How to Finish Your Design Portfolio (For Real)
Ah yes, the dreaded portfolio update. Always in progress, never complete. Every designer I know jokes about "revamping" their website every 3-6 months like clockwork, at yet is never completely happy with it. If you're tired of the endless feeling in the back of your mind, whispering that there's work yet to be done, then I have a few tips for how you can accomplish this project for good and never look back (well, maybe not for a few years, at least).
Here are the steps I followed to update my portfolio for real, and finally move onto bigger better things.
1 | Make It a Real Project
After reading "Start Finishing" by Charlie Gilkey, I had a realization why I never finished my portfolio. Because in my mind, it was a daily task on my to-do list that just never went away- like keeping a plant alive. You're never 'done' watering a plant. It’s something that must be maintained for the rest of its life. Now, while some maintenance may be necessary (like an ongoing blog, for example) if you put "update portfolio" on your daily task list, that's only going to serve as a source of stress. Because "update portfolio" is not a task that can be done in 2 minutes like say, watering a plant. “Update portfolio” is not a task. It is an entire project consisting of many tasks, some in a certain order. If you break it down into bite-size pieces and spread the project out over a few weekends, it’s much more realistic to an endpoint. So first things first, get real. Admit that it is a full-on project, clear off some space in your calendar and start planning the broad strokes.
2 | Find Your “Why”
Determine the primary objective of your portfolio. You may be thinking "a portfolio is just a place to house my best work". However, the purpose of every portfolio differs depending on your career goals and area of expertise. And "housing your work" is just one small part of what your site can do. Think about the actual end goal. Are you hoping to land an in-house job as a UI Designer in the tech industry? Are you launching an Etsy store offering custom hand-lettering? Those are two very different niches, audiences, and goals. And those differences can help you make choices more strategically. For example, maybe a sleek, modern site featuring app designs would better fit the first goal. But rustic, hand-made wedding invitations and calligraphy may be more relevant for the Etsy store. Your site should reflect the kind of work you want to be doing- so your future employers (or clients) can know what to expect.
3 | Break it Down Into Chunks
Chunk it down. Again, inspired by "Start Finishing". A crucial part of Gilkey's project-planning method is "chunking", or separating tasks into related "chunks". There's planning, copywriting, site mapping, taking photos, editing assets, designing the site, buying the necessary hosting, domain names, templates, etc. and so much more.
4 | Batch Like Tasks
If you're making a mockup, why stop at one? Edit all of the mockups in one sitting. If you're taking photos of some recent work, take full advantage of the lighting, camera & props already being set up and batch all of the photos together. You will save time by grouping like tasks together and doing them en masse, rather than piecemeal.
5 | Kill the Imposter Syndrome
At some point, you have to just decide it’s "good enough". Once you've checked for typos and hit "publish", it’s time to let your portfolio fly free. In the wise words of Leonardo da Vinci, “Art is never finished, only abandoned.” And there's nothing wrong with that. A large part of the reason why designers feel their portfolios are never 'complete' is that, well… they're not. A portfolio is a living breathing document of your career. And as you climb the career ladder, you start to outgrow your old work. That's okay. But if you put serious effort into representing yourself as best you can at this moment, then maybe you can be at peace with your site for at least a few years before the next overhaul. After all, if all you do is tinker with your old work, you'll be too busy and tired to take on new exciting challenges.
Those are my 5 tips for redesigning your portfolio! I hope these tips help you put yourself out there. Don’t let fear, overwhelm or self-doubt stops you from going after the career of your dreams. Remember, act as if your dreams have already come true and you’re halfway there.
