Cool UX Portfolios are Cool
stevendouglasdesign.com is getting a rebrand
In light of the recent quarantine, I thought I’d take advantage of this time and start taking a look at some UX portfolios, both recent and some that I have traveled to me through the grapevine. Once I finish the program, I’d like to get a job as a user experience designer. I’m unsure of what field exactly that I’d like to be involved in, so I’ll be trying to narrow that down a bit, and finding relevant portfolios based on that.
But let’s begin, shall we?
Moritz Oesterlau
I have an OK portfolio right now, but if there’s one thing is definitely, is proper storytelling/case studies. Employers want to see the thought process behind your design decisions, and this portfolio is an example of well-thought-out, thorough, detailed case studies. It may not have a great visual emphasis, which I want to emphasize more in my book, but hey, take bits of things that are successful and making something great.
Olivia Truong
This one really piqued my interest. It seems remarkably similar to what I’m looking to build. Only three or four great pieces/case studies that show her skills in the field she wants, and then a simple, compiled “side work” section. The side work section was what really impressed me. It applies almost perfectly to my previous work that was more of creative expression type-stuff. I’ll definitely be looking back at this one.
Liz Sarni
This is actually one of my old classmates in undergrad. She got a job last year in the San Fransisco area as a Visual Designer for Quip. She also went on to study UX after graduation. I’d say one of the strengths of this portfolio is the overall UX/UI, and it’s very visually appealing as far as type and color go. It’s interesting and different enough to make your turn your head. A lot of cool little subtleties too. The fact that I knew her personally makes something like this all the more achievable.
Brian Lee
Brian is a Product Designer at Spotify. One thing that I found interesting about his book is that his home page dive right into his work. It goes straight into his stuff with Spotify. And after some further exploration, it’s his ONLY piece of work on his page. I guess this is all you need if you work at Spotify, right? Just show a name-plate brand and let your work speak for itself.
Gloria Lo
This is one of the better examples I have found. Gloria is a UX designer working in Sydney, and her book is a great example of balancing visuals and content. You can interact with her home screen, helping the viewer learn more about you, but then when diving into her actual pieces, they are extremely detailed and thorough. Very easy to understand. And, it looks like it is all stuff that we’ve been working on the program, which makes me happy.
This is my brief exploration of some other inspiring portfolios. Hoping to work on mine this week during Spring Break!
