The goal of this term is to make your portfolio website.

Every assignment & exercise supports that goal

Multiple milestones

1. Coming soon page — Today
2. Domain purchasing — Next week
3. Paper wireframes & pattern libraries — Weeks 4–6
4. Basic, JavaScript-free, version — Weeks 7–11
5. Final version — End of term

With lots of small filler pieces in between

Every week will add…

• Each week will add onto what was completed before
• Some weeks will provide in class Q&A and work time
• Some weeks will add new features like SEO, accessibility, video, etc.
• Some weeks will concentrate on testing

Everything is your portfolio

Make it personal

• This is your personal website—you are not a company
• Nobody wants to hire a competing company for placement

Have a goal

• You want to show off what you are capable of
• The more focused your pieces the better
• Remain honest: if you’re not interested in motion work, don’t show motion pieces

Even think about your dream job/company and target them directly!

Don’t overextend your code skills

If you’re not confident with code, keep your site simple

With very little code you can make an amazing site

Fewer & better

• 5–10 of your absolute best work
• Even just 3 absolutely stunning case studies

Case studies are best

The absolute best portfolio websites include case studies for every showcased work. Case studies are what employers are looking for.

Employers want to see:

• the purpose & goal of the project
• your different ideas & sketches
• your process & sketches
• the steps you took to get to the final version (& sketches)
• feedback and thoughts for the different stages
• and maybe the final version—but it’s less important

(As a by-product, you also can prove that you are capable of writing—an extremely important trait for a designer!)

Improve your work

What you currently have for a portfolio piece is not the best it can be.

• If your teacher gave you feedback—fix it!
• If you would do something differently & better—do it!

Your portfolio is a representation of your best work—so improve every piece.

Always be working

Every week you should be working on your portfolio—period

Start now!

Think about:

• your brand—fun? personal? corporate?
• what pieces to include?
• one page? many pages?
• how many pieces (~5–10)?
• everything!