<aside> 💡 Adapted from a lecture for Design in the Real World™, a 2-semester portfolio class for seniors studying Interaction Design at School of Visual Arts (SVA).
Questions? Corrections? Other feedback? Talk to us.
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<aside> 💡 Note: Because this is interaction design, when we say “portfolio,” we are referring to portfolio websites. Get those static PDFs outta here!
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For designers like you who are newer to the industry, the goal of your portfolio website is to get you to the job interview. What do you want to tell hiring managers about yourself before they talk to you?
So your portfolio is not just a list of projects, it's for communicating who you are in a professional context. Designing your portfolio is a communication design problem.
Your portfolio at graduation is going to be more important than potentially at any time after—it's the biggest thing you have to vouch for your employability and skill. Early on in your career, a strong public portfolio can open doors you never even knew existed.
In the future, you might not need a public portfolio, once you have established a network, a shiny list of employers, and a reputation in the industry. (Hopefully a good reputation.) You’ll still have your past work, of course. But you'll often get your initial interview through your network and referrals. The portfolio will then play a different role — it will help you establish credibility or show your range after someone has already expressed interest. Here are some personal websites and portfolios of more senior designers...
Example: George Kedenburg III, a very senior designer at Facebook/Instagram, has a site links to past work and has a fun, memorable interface. It has some glitch effects too—check out the live site.
George Kedenburg III, iamgk3.com
Example: David Navarro, Executive Creative Director at Ueno NYC, has a bold site that functions like a digital business card.
David Navarro, navarro.co