Top 10 common UX portfolio mistakes

After reviewing hundreds of UX portfolios as a manager and a designer, these common mistakes can hinder you from getting that UX job. Correcting these issues can enhance your UX portfolio and increase your job prospects.  

Creating a UX design portfolio is a journey of learning and iteration. It’s a delicate balance between having too much content and not enough.  You might need to iterate multiple times to discover a compelling narrative without overwhelming your audience. Remember, it's okay to learn and refine as you go.  

Mistake #1: The problem statement in your case study doesn’t align with the results  

A well-executed case study creates a comprehensive narrative highlighting the entire UX design process. The problem statement is a significant part of this narrative, and the case study won't make sense if your design solution doesn't connect to it.

For example, I reviewed a portfolio whose problem statement was, "Users had a hard time finding information." The design solution was updating some components in the design system.

The problem statement and the solution didn't align, which is standard in the portfolios I've observed. It helps to have someone else review your case study to make sure you're saying what you think you're saying.

Mistake #2: Too many case studies in your UX portfolio.  

How many case studies should be in your portfolio? 3-5 case studies. Including more case studies may overwhelm the audience and make it challenging to pick from. 

Keeping your portfolio curated helps to keep your work fresh. Sometimes, people include case studies from over 10 years ago, and trends shift, so the work immediately looks outdated.

Select the case studies that reflect outstanding work as a compelling showcase of your capabilities and expertise.  Check out my UX portfolio course for more info on creating a UX portfolio. 

Mistake #3: Your UX case study text is too long.  

Your target audience will include a range of people, including Recruiters, Hiring Managers, and fellow Designers.  

These folks are busy, consider their limited time and attention span.
They’ll likely skim through your portfolio rather than thoroughly examine it.   

As a result, please ensure that the text in your portfolio strikes a delicate balance. If the text is too lengthy, your reviewers may overlook critical details. Convey your message concisely and deliver essential information succinctly.  

Mistake #4: Your UX case studies are too short or not in-depth.  

The case studies should strike a balance, showcasing the UX design process with relevant artifacts. Incorporating the right design artifacts and deliverables provides a comprehensive overview of the problem statement and the steps you have taken to resolve the problem successfully.  

Overly brief case studies appear to lack design thinking and depth. Remember, you're trying to convince your future employer that you understand how to approach design holistically.   

Don’t shy away from including artifacts that will enhance the narrative. These artifacts are valuable in developing a story and provide tangible evidence of your design journey and the overall impact of your design.  

Include early sketches, wireframes, prototypes, and iterations.  

This will help show your ability to apply design principles throughout the design lifecycle.  

Mistake #5: Not enough design in your UX portfolio case studies 

For reviewers to understand and evaluate your design fully, it’s critical to dive deep into your design solutions. I've reviewed portfolios that only had a single final screen, but a lot of the discovery process. Discovery artifacts are great, but if you are a designer, you should have more than just a single design screen.

Layouts, interaction models, different ideas of how to present the information on a screen are all important to understand how you think about design, and how you turn business requirements into a usable interface and layout.

Mistake #6: Not including results in your UX case study  

When creating case studies for your UX design portfolio, including the results of your product shipped is essential.  

While this may pose challenges in concept style case studies where tangible results aren’t available, it’s critical to highlight results when possible.   

If your product has shipped, follow up with the team to gather the results data. By doing so, you can provide a holistic narrative encompassing the entire design process, from start to implementation and impact.   

Mistake #7: Your images are too small or fuzzy.  

Images are pivotal to appreciate and evaluate your UX work. Unfortunately, it's common for portfolios to have final screens that are difficult to see. When it's hard to see the images, it communicates that you aren't proud of the work or that you're trying to hide details.

Portfolios are intended to highlight the nuances and craftsmanship of your work. By not using high resolution images, you're restricting the ability of the reviewer to make a decision on how well you can execute on the details.

Use high-resolution images that accurately represent the visual aspects of your work. You can also use modals to show the result with more detail on tap if your case study layout has limited space.  

Whenever I've seen portfolios with small or fuzzy images, I've passed on the candidate. Make sure you aren't being passed by fixing this small detail.

Mistake #8: Your work needs to be updated.  

I recommend showing UX case studies within a 3-5 year timeframe.   

Showcasing projects within the past 3-5 years highlights modern technologies, methodologies, and design approaches.  

It records your most recent achievements and positions you as a designer aware of the latest industry standards. In timeframes beyond that, the work might need to be updated. 

You can make an exception for a really, really, compelling project that was within an 8 year timeframe. Personally, I think 10 years and older is too long ago, unless you invented something. In that case, feel free to showcase it!

Mistake #9: Your UX portfolio is not aesthetically pleasing.  

Your UX design portfolio’s visual appeal is essential, as it reflects your brand. Every aspect of your design choices, including color palettes, layouts, and overall aesthetic, plays a role in presenting a cohesive and visually pleasing portfolio.   

Put your best foot forward so your portfolio captivates and engages reviewers. Typography, spacing, and composition, contribute to your portfolio’s overall visual impact and readability.   

By curating a visually pleasing portfolio, you’ll create a positive and lasting impression on your reviewers, showcasing your design sensibilities.   

An aesthetically pleasing UX design portfolio reinforces your brand identity and shows that you are a designer who understands the importance of visual presentation.  

This refers to the overall look of your portfolio, not necessarily the work itself. Aside from clear structure and organization, some work doesn’t lend itself easily to aesthetics. (Hello, B2B SaaS design!)  

Mistake #10: You need to provide more context for the design problem.  

As the expert who intimately understands your UX design solutions, the problem you’ve addressed may not be understood by people not in that role.   

In this case, you’ll need to provide your readers with the necessary background and context to understand the significance of your work.  

You can offer explanations, definitions, and relevant information so all readers are on the same page. This is about design communication and ensuring you meet your reviewers where they are.  

A concrete example from my experience is that I worked on a project geared toward Radio Access Network engineers.  

Since this isn’t a typical job for the general public, I defined what this person does and how they do their work so the reviewer of my portfolio can fully appreciate my solution related to the user pain points- beyond the regular problem statement.  

Keep these tips in mind when developing and maintaining your UX case study portfolio. Share your thoughts on what you struggle with or any other things you’ve noticed about UX portfolios.