I decided to host Group Portfolio Reviews on ADP List because many people were coming to see me on ADP List for portfolio reviews. I realized that my feedback would only be a fraction of what we all knew out there. The experience so far has been inspiring and amazing. I cannot wait to tell you.

Group Portfolio Reviews, Wynne Leung

Earlier in May, I booked a few sessions and simply called them "Group Portfolio Reviews". I created three sessions in May, one for every Wednesday, and only allowed for 5 participants. I thought I would use my group coaching skills learned at UBC to create a safe space for designers to come together, ask questions, and get help from each other.

To my surprise, all the spots were booked up within a few days. The waitlist had more than 12 people for each event, and I felt excited and shocked. I created artifacts to support the sessions as well as a fun takeaway: a checklist of items that helped me with my portfolio (I’ll let you know later how much that totally wasn’t helpful, later).

Adapting Strategies: Feedback and Experimentation

RSVP example sent to participants, Wynne Leung

In the first session, I was so excited. It was May 1st, and I was thrilled to see the 5 participants show up. To my surprise, only one person arrived. I felt embarrassed and guilty that this lone participant wouldn’t have the generative group experience. To my surprise, they didn’t mind at all. They were happy to discuss, and I was pleased to give feedback on their portfolio. At the end of the session, they recommended a great idea to me: to send a group email to ask people to RSVP to the event. I was so grateful for that feedback; I thanked them and decided to try that for the following week. I wasn’t able to "uninvite" people on ADPList, so I had to try something different.

I decided to experiment with two things:

1. Increase the number of participants from 5 to 25. I thought that if I did that, it would allow more people to show up in case they decide not to come.

2. Send out an email to ask people to RSVP to the event 48 hours in advance. I thought that if I did that, then I would get a better idea of who said they would come and who actually came.

Refinement and Results: Successful Implementation

I did both of these things, and in the end, I had 30 people who said they were coming on ADPList, and then 12 people said they would come. During today's event, there were about 12 people, and 10 people stayed the entire 90 minutes. The conversations were generative, exciting, and I felt amazed at how eager we all were to help each other. It made me feel happy and connected to my discipline all over again. We were all giving great feedback, and it was received with sincerity and respect. I think I really needed this, considering how things are at my usual competitive daytime job. It made me realize what a difference it makes when there is a system that enables people to behave a certain way; then they will.

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Looking Forward: Optimizing Future Sessions

The next session is next week, and I’ve updated the event’s attendance policies and notified participants that only 10 people will be invited to join. I’m feeling excited and grateful that I designed something that is really helping us with our design portfolios and creative process. It honestly makes me feel so happy. As for the one-pager takeaway. I learned that almost most of everything in that list wasn’t relevant to any of the questions people had about their portfolio designs.

I cannot wait for the next session on Wednesday! What about you, what has worked well for you in portfolio design and development?

More to come,

Wynne

Are you an aspiring designer eager to break into the field but unsure how to showcase your talent effectively? Your portfolio is your gateway to opportunities, serving as a reflection of your skills, creativity, and unique design perspective. As a principal product designer with years of experience in the tech industry, I understand the challenges that aspiring designers face when it comes to crafting a compelling portfolio. That's why I'm excited to share with you a comprehensive portfolio design outline that has proven successful in my own projects.

Portfolio Piece Outline:

Use this guide below to format your portfolio piece:

Title: What is the title of your portfolio piece?
Your Role: What was your role in the project?
Duration of Project: How long did the project last from start to finish?
Roles of Collaborators: What were the roles of the people you worked with?

1. What problem were you trying to solve?

• How did you determine it was a problem?

• How did you know it was a problem?

• Who is the problem impacting?

• What was the problem statement? Here’s an example: "I am a [user persona], I am trying to [achieve a goal], but [encounter an obstacle], which makes me feel [emotion].”

2. Why was the problem interesting to you?

Why did the problem interest you considering your role, team, personal interest, or design perspective?

3. How did you solve the problem?

• What process or framework did you use?

• Why did you choose this framework?

• What specific actions did you take to solve the problem?

4. What was the outcome?

• What happened after the project ended?

• What changes resulted from your efforts?

5. What did you learn?

• What aspects went well?

• What lessons did you learn?

• What would you like to experiment with next?

tips:

• Demonstrate a breadth of your design skillset, including cross-discipline collaboration, research, UX and UI design, product design thinking, content design, data analytics, and prototyping skills.

• Feature an end product shot at the top of the page so that recruiters can see how you reached the end of the project process.

Printout takeaway

Feel free to download this free resource below to create your portfolio.

In the busy world of creative industries, maintaining authenticity and individuality is not just a goal – it's a necessity.

I feel grateful to be exploring and reviewing many portfolios with designers. Yet, amidst this richness, I couldn't help but notice a concerning trend: portfolios that fail to capture the essence of the individuals behind them.

Every portfolio is an opportunity to showcase not just skills, but personality, passion, and perspective. It's a chance to stand out in a sea of sameness and leave a lasting impression. And while it may be tempting to conform to trends or mimic what's deemed "successful," true fulfillment comes from staying true to oneself.

By championing authenticity and creativity, we're not just raising the bar – we're redefining it. We're creating a culture where originality thrives, where every voice is heard, and where innovation knows no bounds. After all, we are creative people.

So, to my fellow creatives, I urge you: let your portfolios be a reflection of your true selves. Embrace your uniqueness, dare to be different, and never compromise on your vision.

Together, let's pave the way for a future where creativity knows no limits.

Join me on this journey as we elevate the standards of portfolio development, one creative expression at a time. Together, we can keep the industry vibrant, authentic, and endlessly inspiring.