1. How To Build Your
ID Portfolio
Based off
The Portfolio Handbook, UCID ‘12
10 Essential Tips for Creating that Killer Portfolio, Brian long
Portfolio basics, Carly Hagins

2. What Are “They” Looking For
And what should you include in your portfolio

3. Skills to show

4. Know Your Audience
You only get a few seconds
to impress them

5. Show only your best work
Start on a high note; end on a high note
Don’t include work you aren’t confident in

6. How To Begin
And create order

7. Don’t be boring!
Tailor the voice of your portfolio
to fit your personal design style

8. Tell a story with your product visualization
But keep each page clean and concise

9. Establish Order
Is the most important content
the most prominent?
How does the focus relate
to the content around it?

10. Putting The Document Together
And making it look professional

11. Use InDesign
It’s the best program. Period.

12. Use Grids to layout your content
It’s critical to have a consistent and logical
alignment throughout your portfolio

13. Only use 2 typefaces
Sans-Serif works good for titles and taglines
Serif works well for large paragraphs of text

14. Less is more!
No crazy logo’s, fonts or punctuation
Let people focus on your work

15. Overall layout

16. Keep your resume clean and concise

17. Show only your most recent top 10 projects

18. Telling Your Story
Your portfolio is a conversation. How you lay it out is how helps direct that
conversation.

19. Chronological Method
The traditional method for storytelling

20. Product Manual Method
For when you just want to
showcase your final solution

21. Skill highlight method
When you just want to showcase
what your great at

22. Cover page/Problem Statement
Don’t overdo the graphic content
Keep message simple and unique

23. Research
Make your most important
thoughts stand out quickly
Highlight the issues you honed in
on
Use research to demonstrate how
you think about problems

24. Ideation
Don’t just cover pages with sketches
Link your research to your sketches
and communicate your thought process

25. Sketches
Vary the sizes of the sketches (important
sketches are the biggest) and overlap
them to lead the viewers
Add shading and a touch of color to make
certain sketches stand out but don’t over-
do it

26. Finalization
Here is your chance to show off your final design

27. On A Final Note
Finishing up your portfolio

28. Ask for Feedback
Learn from your peers, professors
and professionals

29. Digital vs. Print
Design your portfolio based on your medium

30. It’s a living document
Update your portfolio every 6-12 months