6 tips for building a killer product design portfolio

1 year ago, I joined TravelPerk as the 3rd member of the Product Design team. Today, the team has tripled in size and we are looking now for our 12th hire. In a company growing this fast, everyone helps out with the recruiting and hiring process — it’s a team effort.

To make sure we get the best talent, we use a 6-step process that we are constantly trying to improve and optimize, both for us and for candidates. In one of the first steps, before we even talk to candidates, we have to find out if their experience and skills match what we’re looking for. A portfolio review is a great way to assess that.

Last year, I reviewed over 100 product design portfolios. When you see that many, you start to recognize patterns — of things that work and things that don’t. Here’s what I’ve learned along the way.

1. Consider your audience

When building your portfolio, keep in mind you have to design it as you would a product. The first thing you have to consider is who are you designing it for. Do you know what’s their job title? Do you know what are they looking for?

If you are a product designer, it’s likely that other designers will look at your portfolio. But, portfolios aren’t just for designers to assess. There are a number of other people in your prospect company who may end up evaluating your work. And it pays to recognize that each will have a different idea of what they want from you.

A recruiter might be looking for your industry experience. A product manager will try to find out if you understand product analytics. A marketing designer might take a closer look at your visual design skills. They’re all looking for something, so make sure you have a piece of candy for everyone.

💡 PRO TIP: If you’re applying for a job, don’t be afraid to ask who’s reviewing your portfolio. Some companies might not tell you. But if they do, be smart and tailor it for that profile to make it a guaranteed success.

2. Show your best work

Designers make portfolios for multiple reasons. Some start because they want to show their good work to the community, or to build a reputation among their peers. But most of the time, designers build portfolios to get jobs. Before you start your own, you need to have a clear idea of what’s your goal. With that in mind, all the decisions you will have to make on the way will be easier.

Choosing what projects to put out there is one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make. So if you’re looking for a new job in product design, all your projects have to point in that direction. Pick your best ones, those that highlight your top qualities as a designer, and that are most relevant for your audience. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What does this project say about me?
• Does it help to understand how I would perform in the job?
• Will this project get me hired?

Knowing what to leave out of it is just as important. I’ve found a lot of portfolios for product design with projects on branding, editorial design, and even pottery. It’s good to show your creative side but remember, keep your goal in mind. Craft your portfolio to do its job and discard the out-of-date or off-topic projects.

If after that you end up with just 3 projects, it’s OK. People reviewing your portfolio don’t need to see much to evaluate your work. Most of the time, just looking at one is enough to make the decision.

3. Choose the right format

I’ve reviewed portfolios in all the possible formats. There are people who choose to send a PDF file. Some prefer to put some files in folders and send a Google Drive or Dropbox link. But, most designers build their websites using the dozens of CMS tools available online (e.g. Dribbble, Behance, WordPress, Wix, Carbon, …). Some brave designers even code their own websites.

The truth is that there is no right or wrong when it comes to format, and you are not going to be rejected just because of that. But your choice says a lot about you as a designer. So when choosing a format, think about the people who are going to look at it, and make their lives a little easier.

How easy is it to access?

When you put walls in the way, some people might not make the effort to jump them. So make it as open as possible for everyone. If it’s a file, don’t make it too heavy. If it’s a link, make it public and double-check it’s working fine. If it’s a website, try to make it a public domain. And when possible, try to avoid password-protecting projects (there’s always someone else that wants to have a look but can’t get in).

How easy is it to use?

Your portfolio should be self-explanatory and easy to navigate. Some more traditional formats might work, but in general, websites will deliver a better user experience. Make sure it’s easy to read, help users jump from project to project, and give them a clear way to get in touch with you.

4. Be a designer about it

Designers are creative creatures, and a portfolio can be seen as a blank canvas to express that creativity without the usual restrictions that come with work projects (read: clients, budget, time…). Some people use that opportunity to show they can think out of the box. They try new trendy navigation patterns or do complex animations that don’t even work in 60% of browsers.

It’s good to show creativity, but you also have to be consistent and use the same design principles you use when you work on a project. If the design quality of your projects is better than the design quality of your portfolio, it might raise a flag for someone reviewing your work.

So when designing your portfolio, do the things that make you a good designer. Make sure it’s easy to navigate, take care of information hierarchy, use beautiful UI, include good relevant images to support your projects, and more importantly, pay attention to details. There’s nothing that throws me off more than finding a typo or a blurry image in a portfolio.

5. Tell the whole story

As a designer, you’ve probably been mistaken for the person in the room that makes things look pretty. It’s a common misconception of design that is still very spread among a lot of organizations. That’s also why a lot of designers have a tendency to only focus on the visual part of design.

There are a lot of product design projects out there which are just a gallery of screens. You might think it’s a good way to make a first impression, but for most people looking at your portfolio, it’s not enough. Showing only the final result of the product is like inviting someone over to your place and just showing them the front door.

When you add a project to your portfolio, give anyone reading enough information to understand what you worked with.

• What’s the context? Tell me about the company, the product, and the team involved.
• Who’s it for? Tell me about the user, who they are, and what they need.
• What problem is it solving? Tell me how you found their problem and why is it the right problem to solve.
• What data did you work with? Tell me what kind of qualitative and quantitative data you worked with for the project.
• How did you do it? Tell me what steps you took and what tools you used to find the right solution.

If you explain all that, visual design should come as the natural output of that process and will be self-explanatory to your readers.

6. Explain your impact

Just as important as telling the whole story is to have a happy ending. The perfect way to finish the story of your project is to show the results. How did that project make the product better? Did it improve conversion rates? Did it increase customer satisfaction?

Some designers tend to leave that part out of their portfolios, but it often makes the difference between good product designers and great ones. For someone looking to hire you, these clear numbers help measure the impact you could have on their organization.

Of course, not all projects are the same and sometimes you don’t have that data. Maybe the project never got to production, or maybe you didn’t have the right tools in place to measure. In that case, you can still tell your audience how you were planning to measure the success of your design. It’s a good way to let them know you understand how to make an impact.

Building your portfolio can be an endless, exhausting job. Trust me, I’ve been there many times. So, whether you’re starting to put together a portfolio or just making some adjustments, I hope these tips can help you find the things to put focus on.

That said, if you’re happy with the current state of your portfolio and you would like to know more about TravelPerk, please reach out to me or check out our careers page. We’re still hiring!