Our Approach to Case Studies

We are so happy to provide this service to you and help you present your work in the best way possible. The goal here is to provide a toolset for you to learn how to think strategically about how you present your work and what is most relevant to include.

We do not prescribe to specific portfolio rules, but rather a point of view. Our goal is to provide you with guidance and worksheets to get you the result you need. You may notice that some of the materials are more open ended and this is on purpose as we believe each practitioner has a unique story to tell and we want to provide a path to craft it properly.

At the end of the day your portfolio should look and act like a natural extension of your approach as a practitioner in UX not a copy of what everyone else is doing. We believe going through the process we have laid out for you and working harder now will yield the best results.

FAQ

Why should I sign up?

If you are the type that overthinks and spins your wheels when working on your portfolio this is the toolkit for you. This toolkit is designed to keep you motivated, focused and moving in the right direction. Often we are our own worst critics and we need help pushing ourselves. Feelings of not good enough and wondering if we are making the right choices can set us back and keep us stuck. With this toolkit you will not only have positive reinforcement, but you will also have the support of people in the same situation who can offer encouragement through our exclusive online community.

What if I have a project that I really hated?

At the end of the day you should feel proud of your accomplishments and a portfolio is the artifact that reflects this. There are many times though that we get caught in a negative train of thought about our work and about the parts of the project that didn’t go as we would have liked. This bittersweet experience can affect how we show our work and in some cases we actually make the choice to not include something because it makes us feel bad. This is ok and normal. What if we reframed it? What if by going through a design process we could find the best way to represent our work so it benefits us the most? It would be a shame to not include a project that you worked really hard on and taught you a lot. Those are sometimes the best projects for a portfolio because they show how you have successfully handled conflict and challenges.

Why do we only work on one project?

Because its overwhelming to think about your entire portfolio and all your projects. This is the way that we loose motivation and focus. By working on one project in a short time frame we can quickly feel confident and have a sense of accomplishment. With this positive experience under your belt the rest of the work will feel less intimidating.

What about products with an NDA?

A project that you signed an NDA is a great thing to work on. Because you have the option to post to a group of your peers, likely dealing with the same issue, you will found out quickly if what you created is still clear and valuable to the viewer once you take out the proprietary information. Additionally some of our best work could be hidden behind an NDA and it would be detrimental to not be able to advertise our skills thus preventing us from attracting great opportunities that we are qualified for. There are ways to both serve your clients needs and your own and with this toolkit we show you how.

How do I choose just one project to start? 

The best project to choose is the one that is the hardest. The one that no matter how many times you work on it you are never satisfied. This toolkit will break you out of the box and help you see things in a new way. The project that causes the most frustration probably needs a new tactic and a new perspective. This toolkit is designed to do just that.

Will you provide templates?

Not exactly. As a UX practitioner you already have the skills to tell a compelling user story and this toolkit will help you use that knowledge in a new way. The problem with templates is that they can make everyone’s portfolio look the same. There is certainly no harm at all in using them and we might have some in the future. For now though we will have outlines and worksheets to help you pull it all together. Ultimately it is up to you to apply a personal brand and style. If you are not comfortable with visual design don’t over think it, just choose a provided style from the application and keep it simple. At the end of the day your portfolio is really about the story you are telling and the skills mastery you are demonstrating.

Will I have a completed portfolio or not?

That depends on your goals. Because our projects in UX have become increasingly complex and happen over longer periods of time the case study view has become necessary to properly demonstrate our skills. It is a lot of work to make a case study and it takes more time for a potential employer to view it. It is likely we do not need to create a full case study for every project we have. Let’s instead be more strategic and only create case studies for the projects that will help us best achieve our goals and demonstrate the skills we want to be hired to do. If we keep each case study separate we can easily add more later. We will over time have a library of case studies to pick and choose from to create custom portfolio packages for each job we apply to. 

What if the project never made it to launch?

In our field there is no guarantee that our work will go to launch. No project is without its challenges. Many projects end at a concept stage for various reasons; many of which are outside of the designers control. A product doesn't need to go from conception all the way to launch to provide value to your portfolio. Every project you have worked on has potential to sell your skills regardless of where you started or ended in the process. If the project helped you grow as a practitioner and showcases skills you want to be hired for it is for sure a good thing to consider for your portfolio. 

Still not sure the BYO Case Study Toolkit is for you?

Ask us anything.