The difference between a good portfolio and a great portfolio
Written 27th of February 2009, in Articles
For a designer, your portfolio is probably one of the most important websites you’ll ever make. Not only should it represent who you are as both a person and a designer but it should also display your work the best way possible. While redesigning my portfolio I came across many important questions that I believe every designer should ask themselves when creating a portfolio.
Part 1: What is your goal?
Goals and objectives are always important to define in all projects – also in your personal ones. They work as motivators, a way of measuring progress and makes sure that the focus is kept in the right places. To use myself as an example I defined my ultimate goal with my portfolio to get a internship in a great agency. While this eventually might not happen, I will do anything in my power to make it so. It’s not easy to figure out an ultimate goal but a good tip is to ask yourself where you want to be in 2-5 years.
Objectives can be smaller things, such as raising awareness of your name or get recognition through css galleries or just improve your business. My objective was in this case to make my name more recognized in the international design industry. I also had an objective of letting people get to know me better – something I’m working on with this journal.
When you have decided upon your ultimate goal and your objectives you should start considering how these are best obtained. If you already have you dream job and is simply looking for some attention your portfolio might look and work differently than if you are looking for your first job. In this article, I will concentrate on those who are in a situation where they are looking for a job, internship or a similar situation as I were when writing this.
Part 2: How should you present yourself?
Alright, so you are looking for a job. You’ve might have been working as a designer for years, or you’re new to the game. Either way it’s important to define what kind of first impression you want to give your visitors on your front page. An employer does not necessarily have as much time on his hands as you’d wish so your task is to create a good impression in matter of seconds. Introduce yourself and pick your words carefully. Tell them who you are and what you do in an original way – perhaps you can tell them something that they haven’t heard in the 200 other portfolios they’ve recieved this month?
Matt Dempseys has an informative and good looking introduction
Remember to define your tone of voice – do you want to sound confident, or perhaps a bit humble? Ask yourself what you would say if you met the CEO of your dream agency in an elevator and had 15 seconds of his time to introduce yourself before he rushed off to a meeting.
It’s not all in the words
The introduction is important, but we can’t let it be the only thing speaking your case. The front page should work as a great tease. After you’ve told a brief introduction, it’s time to show off your work. It’s crucial here to consider how you present it.
I'm attracted. Andrew Bradshaw presents his work beautifully.
Your assignment is to make your visitors curious – to make them beg for more. I spent hours and got a lot of important feedback on the thumbnails in my portfolio, which in the start were uninteresting and left nothing unsaid but ended up attracting more clicks and curiousity. Of course, a short description might be handy.
Part 3: Structure
Good structure is the key to a good website. You should try different ways of structuring your site. What information should be where? Perhaps it’s a good idea to display some work before your introduction? Should you sort your work alphabetically or start with the one that describes yourself best? I’ve done some research and it’s quite easy to see that most people only go through one, maximum 3 projects. It all comes down to understanding your visitors and what their needs are. When structuring my site I tried to put myself in the eyes of my future employer and understand what he’s looking for. I even asked some lecturers that visited Hyper Island. They all said that information about yourself, your work with short case studies (should include your role in the project), testimonials and contact information is crucial.
I’d like to say that you should structure your portfolio so that it requires as few mouse clicks as possible. If your visitors have to click 6 times to even get to your work, then you’ve done a poor job.
Part 4: How should it look?
When the ways of presention your work and yourself is set, and you’ve decided upon a structure it’s time to move on to the design. This part is extremely difficult to accomplish – especially if you are a designer. You are your worst critic, especially when it comes to your portfolio since this should in many terms be one of the best.
Things That Are Brown has a simple, yet powerful portfolio.
So, how should it look? A good question to ask yourself is: Should the design of your portfolio generate attention or should the work in it perform that task? In my opinion the second answer is definetaly the best, but I believe that a good mixture will do the job. Ultimately, it comes down to why it creates attention. I believe that a good portfolio gets attention because the design of it frames the work perfectly, without stealing focus but rather enhancing your work.
You shouldn't have to bring a compass...
There are even more important matters regarding the design of your portfolio. The experience! When a potential client, employee or the chief of your favourite award show visits, it’s absolutely curcial that you provide them with good navigation and structure. Wether your visitors wants to look through your work or find a contact form, it’s critical that you make it easy for them, and not the opposite by having an amazing flash menu that spins around counter-clockwise and changes color once you move your mose – even though it might look awesome... Keep in mind that you can’t expect anyone to wait around to figure out how you’re site works – it should be extremely intuitive.
Remember that people are busy and in general don’t have much time when visiting your site.
Vitor Lourenco leaves nothing questionable in his navigation.
Part 5: Don’t be stupid
Last and not least: Never put a box on your site that says ‘I’m not available for new freelance projects right now.”. Even though you are busy, keep in mind that your fantasy agency or Barack Obama might be looking for someone to do a job – and you’re just telling them to back off.
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Feb. 27, 2009
John
What would you suggest to people who don't have much to display in their portfolio? I see more and more designers out there with only three - four samples, some create made up creative pieces, some concentrate their skills into their design, but I wanted to know what you're suggestion would be.
Beautiful redesign by the way, love the layout and color scheme.
Cheers, John
Feb. 27, 2009
Alexander Radsby
Didn't Smashing Magazine put a similiar article out? =)
Feb. 27, 2009
Ole Martin Kristiansen
I believe they did post a similiar article. But I've been writing on this for the past two weeks and I believe that there's never enough information about a subject like this. People are so anxious about how they should present themselves so I wanted to share my views. If you think I copied their article I beg to differ.
But yes, perhaps the timing was a bit unlucky!
Feb. 28, 2009
Alex
Nice read, I am currently in the process of designing and building my portfolio so good timing!
Love the site by the way, got here via styleboost :)
March 2, 2009
Matías
Great article, especially for me at the moment. The truth is, as you say, taht for a designer his own portfolio is an amazingly difficult thing to accomplish, figure out that it is the final project at the university I attended! Thanks for sharing Ole!
March 4, 2009
Robin
Really great and practical guide you have written. I like your honesty, especially about not being stupid. I've come across several portfolios where people mention they're not available. How silly is that.
March 6, 2009
Stu McDonald
Great article - just what I need when I'm planning a major overhaul of my portfolio - thanks!
March 13, 2009
Aaron Shapiro
Very nicely written article.
One could probably write a book on how to design an online portfolio, but if I could suggest one thing for a new designer to focus on it would be developing a unique visual identity that encompasses every element of the site. In terms of content, sure, the work should take center stage. But that said, I've seen so many minimal, black-and-white portfolios that use a single typeface with very few treatments. They all blend together – even if the work is good.
Your site is memorable, for instance, because of some really outstanding typographic and color choices. It's clear to me that you had a certain feel in mind and you meticulously went through every bit of type to ensure it all fit together.
Keep up the good work!
March 19, 2009
IGMAR
I think all that is very nice. But it is also a copy and paste of the common stuff you find on every webdesigner page. I hope one day webdesign will be consider for itself. I mean a powerfull communication tool and not way to sell you to the ceo of your dream. But i also sadely know what you mean where the youth go ? Sorry for my english parisian webagency designer
March 23, 2009
Greg Wallace
Good post Ole! Very well thought out and structured information. It's always hard to please yourself with your own portfolio I find. I'll keep your article marked for looking at again when I'm next re-designing my site. It has given me quite a few ideas for improvements.
March 23, 2009
Ole Martin Kristiansen
Cool that you liked the post Greg. Come back when you've designed your new portfolio and let me have a look!