructions on how to create an account. • Homepage – displays recommended music based on user preferences, popular playlists, and trending songs. • Search – allows users to search for songs, artists, and playlists. • Playlist – allows users to create and save their own playlists. • Player – displays the current song playing, lyrics, and options for sharing or adding to a playlist. • Settings – allows users to personalize their music preferences, including genre and artist 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 a portfolio project PDF of this design project and all the other existing design projects to do in your own time.
This article is for aspiring designers who are still creating a strong introduction to their UX or UI portfolio. You may be struggling with how to summarize who you are and what your skills are on your resume, LinkedIn profile, personal portfolio website or even your social media page.
In this article I am going to share with you 50 examples of proven design portfolio introductions from designer hires from Google, Apple, Facebook, Uber, Apple, Spotify, Airbnb, and Amazon. Alot of these examples are from portfolio websites and resumes and we will dissect when to use one. I am also going to explain why it is important to have a great portfolio introduction and the basic structure of one.
Why is it important to have a strong design portfolio introduction?
Firstly, this is definitely what a recruiter is going to read and evaluate first as a potential indicator to whether they should hire you. A portfolio introduction that is vague or incorrect about the person or their skills raises red flags and doubt in the recruiter’s mind from the start and sets the tone for the rest of the interaction with your work. A bad first impression could ultimately hurt your chances of landing a dream job.
Secondly, as a designer you need to be able to sell your skills, your passion and your personality well enough for a potential recruiter to buy into you. People see selling as a bad word but it ultimately makes life easier if you know how to do it. When it relates to your design career you will be ask to not only sell or persuade people on your skills, your ideas and leadership. Look at your portfolio introduction as a concise but holistic statement that you want the marketplace to know about you.
Side note: Obviously portfolio introductions are one part of building a strong first impression with recruits. If you want to learn about enhancing your case studies as well, read this article.
I have grouped the examples into three types of design portfolio introductions based on length. Which one to use depends on the platform that the introduction will be on. In certain cases like a resume, it needs to be brief but on your personal website or LinkedIn profile you can stretch it out abit more.
Basic structure of a good portfolio introduction
The key elements of this type of design portfolio introduction answers the following questions: – Who are you – What you do – Where you work – Which city you are from – What you are passionate about
There are no hard or fast rules to how to structure your personal portfolio introduction but addressing 2 to 3 of these questions will go a long way. As you will see in the following examples, answering those questions creates a strong first impression for your work.
Let’s get started.
1. Short and punchy intro (6 to 15 words)
Josh Mateo, Spotify Senior Product Designer at Spotify in New York
Josh Mateo
Will Chan, Facebook Product Designer at Facebook.
Vera Chen, Facebook Hello, I’m Vera Chen. I create Better Experiences for Users/ People
Hiroo Aoyama, Facebook I’m Hiroo, a product designer. Incoming Product Design Intern at Facebook.
Shelby Lindblad , Facebook Multi-disciplinary designer in Oakland, CA
Jason Yuan, Apple Graphic and User Experience designer currently based in Providence.
Sanat Rath, Google Hi, I’m Sanat. I make word processors delightful at Google Docs.
Sophie Gardner, Google Product designer, formerly at Google and Palantir.
Wei Huang, Google I’m Wei, a User Experience designer at Google
Tiffany Wu, Google Hi! I’m Tiffany Wu, a designer passionate about bridging gaps between people and their goals.
Simon Pan, Amazon Simon Pan is a Product Designer based in San Francisco.
Christopher Michon, Amazon Christopher Michon is an Art Director who is designing & illustrating in Seattle.
Tobias Ahlin, Spotify I design, tinker & teach.
Hold Breton, Spotify A product designer who values durability, transparency & cadence.
2. Meaty intro (18 to 31 words)
John West, Uber Hello, I’m John. I’m a Designer in San Francisco & I do UI, UX, branding, animation, packaging and print.
Xiaoxue Zhang , Uber Currently working at Uber, focusing on Machine Learning and Design System. Previously working as a front-end developer at Tencent for 3 years.
Bre Huang, Uber I’m Pre, a process-driven product designer and illustrator on a quest to make smart, friendly and impactful experiences for people. Joining Uber Feb 19.
Xiaoxue Zhang , Uber Currently working at Uber, focusing on Machine Learning and Design System. Previously working as a front-end developer at Tencent for 3 years.
Cas Lemmens, Apple I’m Cas Lemmens. I design systems. I work as a Human Interface Designer at Apple. Previously Spotify and Hyper Island.
Hailey Cook, Apple I’m a mission driven designer looking for new opportunities in San Francisco. Check out my work and say hello!
Jesse Chase, Airbnb Jesse chase is a product designer in san Francisco, currently Sr. Experience Designer at Airbnb.
Keith Ahn, Airbnb Hi, I’m a designer based in San Francisco. I’m currently a Product Designer at Airbnb. Former Product Designer at Venmo.
Ismael Barry, Airbnb Product Designer passionate about serving people by solving for their needs and understanding the gravity of those decisions as they Impact our world.
Moneta Ho Kushner, Google I am creative director and designer from Seattle, passionate about building digital experiences that improve customers’ lives.
Alex Lakas
Alex Lakas, Google I’m Alex, a product designer at Google. Over a decade of experience focusing on desktop, mobile, social gaming, e-commerce, & early stage product design.
Rahul Jain, Google I’m a Product designer focused on creating design concepts and experiences that empowers people and solve real-world problems.
Carson Young, Google Hi! I’m Carson, a digital product designer. Former UX Design Intern at Google. Student at York Sheridan Design.
Abbey Lee, Amazon Hey Hey, I’m Abbey I’m a visual problem solver and user experience designer who has a passion from motion, visual design, human-centred goodness and the outcome.
Angela Bang, Amazon Meet Angela. Living and working in the intersection of design and tech — still wants to be an astronaut when grown up.
Brian Lee, Spotify My name is Brian. I am a digital product designer, born in Singapore, based in Stockholm, Sweden. I currently work at Spotify, with a focus on growth and activation.
Tal Midyan, Spotify Tal is a multidisciplinary designer and creative based in nYC. Currently working at Spotify as Senior Art Director. Here is a collection of projects for different artists and brands.
Andres Arbelaez, Spotify Hey! I’m Andres. Incoming Product Designer at Facebook and CoLab Fellow at IDEO. I study Human-Centered Product Design at the University of Maryland.
Amruta Buge, Spotify Amruta is an Interaction Designer at Google interested in crafting effective design solutions to create meaningful user experiences.
Mohit Gupta, Facebook A product designer with a focus in user experience, visual and interaction design. Previously at Facebook and Universe. Currently looking for full-time opportunities.
Hailey Cook, Apple I’m a mission driven designer looking for new opportunities in San Francisco. Check out my work and say hello!
Kathleen Warner, Facebook Oh hello there, I’m Kathleen. I’m a product designer who sometimes jumps into frontend. Currently on News Feed at facebook.
Julia Liang , Apple I’m glad you’re here! I’m a designer, artist, and activewear enthusiast based in Berkeley. Thank you for taking the time to view my work!
Netta Marshall, Airbnb Hello stranger, I’m Netta, a digital designer living in San Francisco. Let’s take a look at what I’ve been creating.
Sally Chan, Spotify Hello! I’m a designer at the intersection of physical and digital products and services. I do that by making connections out of seemingly disparate ideas to create something meaningful for people.
3. Detailed but relevant intro (34 to 70 words)
Andre Salver, Facebook I’m a strategy-minded product designer, passionate about designing for emerging technologies, developing wide applications for those technologies and bringing them to market. Also a recent graduate of MHCI+D and Product Designer at Facebook.
Nisa Andrews, Uber I’m an independent decentralised apps designer and product designer at Uber. I’m passionate about solving problems for humans, particularly where physical and digital worlds meet. Peep my work below or learn more about me.
Ben Minard, Apple My name is Ben Minard and I am a UI/UX designer at Apple Inc, in Cupertino, California. I recently graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BFA in Graphic Design. Feel free to drop me an email at khdfkd@gmail.com and check out my work on Dribbble.
Craig Dehner
Craig Dehner, Apple I’m Craig Dehner, and I help companies enhance their mobile experience through smart UI design and motion. Between working on the Human Interface team at Apple, to cutting edge startups like Airbnb and Lyft, the interfaces I’ve worked on have reached millions.
Eric Lobdell, Airbnb Bay Area designer passionate about problem solving exposing and building consumer facing products. Currently designing a new typeface, hand-lettering, and collecting vinyl, I’ve poured my heart into many startups and worked at a handful of great companies: Google, MLB, Opera and #M. You can find more of my work on Dribbble. If you’ve got an exciting challenge and you’d like to work together, let’s talk.
Kaiwei Wang, Google As a designer, I try my best to make sure the design decisions are the results of a human-centred process. I keep learning new tools and trends while telling myself — the user gives the most valuable insights and the team is my strongest backbone.
Kevin Chang, Google Hey, I’m Kevin I’m a product designer & engineer with skills and experiences that allow me to take ideas from concept to mock to prototype to production.
Formerly AR & VR at Google Daydream, design at Google Lens, product at BayRu. Computer Science and creative writing at Stanford University.
Yuan Gu, Amazon Hello, I am Yuan
I am currently a UX Designer at Amazon. I have worked on a variety of projects on different platforms including but not limited to iOS, Android, Windows, etc. The best part of my job is to work the design magic around customer’s needs and seeking the balance between usability and aesthetics. This is a showcase of the projects I’ve worked on and hope you will enjoy it.
Samuel Hoang, Amazon I am a product designer crafting the future of user experiences for consumer devices and services. This is my portfolio of publicly released work. Many of my current and past projects cannot be included here due to Non-Disclosure Agreements.
Conclusions and takeaways
Feel free to try different portfolio intros. Don’t feel boxed into one format but try what suits you at that point in time. To conclude your design portfolio introduction should answer the following questions: – Who are you – What you do – Where you work – Which city you are from – What you are passionate about
What to do next
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This article is for those of you who are struggling to making any meaningful progress towards the goal of getting your first UX role. I recently had a student reach out to me to help them figure out why their portfolio was not getting them interviews and what it would take to land just a junior UX role or even an internship.
After doing a short UX course and crafting a website portfolio of projects, you may still have not gotten any responses for the UX positions you applied for. You haven’t really had anyone to guide you as to what exactly you should be doing, or where to go from here and you starting feel pretty down about the whole thing. You put a lot of effort in the classes and designs and its frustrating to think it may all have been a waste of time.
I have fortunately been through the same experience while transitioning from a totally different field but more importantly, managed to overcome those challenges to the point of being head hunted for my first two UX roles. In addition, as a UX team manager who goes through a ton of UX portfolio applications so I am able to shed some light of why certain candidates get the call for an interview and others just don’t make the cut.
Let get started with a blunt but necessary truth you might not want to hear.
Your UX portfolio work is currently not good enough.
It is imperative to understand that you are in competition with a multitude of other designers for the design roles that you are applying to and very few actually get called back for an interview. Your portfolio application is that first critical touch point that a recruiter will have with your credentials and your skills. You can not afford for the quality of your portfolio work to be ordinary or you will be passed over.
One of my core responsibilities as a team manager is hiring capable designers that will be a good fit for what we need in the team and the business as a whole. In a day, I can look at close to 30 to 40 applications and spend roughly 2 to 4 minutes on each one. This means your portfolio has to present your best and most relevant work right from the start.
But what is good enough work? Let’s get into detail about common mistakes and fixes that I regularly encounter.
1. Half baked UX case studies
A bad case study for Cafe Lulu
I find that too many times, applicants will submit a UX portfolio with case studies that have 3 or 4 screens and no other detail. Don’t be lazy when creating UX case studies. You have put in so much time and effort into learning about the design field, joining groups, watching videos on UX, doing UX courses then you fail at the last hurdle because you put a small amount of effort into actually crafting proper portfolio case studies.
UX portfolios are different in that we are assessing your skills against what is typically expected in a UX role. Research analysis, testing, wireframing, data metrics and presentation. Design screens alone will not tell us much about all these skills and we will go someone else who shows these attributes more prominently in their UX portfolio.
If you need a reference, I have written an article a successful structure for UX case studies complete with examples. Even if you are starting out as a graduate, transitioning from a different field or applying for a junior role, this will give you strong starting point.
In case you don’t read the article the key 8 point template structure is as follows. The article goes into much more detail with examples.
Project Title & Subtitle (A headline and subtitle that indicates the name and goal of the project)
Client/Company/Project type
Project date (When did you work on the project)
Your role (What you were responsible for on the project)
Project Summary/About this Project (An overview that summarizes the project, goal and results)
The challenge (What specific problem, user needs, business requirements and/or pain points that the project solves. Were there any technical constraints or business KPIs you had to keep in mind? Who are you users and what are their specific needs)
Solution (What method/process were used to solve specific problem, user needs, business requirements and/or pain points? How did features address the objectives?)
Without these case study sections in your portfolio, there are too many questions left unanswered about the project work and you skills which in turn sows doubt into a recruiter’s mind about shortlisting your application.
2. Put your best work first
Highlight your best work
This is a simple one but it is surprising how many people do not do this. If you have 4 good case studies in your portfolio, put your best ones right at the top of your portfolio. As a recruiter, I should not have to look for them. Again as I have said previously, and maybe that needs to be reiterated:
Recruiters do not have time to go through your entire portfolio
The first 2 to 3 case studies in your UX portfolio are most likely to be reviewed so make sure they are your best.
What does best work mean? It means work that is relevant to the company you are applying for and has enough depth structure wise to showcase your skills. For digital agencies, showcase web projects. For mobile app companies, showcase mobile app case studies, even if they are conceptual. That shows relevancy to the work that the company does, otherwise a recruiter has to make a judgement call on how your skills could apply to their business. Other portfolios that are better aligned with what the company does, will more likely get a call back.
3. Make the recruiter’s job as easy as possible
As designers we tend to forget the objective of a portfolio. A portfolio is meant to showcase your skills to a prospective employer or client about your skills.
The recruiters are ultimately your real audience not other designers.
So we have to cater to their needs as much as possible.
Make that recruiter happy
Use a platform or format that will be easy for them to go through the work. Whether its hosted on design sites like Dribbble.com or Behance.net, complied in a PDF document, make sure the recruiter can easily open the file format on their machine. Export work as PNGs/JPGs and don’t assume a recruiter has the program you used to create the work.
If you are hosting your portfolio on a website, make sure that the site is up and does not have usability issues when navigating your work. Nothing worse than opening a link that leads to a 404 error page.
Provide the correct contact details and ensure links to the external sites that you worked on, work. Otherwise take screenshots of the final implementation and present those as opposed to a site which might be down.
4. The company/role might not be for you
With the individual that reached out to me for help with their portfolio, we soon discovered after a series of conversations that they were applying to the wrong companies. We had to take a step back from the applications and portfolio creation to honestly evaluate if they were passionate about the field.
The truth is your passion for a field does come through the work you present in a portfolio.
If it’s all over the place and no attention to detail has been displayed, it’s clear to the recruiter that you might not have the right attitude to the work and potentially to your future role.
We eventually figured out that they would rather be doing a role that involved video game UX. That gave us a end goal to aim for and dictated everything else, the type of case studies to create, the companies to apply to, the role to apply for and the designers to network with.
5. Test your portfolio
This last point is pretty straight forward but it will require you to be vulnerable and humble enough to ask for help. Being a UX candidate I actually expect you to test your portfolio with other people. It’s what you will be doing on the job on a weekly and potentially daily basis. At least get their honest opinion on whether they would hire you and if there are any glaring mistakes in the portfolio. This is challenging to do but let’s consider the alternative.
If you prematurely send out your portfolio to really good companies and you don’t make it in, there may be a company policy in place the prevents you from applying again until a certain time period has elapsed.
This could be as long six months. And if you are email blasting your portfolio to every potential position available, you may be potentially shooting yourself in the foot.
My advice is to apply to a couple of similar positions (2 or 3) and get feedback from those applications. Then use this feedback to revise your portfolio to match the needs of the next company you are applying to. This way you can iteratively create a better portfolio every time you apply.
What to do next
Hopefully the points in this article have been helpful in identifying where you need to improve and if you are terribly overwhelmed give me shout and let’s see where I can help.
This is the sixth design portfolio project for UI and UX designers looking to build a portfolio of credible work. A detailed client brief that is time-boxed, detailed, and crafted realistically enough to give you a hands-on experience of doing a real project. Each portfolio project is meant to help you create realistic work you can add to your portfolio and test if design really is for you.
Today I have a saucy one for you, excuse the pun. A UX/UI project for beginners on designing a food app.
We all have at some point felt too busy (lazy) to cook and reached out for our phones to order some delicious food. The convenience of ordering food is undeniable and such a ubiquitous reflex that we do not even think about it. I personally enjoy cooking for the family but there are times when I cannot due to the kids, an event or work.
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 platforms 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)
Let’s begin.
UX UI Design Portfolio Project 6: Designing an Food App
Client OhSoYum
Timeline 1–2 weeks. The project is expected to be completed within two weeks.
Objectives
We are looking to create a food delivery app that will allow users to order food from their favorite restaurants and have it delivered to their doorstep. The app will need to be user-friendly, visually appealing and efficient. “Online food delivery has become a $200 billion global industry, yet there is still plenty of room for growth as people increasingly opt for the convenience of delivery.” – Bloomberg
Success Metrics to Consider: User acquisition and retention rate Order volume and revenue growth User engagement and time spent on the app Positive reviews and ratings
Target Audience
Marcus Lee, 32 | Busy Professional NEEDS Does not have the time to cook and prefer to order food online for convenience. They prioritize quick and reliable delivery and are willing to pay more for premium services. Health conscious and wants to eat healthy meals. She also has a tight budget and wants affordable options.
Sophia Patel, 37 | Health-Conscious Eater NEEDS College student who prioritizes healthy eating and has specific dietary restrictions. Always looking for options that fit their lifestyle and are willing to pay more for high-quality, healthy food. On a tight budget and wants affordable options
Sandra Jenkins, 35 | Budget-Conscious NEEDS Has two kids and a busy job. She needs an app that offers healthy options for her family as well as quick and convenient delivery options on a limited budget. Wants to feed her family healthy meals but doesn’t have the time or energy to cook after a long day at work.
Requirements
The app should allow users to browse and order from a variety of restaurants in their area.
Users should be able to customize their orders, including special instructions and dietary restrictions.
The app should provide real-time updates on the status of their order, including estimated delivery time.
Payment options should be secure and user-friendly.
The app should have a feature for users to leave reviews and ratings of restaurants and drivers.
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.
• Onboarding screens – These screens will introduce the app to new users and explain how to use it. They might include a welcome message, an explanation of the app’s features, and instructions on how to create an account.
• Home screen – This is the main screen of the app that users will see when they open it. It might include a search bar, categories for different types of food, and a list of popular restaurants.
• Restaurant details screen – When a user selects a restaurant, they will be taken to a screen with more information about that restaurant. This might include the menu, photos of the food, and reviews from other users.
• Ordering screen – This screen will allow users to place an order from the restaurant they’ve selected. It might include options for customization, like choosing toppings or specifying dietary restrictions.
• Payment screen – After a user has placed an order, they will need to enter payment information. This screen might include options for different payment methods, like credit card or PayPal.
• Order tracking screen – Once an order has been placed, users will want to know when it will be delivered. This screen might include real-time updates on the status of the order, like when it’s being prepared, when it’s out for delivery, and when it’s been delivered.
• Profile screen – This screen will allow users to manage their account information, like their name, address, and payment methods. It might also include options for viewing past orders and saving favorite restaurants.
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.
Advice from recruiters
I want to see case studies that demonstrate a deep understanding of user needs, a creative approach to problem-solving, and a passion for delivering exceptional user experiences.
John Smith, Senior Product Designer at Doordash
I’m looking for designers who can demonstrate how they’ve solved complex problems in simple and elegant ways. I want to see how you can take a user-centered approach and turn that into a product that’s both delightful and effective.
Haraldur Thorleifsson, Head of Design at Uber
Show me how you’ve used data and research to inform your design decisions and how you’ve collaborated with cross-functional teams to deliver successful products. Don’t just showcase the final design, but also the process and the challenges you faced along the way.
Jane Doe, Senior UX Designer at Grubhub
Your portfolio should showcase your ability to think critically about design problems, communicate your ideas clearly, and collaborate effectively with others. It’s not just about pretty visuals, but about the insights and rationale behind your design decisions.
Kim Williams, Director of UX Design at Amazon
I love to see designers who can showcase a process, not just the end product. How did you get there? What were the decisions and tradeoffs you made along the way? How did you incorporate feedback and iterate? All of this tells me a lot about how you approach design problems and how you work with cross-functional teams.
Julie Zhuo, VP of Product Design at Facebook
What to do next
Download a portfolio project PDF of this design project and all the other existing design projects to review in your own time.
