What projects should be in UX portfolio?
A UX (User Experience) portfolio is more than just a collection of designs or wireframes — it's a storytelling tool that showcases your thought process, problem-solving ability, and understanding of user-centered design. Whether you're a fresh graduate looking to land your first UX job or a seasoned designer aiming to advance your career, the projects you choose to feature in your portfolio can significantly influence how hiring managers perceive your capabilities.
In this article, we’ll explore what types of projects should be included in a UX portfolio, why each one matters, and how to present them effectively to make a lasting impact.
A UX (User Experience) portfolio is more than just a collection of designs or wireframes — it's a storytelling tool that showcases your thought process, problem-solving ability, and understanding of user-centered design. Whether you're a fresh graduate looking to land your first UX job or a seasoned designer aiming to advance your career, the projects you choose to feature in your portfolio can significantly influence how hiring managers perceive your capabilities.
In this article, we’ll explore what types of projects should be included in a UX portfolio, why each one matters, and how to present them effectively to make a lasting impact.
Why Your UX Portfolio Matters
Before diving into the types of projects to include, it's essential to understand the purpose of a UX portfolio:
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Demonstrates your process: Employers want to see how you approach design challenges — from research and ideation to prototyping and testing.
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Showcases your versatility: A well-rounded portfolio illustrates your ability to tackle various problems across different domains.
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Reveals your communication skills: How you present your work can be just as important as the work itself.
Before diving into the types of projects to include, it's essential to understand the purpose of a UX portfolio:
-
Demonstrates your process: Employers want to see how you approach design challenges — from research and ideation to prototyping and testing.
-
Showcases your versatility: A well-rounded portfolio illustrates your ability to tackle various problems across different domains.
-
Reveals your communication skills: How you present your work can be just as important as the work itself.
Essential Projects to Include in a UX Portfolio
1. End-to-End UX Case Study
This is the backbone of any UX portfolio. A comprehensive case study should walk through the full design process of a project, including:
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Problem statement: What issue were you trying to solve?
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User research: How did you gather insights? Interviews, surveys, or usability testing?
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Personas and journey maps: How did you represent the users’ needs?
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Ideation and wireframes: What were your initial concepts?
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Prototyping and testing: How did you validate your ideas?
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Final design and outcomes: What was delivered, and what impact did it have?
Why it matters: It shows your ability to manage a project from discovery to delivery and reflects your understanding of the complete UX lifecycle.
Tip: Even if it's a personal or academic project, focus on clearly explaining your thought process and decisions.
This is the backbone of any UX portfolio. A comprehensive case study should walk through the full design process of a project, including:
-
Problem statement: What issue were you trying to solve?
-
User research: How did you gather insights? Interviews, surveys, or usability testing?
-
Personas and journey maps: How did you represent the users’ needs?
-
Ideation and wireframes: What were your initial concepts?
-
Prototyping and testing: How did you validate your ideas?
-
Final design and outcomes: What was delivered, and what impact did it have?
Why it matters: It shows your ability to manage a project from discovery to delivery and reflects your understanding of the complete UX lifecycle.
Tip: Even if it's a personal or academic project, focus on clearly explaining your thought process and decisions.
2. Redesign of an Existing Product
Redesigning a well-known website or app is a great way to demonstrate your UX thinking, even if you don’t have access to real-world data.
For example, you might:
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Analyze usability issues on an e-commerce site.
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Conduct user research through interviews or reviews.
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Propose a redesign that improves navigation, accessibility, or performance.
Why it matters: Employers appreciate initiative and problem-solving. This also helps highlight your visual design and critical analysis skills.
Tip: Always justify your decisions with reasoning or evidence — don’t redesign just for aesthetics.
Redesigning a well-known website or app is a great way to demonstrate your UX thinking, even if you don’t have access to real-world data.
For example, you might:
-
Analyze usability issues on an e-commerce site.
-
Conduct user research through interviews or reviews.
-
Propose a redesign that improves navigation, accessibility, or performance.
Why it matters: Employers appreciate initiative and problem-solving. This also helps highlight your visual design and critical analysis skills.
Tip: Always justify your decisions with reasoning or evidence — don’t redesign just for aesthetics.
3. Mobile App UX Project
Mobile UX has its own unique challenges such as limited screen space, gesture-based interactions, and platform-specific design principles.
Include a project that:
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Focuses on mobile-first design principles.
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Solves a specific user need.
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Considers accessibility and responsive design.
Why it matters: Mobile usage continues to rise, and hiring managers often want to see how well you adapt to mobile constraints.
Tip: Emphasize how you optimized for different screen sizes, user flows, and performance.
Mobile UX has its own unique challenges such as limited screen space, gesture-based interactions, and platform-specific design principles.
Include a project that:
-
Focuses on mobile-first design principles.
-
Solves a specific user need.
-
Considers accessibility and responsive design.
Why it matters: Mobile usage continues to rise, and hiring managers often want to see how well you adapt to mobile constraints.
Tip: Emphasize how you optimized for different screen sizes, user flows, and performance.
4. UX Research Project
While many portfolios focus heavily on visual design, demonstrating strong UX research skills sets you apart.
Include a project where you:
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Conducted user interviews, usability tests, or heuristic evaluations.
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Analyzed data and turned it into actionable insights.
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Helped shape product direction based on findings.
Why it matters: Strong research informs great design. Companies value designers who make data-driven decisions.
Tip: Present charts, quotes, and personas in a clean format. Explain how insights impacted the design.
While many portfolios focus heavily on visual design, demonstrating strong UX research skills sets you apart.
Include a project where you:
-
Conducted user interviews, usability tests, or heuristic evaluations.
-
Analyzed data and turned it into actionable insights.
-
Helped shape product direction based on findings.
Why it matters: Strong research informs great design. Companies value designers who make data-driven decisions.
Tip: Present charts, quotes, and personas in a clean format. Explain how insights impacted the design.
5. Collaborative or Cross-Functional Project
If you've worked on a team with developers, product managers, or other designers, highlight this experience.
Include details on:
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How you collaborated and communicated.
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What tools and methods you used for handoff.
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How feedback loops were handled.
Why it matters: UX is not a siloed role. Employers want to see that you can work well in a team environment and contribute to a shared goal.
Tip: Use this project to reflect on how team dynamics influenced your design process.
If you've worked on a team with developers, product managers, or other designers, highlight this experience.
Include details on:
-
How you collaborated and communicated.
-
What tools and methods you used for handoff.
-
How feedback loops were handled.
Why it matters: UX is not a siloed role. Employers want to see that you can work well in a team environment and contribute to a shared goal.
Tip: Use this project to reflect on how team dynamics influenced your design process.
6. Personal or Passion Project
These projects showcase your initiative, creativity, and what you're passionate about. Whether it's an app for mental wellness, a tool for accessibility, or a game interface — these can help express your personality and design values.
Why it matters: Passion projects reveal what drives you as a designer and your ability to manage independent work.
Tip: Don’t shy away from showing "unfinished" or iterative work — it reflects your commitment to improvement.
These projects showcase your initiative, creativity, and what you're passionate about. Whether it's an app for mental wellness, a tool for accessibility, or a game interface — these can help express your personality and design values.
Why it matters: Passion projects reveal what drives you as a designer and your ability to manage independent work.
Tip: Don’t shy away from showing "unfinished" or iterative work — it reflects your commitment to improvement.
7. Usability Testing or A/B Testing Project
If you've done any work with usability testing or conducted A/B testing on UI elements, include this as a separate, focused project.
Highlight:
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What hypotheses you tested.
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How the testing was conducted.
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What results you observed.
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What changes were made as a result.
Why it matters: Demonstrates your analytical thinking and ability to measure success.
If you've done any work with usability testing or conducted A/B testing on UI elements, include this as a separate, focused project.
Highlight:
-
What hypotheses you tested.
-
How the testing was conducted.
-
What results you observed.
-
What changes were made as a result.
Why it matters: Demonstrates your analytical thinking and ability to measure success.
How Many Projects Should You Include?
Quality over quantity is key. It’s better to have 3–5 solid case studies that showcase your depth and process than a dozen superficial ones. Choose projects that best represent your range and core strengths — and tailor them to the roles you're applying for.
Quality over quantity is key. It’s better to have 3–5 solid case studies that showcase your depth and process than a dozen superficial ones. Choose projects that best represent your range and core strengths — and tailor them to the roles you're applying for.
Tips for Presenting UX Projects
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Tell a story: Use a clear narrative structure — beginning (problem), middle (process), and end (solution and results).
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Be honest: Share what went well, what didn’t, and what you learned.
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Use visuals wisely: Include wireframes, flowcharts, and screenshots to support your story, not overwhelm it.
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Keep it scannable: Break up text with headings, bullets, and highlights.
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Add context: Don’t assume the viewer knows your role — specify what you did versus what the team did.
-
Tell a story: Use a clear narrative structure — beginning (problem), middle (process), and end (solution and results).
-
Be honest: Share what went well, what didn’t, and what you learned.
-
Use visuals wisely: Include wireframes, flowcharts, and screenshots to support your story, not overwhelm it.
-
Keep it scannable: Break up text with headings, bullets, and highlights.
-
Add context: Don’t assume the viewer knows your role — specify what you did versus what the team did.
Mistakes to Avoid
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Only showing final screens without context.
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Not explaining your design choices.
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Using jargon or overcomplicating your process.
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Ignoring real user feedback.
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Having outdated or inconsistent content.
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Only showing final screens without context.
-
Not explaining your design choices.
-
Using jargon or overcomplicating your process.
-
Ignoring real user feedback.
-
Having outdated or inconsistent content.
Final Thoughts
Your UX portfolio is your gateway to career opportunities. It’s not just about pretty screens — it’s about how you solve problems, empathize with users, and make data-informed decisions. By including a mix of project types — from full case studies to mobile apps and research-driven work — you'll show a well-rounded, thoughtful approach to UX design.
Focus on clarity, authenticity, and storytelling. Let your passion and process shine through, and your portfolio will do more than just impress — it will connect.
Your UX portfolio is your gateway to career opportunities. It’s not just about pretty screens — it’s about how you solve problems, empathize with users, and make data-informed decisions. By including a mix of project types — from full case studies to mobile apps and research-driven work — you'll show a well-rounded, thoughtful approach to UX design.
Focus on clarity, authenticity, and storytelling. Let your passion and process shine through, and your portfolio will do more than just impress — it will connect.
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