Update your UX portfolio over a single weekend by following these 5 rules
Updating or redesigning your portfolio can feel like a tedious task. You may be asking yourself questions like, “What if I’ll have a better project to write a case study on?” or “What if I’ll have to change it again in a year?”
Not only I’ve asked these myself, but I hear it from my mentees all the time. However, as designers, we need to be able to visually showcase projects we’re proud of, that represent our current skills and experience best.
Moreover, an outdated portfolio can be just as harmful to your career as a poorly designed product is to a business.
That’s why I’ve made it a habit to update and redesign my portfolio regularly, and I encourage all designers to do the same.
In this article, I’ll share with you 5 rules-of-thumb I’ve developed over the years, so you can approach this task more confidently.
1. Save a backup of your website’s ‘old’ version
When redesigning or updating your portfolio, it’s important to save a backup of your website elsewhere.
To save the latest version of your portfolio, you can export your web pages in json format and save them to your computer, or preferably, on a cloud like Google Drive.
I suggest you look up how to do this on your chosen platform (e.g., Wix, Squarespace, etc.).
By doing this, you can quickly retrieve the older version and have it up and running again if you encounter unexpected issues while updating.
2. Make sure you have an “Under Maintenance” page ready
If you don’t have a plan B to your website in case something along the updating process goes wrong, WYD?
Creating a simple “under maintenance” page is a matter of just a few minutes that could save you lots of headache, and potentially, opportunities from unexpected visitors to your portfolio.
Similar to a 404 page, an “under maintenance” page should include:
- Your logo
- Short text explaining you’re “currently working on your website and it should be up and running soon”
- Your contact information (email, résumé, Linkedin, etc.)
Lastly, it should all be in the look & feel of your website and personal brand.
3. Have all of your new assets ready in new, dedicated folders
Before you start updating your portfolio, it’s important to have all of the assets you’ll need for your newest version, or a new case study. This includes any new product images, screenshots, thumbnails (for your homepage), or other files you plan to use.
To keep everything organized, create new folders specifically for these assets. If you’re using Figma, you can do this when exporting your assets this way.
4. QA your website, or have someone else do it
Before you publish your updated portfolio, it’s crucial to test it thoroughly to make sure everything is working as intended.
This includes:
- Checking for broken links across your website, social media, and wherever your portfolio is showcased. These often happen from changing your website’s URL or your page’s slug.
- Browsing or previewing on a mobile device to check your site is responsive (or at least readable).
- Comparing your content and assets to assure your portfolio’s design and tone of voice is consistent
You can do this yourself by going through each page and clicking on every link, or you can ask a friend or colleague to test it for you.
Another option is to use an online tool like Google Lighthouse, which can scan your site and identify potential accessibility or readability issues.
5. Update your website’s social sharing assets
Social sharing settings affect the way your website and its different pages are shared across Messenger, Whatsapp, Linkedin, and more.
In the platform where you’ve built your portfolio, search for the “Social Media Settings” or “Social Media Preview” (it’s usually around where your SEO settings are).
Then, upload a ’Featured image’ for each of your pages.
Pro tip: For my case studies’ featured images, I usually use the thumbnail image that I’ve already created for my home page, in a 4:3 ratio.
This step is optional and totally up to you, but it’s really the ‘finishing touch’ for me when it comes to publishing new case studies or updating designs in my portfolio.
To summarize
I hope this article helps you approach your next portfolio redesign project with tools to work through it effectively and positively.
I encourage you to make this process a habit, so you can ensure that your work is always represented in the best possible light.
