Building a Portfolio That Actually Works

Tips for designers who want to stand out 👾

Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels

This article pairs nicely with my previous post, “A Comprehensive Guide to Game UX”. If you haven’t read that one, I suggest checking it out.

Every now and then I get messages from designers asking me to review their portfolio or share tips for building one. My first reaction isn’t great, since it reminds me how neglected my own portfolio is, but after that moment of guilt I usually share the same advice. So let’s make it easier for both sides and put everything into this article.

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Why is it so difficult? 🫠

If you’ve ever built a portfolio, you know it’s harder than it looks.
Designing for others is easy, designing yourself is chaos.

Your portfolio can summarize your journey even if you’re not looking for a new job. But for this post, let’s assume your portfolio is the interface between you and your next opportunity.

My advice boils down to two principles:

• Use a what / why / how structure to explain your thinking.

• Quality beats quantity. Three great projects are better than ten “okay” ones.

Let’s unpack these and a few more tips so you can take action right now.

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1. Treat it like a product 🎮

Your portfolio solves a user problem.

• User: recruiter or hiring manager

• Goal: understand who you are, what you do, and how you think

• Success metric: getting the next conversation

Approach it like any design challenge. Keep it clear, focused, and easy to explore.

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2. Tell a story, not just show screens ✏️

People don’t hire pixels, they hire thinkers. Each project should explain:

• The problem

• Your role

• The process

• The impact

Whenever possible, back up your work with numbers (e.g. “reduced drop-off by 15%”), but even qualitative outcomes count. What matters most is showing how you think and the impact of your actions, not just what you built.

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3. Make it a workshop, not a museum 🛠️

Skip static galleries. Show thinking in motion with sketches, wireframes or prototypes.

For UX/UI designers, balance visuals with reasoning. Explain why something looks the way it does, that’s what turns “pretty” into “purposeful.”

And please, keep it curated. Nobody needs to see every project you’ve ever done.

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4. Write like a human 💬

Avoid things like “leveraged insights to enhance experiences.” Say what really happened: “Players were confused by X, so I simplified Y.”

Your writing reflects your design maturity. In a sea of AI-generated text, your own tone and honesty make a difference. Don’t forget that this is where people check for fit, your words give a sense of who you are. The idea is simple: good writing = good UX.

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5. Keep it short, not shallow ⏱️

Focus on quality, not a minimum number of projects. Make sure each one follows a clear what / how / why structure so readers instantly understand your reasoning.

If you’re new to the industry, it’s fine to make your own briefs or redesign an existing game as a case study. Personal projects are also fine, as long as you know what they’re meant to communicate, whether it’s UI creation, prototyping, or implementation skills.

If you’re more focused on UX than UI, include visuals from the team when needed, just credit your collaborators and clarify your role. That transparency shows collaboration skills, something that adds a lot of value.

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6. Choose the right format 🚀

Early career? Notion, Medium, ArtStation, or Behance will work well.
More senior? A simple website feels more professional.

Whatever you use:

• Keep navigation simple

• Make it mobile-friendly

• Add contact info

Tailor your top projects to each role. Match your platform to your craft. ArtStation suits visual-heavy work, while Notion or personal sites fit UX or research cases better.

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📝 Final Notes

A strong portfolio isn’t about showing everything, it’s about showing how you think.

If someone closes your page and says, “I get how this person solves problems,” you’ve done your job. For my part, I hope this gives me the push to finally update my own portfolio so I can stop feeling like an impostor when I talk about this topic 😂

Got a great portfolio or an extra tip to share? Drop it in the comments.

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