My portfolio
Designing a user-friendly website to showcase my portfolio that highlights my skills and thought process.
My role
User researcher
UX/UI designer
Timeline
3 weeks
April - May 2021
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I designed "skim mode"
PROTOTYPING & TESTING
One of the features I am excited about is "skim mode". Based on my research, I found out that the majority of hiring managers skim through a portfolio as they usually have to go through a large number of applications in a week.
The inspiration for the implementation of "Skim mode" came from a feature called "Dark mode" which was all the rage last year. Unlike Dark mode which completely changes the whole UI to a darker color scheme, "Skim mode" Lightens out only the supplementary content leaving the important parts so that the user can quickly glance through the whole page and get the gist.
Usability Test results coming soon
I am testing this feature with industry experts before implementing it on the live site. I am using the clickable prototype I made on Figma along with Maze to conduct unmoderated usability tests. Please feel free to experience the prototype below.
The redesign mitigates these painpoints
The redesigned linear user flow takes the user through all the projects without the need to make decisions or remember which project has already been viewed.
Painpoints in the above flow
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Redundancy of visiting the same page. The user has to go back to the projects page and start over every time.
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Increases cognitive load by asking users to choose projects with minimum context.
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Increases cognitive load as the user has to remember the projects already viewed.
I simplified the flow
USER FLOWS
I looked at more than 20+ UX portfolios and found that most of these sites had a common flow. I created a user flow diagram based on the most common site structure and sure enough, found opportunities for improvement.
I spoke to industry experts
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It is not about pretty pictures. Thinking and reasoning is important.
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Avoid made-up projects. (mock projects that have not been researched)
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People usually skim through portfolios.
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Avoid large paragarphs of text. Most people skip texts.
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The worst thing you can do is design a portfolio with bad UX
“Be honest about the part you have played in a group project --- I’m looking for conceptually strong projects (2-3) --- Keep texts to a minimum”
Industry liaison
“I am looking for a good brain --- how open is your mindset --- show me the process & thinking --- I will only skim through a portfolio”
Yvonne Shek, Professor & UX Leader
INTERVIEWS & QnA SESSIONS
Though I found a lot of information by searching the internet, I wanted to really understand the nuances of a hiring process so I spoke to some industry experts like my professor, industry liaison, placement officer & recruiters.
Secondary research sources
I found a lot of advice on the internet.
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A portfolio should make a stranger believe in your skills.
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It should convey your process and thinking.
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It is advised to avoid design and portfolio cliches
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80% of recruiters spend 3 minutes of less while design managers spend a little longer.
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Don’t overload projects with every screen designed.
SECONDARY RESEARCH
As part of my secondary research, I searched the internet to find information on what a good portfolio looks like. I found multiple sources like career coaches and fellow designers who share helpful tips and advice. An unexpected outcome from this process was that I found many design communities and thought leaders to follow. From my research, I found the following insights-
How might I design a user-friendly website that showcases my skills as a UX designer to potential hiring teams?
The story
Towards the end of my winter semester, I decided to start working on an online portfolio. As a student of design, I wanted to find the most effective way to showcase my skills. I quickly realized that building my portfolio was indeed a design problem and decide to approach it as one. As I started working towards my portfolio, I learned a lot and wanted to make a case study about the whole process. I ended up building this website and am currently testing a new feature that I intend to incorporate soon.
Final design
LIVE SITE
You are currently experiencing the live site. I will publish the test results after analysis and further implement the "skim mode" feature if the data supports it. You can know a little more about me by clicking the link below.
Hello! my name is Godwin Joseph
I am a user interface and experience designer. You can find more about me here.
Allow me to take you through 3 of my recent projects
But first, please reduce your browser width for a seamless experience
About me
A little about myself
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