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DESIGN
PORTFOLIO
GUIDE
UTS Careers
A guide for all UTS studentsContents
What is a Portfolio? 4
“An interviewee should be
genuine and honest but Digital and Physical Portfolios 5
confident in their work. If
they don’t believe in their Design Portfolio Tips 8
own work we will be able
to tell. Being yourself, Assembling Your Portfolio 10
energetic and enthusiastic
to learn is most important”. Portfolio Tips Specific to 17
Individual Design Degrees
Architecture, Landscape Architecture 18
HENRY COOK and Interior Architecture
Designer at Interbrand, Animation 19
Fashion and Textile Design 20
UTS Alum Photography 21
Product Design 21
User Experience and User Interface 22
Design
Service Design 23
Visual Communication 23
Applying for a Design Position 24
Contact Us 28
2 Design Portfolio Guide 3What is a Portfolio? Digital and Physical Portfolios
A portfolio showcases your skills, Types of Portfolios Digital Portfolios Navigation
ideas and works as a designer. It is Navigation is something that needs to be carefully
Digital and physical portfolios are often both Digital portfolios are essential in the design industry.
a true reflection of who you are and necessary in showcasing your design work throughout A designer is expected to send through a tailored
considered for your digital portfolio. Ensure that
whoever enters the site will access every page that you
your vision of the world. the recruitment process. For example, you may send PDF digital copy of their portfolio in response to a job
want them to.
through a PDF ‘taster’ portfolio in response to a job advertisement at a minimum. Additionally, sending
ad and bring a physical portfolio to the interview. through a link to an online digital portfolio (own
Your portfolio provides evidence and website or portfolio hosting website e.g. Behance) is
• Points of entry – what will your viewer click on first?
Second?
examples of your accomplishments, Every designer has their own unique specialisation advantageous.
they are wanting to showcase. Their type of
skills and abilities as a designer. It is specialisation may determine whether a digital or Benefits of digital portfolios are:
• Organise a clear navigation route through your work
examples
how you demonstrate to others the physical portfolio is more appropriate. For example,
quality of your previous experience, your if you designed a web page it would be better viewed • Easily shared, accessed and distributed
• Ensure all links remain updated
live on the page itself. If you designed a piece of
professional growth and your ability to clothing, you would want the employer to be able to • Interactive experience with instantaneous
• Keep mobile versions in mind, your site should work
be successful in your field. It provides see it physically to get a real sense of the texture of the feedback and reviews
across different screen sizes
fabric and how the colours look.
insights into who you are as a designer, • Free or a reduced cost compared to physical
• Reduce the amount of clicking a visitor has to do.
your authentic ideas, your design For some designers, creating both is ideal, but be sure portfolios
Websites should not be tiresome to navigate
processes, work ethic and personality. to develop consistent branding across the two. When
through
digital and physical portfolios are utilised to each of • Increased ability to easily customise, update and
A portfolio should show an employer their strengths, the combination of the two portfolios reconfigure
• Compress images - to shorten their loading time
what you care about, so you can do can help you stand out to employers.
(e.g. don’t expect 5MB to upload quickly)
• Promotion of your work 24/7 and increased
more of what you are energised and In the job search and application process, you may visibility to employers
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
motivated by. be creating your digital PDF portfolio tailored to
the job/company, updating your website or online • No limitations on portability
Maximise your SEO by including certain keywords so
portfolio hosting website, and ensuring your social
Ultimately, the purpose of your portfolio, media presence is up to date (e.g. your design
more people can find your portfolio online. Search
Digital PDF Portfolio engines can’t read photos, so it is the metadata (text
is to get an interview or attract new related Instagram account). Additionally, you could
captioning your images) you include that will be
be updating your physical portfolio. The content
clients. It speaks for you before you get you select for each portfolio or platform will vary PDF portfolios are always tailored to the job or company searched. Minimal keyword rich text to describe project
pages and images creates that metadata you need to
a chance to speak for yourself. depending on the format, the intended audience and you are applying for, and are your most crucial job
be searchable.
what design skills, experience or process you would application document. They are versatile in that they
like to showcase. can be viewed digitally, uploaded onto a portfolio-
hosted website (e.g. Behance) and they can be printed. Additional tips:
The essentials of what to include in your PDF portfolios
are outlined in this guide. • Consider including videos and gifs to make people
stay longer on your web page
Digital self-hosted website or • Include links to your social media profiles and any
blogs you may have
portfolio-hosting website
• Test out your online portfolio with people in your
There are many options online where you can host your
network and ask for feedback
portfolio and showcase your work. You don’t need to
be fluent in HTML or JavaScript in order to have a great
• Share passion projects and versatility in other
digital portfolio.
design areas
Essential content to include:
• Look into password protecting any content not
open to the general public
A short bio about yourself in an About section
• Check your portfolio content works across all
Examples of your work
website browsers, Apple and PC computers, and
phone, tablet and computer layouts
Provide professional contact details in a Contact
Me section
4 Design Portfolio Guide 5“As a student, it can be tempting to Physical Portfolios How to Write a
include as much as possible. Just
include your best work. Poor projects Physical or print portfolios are your chance to become Professional Bio
more memorable and stand out to employers. The sky
will reduce the impact of your is the limit in terms of how to form a physical portfolio; The purpose of a professional bio is to tell a story about
amazing work”. from a portfolio book with a beautiful cover, to a set of your past, present, future and notable achievements,
cards or a paper infographic. Be careful not to make in a succinct and punchy manner while not sacrificing
your physical portfolio too fiddly, and keep the focus on quality.
JOSEPHINE BHIM your outstanding design work.
Succinctly describe who you are, and be yourself
User Experience Designer at Benefits of physical portfolios:
• This includes your mission, what you are interested
Cochlear, UTS Alum in, and words to describe your character or skill
• Ability to create lasting impressions on employers
through great craftsmanship sets
• Presentation of added depth where people can see, • Emphasise your unique selling points. Who you are,
“Tell a story that showcases the way touch, smell, and taste your designs what you do and why you do it
you think, and the way you work
• A sense of scale. The design or product can be • Mention any notable experience and achievements
with other people to get things (work experience, education, awards or other
better visualised when physically presented
done. That’s the part of you that recognitions in the design community)
people want to hire”. • Visually ideal for interview scenarios where
employers can flip through a physical copy. • Show you are a real person with personality and are
Reduces technology challenges that may arise by energised by what you do
TABITHA MING-SEE solely having your digital portfolio (e.g. three people
(CHAN) CHOR huddled around an iPad, or Wi-Fi disconnecting Tailor to your audience
Senior Consultant at The • Displays an extra level of care, dedication and • When you are writing, keep your audience in mind.
Customer Experience investment in your work Who are they? What do they care about? What
clients are you trying to attract? What language
Company, UTS Alum would they relate too (e.g. plain informal language?)
• Can you solve their problems with innovative design
solutions? How?
“A portfolio needs to look
professional and well put together. Choose a point of view
Page layout is SO important – you • Writing in first person gives your bio a more
can tell a lot about someone if their informal and friendly tone. Sometimes a personal
touch could be more interesting and compelling
portfolio has been planned and is to read (For example, “I am an innovative,
simple. Consistency throughout collaborative designer”)
layout is also key”.
• Writing in third person gives a more formal and
professional tone and is generally used when
TOM BUNTING someone else is introducing you (For example,
“Emily is an innovative, collaborative designer”)
Senior Projects Leader at
Smart Design Studio • End with a call to action
• Prompt your audience with what action to take
next. This could be to look over your work on your
website, or to contact you
6 Design Portfolio Guide 7Design Portfolio Tips
Preparing Your Portfolio Alumni Advice
Check List:
Your academic work is not only an assessable item
at university but can also be evidence of your design “The main step would just be to start with “Take more photos than you think you
1. High resolution image a clear way of managing all of the work.
abilities. Perfect for your graduate portfolios! need, also take better photos than initially
2. Clear image of work Clearly setting up a folder structure on the seems necessary. Often, you will be taking
If you take the time to continuously work on your computer and following it for each year. photos to document the processes for each
portfolio throughout your degree, you will have a more
3. Edited in Photoshop or Lightroom Maybe at the end of each year curating assessment. While a quick iPhone snap on a
curated and organised set of portfolio works by the
time you graduate. the work you would like to present in your cluttered desk seems sufficient at the time,
4. Avoid over cropping images of your work portfolio. Also set up an InDesign or similar it will make for a headache later on. It’s
UTS Design Alumni have some tips about what they document that you can drop stuff into as easy to forget that the photos you take now
would have done differently if they had their time again
at university.
Documentation and the years progress”. might sit in front of a prospective employer
organisation as a part of your portfolio after you’ve
HUGH MARCHANT graduated”.
Photography and your Document, scan and photograph your process while
Landscape Architecture
portfolio working and creating. This will prove a good refresher
for you when you create your portfolio. Remember an Graduate ALEX WATSON
employer may call upon any part of your portfolio to Integrated Product Design
Photos included in your portfolio should be of high
quality and be focused on clear images of your projects
discuss in an interview! Graduate
These photos will provide a good visual understanding
• Create easy access to your work through organised
of your project. Unlike you or your tutors, employers are
physical and digital folders
not familiar with the work and need images that give “I found myself forgetting about projects “Having something in your portfolio that you
them the best understanding of the work.
• Consider writing reflections on your projects once they were handed in and marked by worked on outside of your assignments,
to utilise when writing your portfolio content or my academics. If I had my time again, once a project that you developed yourself and
Make sure to:
preparing for an interview
the projects were completed I would have you’re proud of can be a really nice addition
• Take advantage of the photo media labs in Building documented these finals and produced that not only demonstrates your skills, but
6, Level 2 - book DAB photography studios as well
as SLR cameras, lights and light boxes online
Passion Projects a series of high quality/portfolio quality also your passion and initiative. It shows
photos with an accompanying concept that you’re willing to go the extra mile”.
Passion projects otherwise known as personal or
• Include simple, well edited photos - one clear image side projects are the best way for design graduates review”.
of the work is better than 15 close ups at odd to inject personality into their portfolios. They are EMILY NUNELL
angles creative projects outside your academic or professional KATERINA PIJACA Visual Communication
• Be selective about including mock-ups of projects
work that give you joy, fuel your creativity and Visual Communication Graduate
experimentation and give you confidence in your skills
- try not to use the same mock-up that you can see and creative voice. Additionally, they demonstrate Graduate
everybody using, but scour the internet for better your commitment and motivation for your design
quality and visually appealing works that will do specialisation outside your full-time university degree
your project justice or design job.
• If you are not confident with a camera, you can find Consider entering into design competitions to increase “I would have kept a more detailed bank of
tutorials on Lynda.com as well as asking friends for the number of side projects or passion projects you
help - it may take a few tries before you are happy documentary photos of process work and
could showcase in your portfolio. Passion projects
with the photos can be a great way to distinguish yourself from mock ups of finals throughout the year. All
other applicants as employers can recognise where the visuals and imagery would have allowed
• Take photos of your process and final through the graduates have studied based on the content of their me to showcase my work in a more in-depth
duration of your course portfolios. way”.
STEFFIE YEE
Animation Graduate
8 Design Portfolio Guide 9Tips for Assembling your
“Often portfolios simply present work
from previous occupations which Design Portfolio
don’t necessarily give you a feel of Your portfolio is a continuous project that will evolve You should be continually modifying and updating
what the prospective employee’s over the duration of your academic and professional these various versions of your portfolio:
own individual style and inspiration career. You will always need to be updating it with
new projects or design work aligned to your career • The ‘teaser’, shorter PDF portfolios sent out for job
is. It is important to show what you interests and goals. applications
liked or drew inspiration from in
A good portfolio is a narrated story about your key • The longer versions that you take to interviews and
previous positions and also develop skills as a designer that should clearly communicate can speak about more in-depth
your own work or projects that how a project was executed. It should include the
highlight your design aesthetic and process from the brief through to the research and • Digital portfolio or website.
development, to the final product.
perspective”.
What to Include in your
Tailor Your Portfolio
ALEXANDRA ROST Portfolio
Head of Design at Veronika Every time you apply for a job it is essential to research
the company and tailor the portfolio you submit based It is an individual choice on what to include and how to
Maine, UTS Alum on the role you are applying for. structure your portfolio. As a rough guide to the length
of a recent graduate portfolio is 15-20 pages.
“A stand out portfolio will be carefully When tailoring your portfolio make sure to:
Your portfolio should include:
curated, not full of every work ever • Highlight your strengths in light of the position
done, but selected work curated for being filled • Cover page (1 page) – includes name, professional
contact details and a short bio
the specific job they are applying for • Research the company’s work, approach to design,
and that really represents them as a previous and/or current projects and select your • Resume (1 page optional) – can be in a separate
workthat best aligns with what you have discovered document
designer”.
• Tailor your portfolio depending on where you are • Contents page (1 page optional)
PIRRA GRIFFITHS in your career and the narrative you’re advancing
• Examples of work (9 – 15 pages) – 3 to 5 projects, 3
(e.g. a recent university graduate showcases
Owner/Designer at Allerton academic work and a mid-level designer will have pages per project
Swimwear, UTS Alum no academic work. You may choose to showcase
a certain speciasisation in order to be a good • Contact page/closing page (1 page)
candidate for a specific role)
Job advertisements can also specify how long your
• Consider having a master portfolio where all your PDF portfolio should be, so make sure to keep to their
portfolio work is in one place. You can then select limitations. Additionally, portfolios attached to emails
“What makes a portfolio stand out is work from your master version to create shorter should not exceed 10MB as they can be blocked by
and more tailored versions when applying for email servers and take too long to download.
the progression towards someone’s different roles
own style and genre of choice
(whatever it may be). The viewer • Reflect on whether your portfolio shows the
employer the value you can add to their company.
knows a portfolio stands out when Do you need to add a personal project to this
he/she has to do a double take of portfolio to make your work more relevant to the
company?
the work”.
VICTOR MURUET
Freelance Photographer
10 Design Portfolio Guide 11Planning Your Narrative Selecting work to put in your Displaying a project
Ensure that your portfolio tells an honest narrative portfolio Each design project or ‘case study’ in your portfolio Some helpful tips are to:
of who you are as a designer. The work you present provides evidence of your creative mind, your design
illustrates to an employer your interests, skill sets, Every portfolio is both unique to you as an individual process and your ability to creatively solve different • Show your design process in a clear and
creative thinking, design process and the type of designer, and to the position you are applying for. design problems. understandable way
design that you want to pursue. It is important to remember that at graduate level,
companies are hiring you based on your potential, not A case study should use a mix of appealing visuals and • Say more with less: keep text minimal so that it
Your portfolio is not a random mix of work samples, but an extensive portfolio. written information to provide your target audience does not overpower the visuals
an organised and well thought out narrative or story of with enough context that they can understand the
you as a Designer. Here are two questions you could ask yourself when design problem and your creation of an innovative • Make the text enjoyable to read
deciding what work to select: solution.
When building your portfolio, make sure to: • Include annotations to guide someone through
• Does it represent the best of what I can do? Projects should include: your design process
• Plan the sequence of your projects carefully to
demonstrate your skills and experience as a • Does it represent the kind of work I want to be • A compelling title for your project • Be careful not to include any work that is under an
designer doing? Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
• The project brief
• Balance continuity and variety between projects Follow the tips below to guide you in selecting what • Always ask for permission to include work
work to put in your portfolio: • If the work was completed for university, for a client completed during internships or with an employer
• Present from the point of view as a designer or as a passion project
• Quality over quantity: The quality of work presented • Consider asking an individual in your network
• Display your process – your workings, your rationale in your portfolio is more important than the number • Your design process who isn’t a designer if they understand the
behind your creative decisions, your failures or of projects included in your portfolio. It should be projects and design challenges and solutions you
successes, your approach or your thought process ‘all killer, no filler’ • The final outcome – any anecdotal, client, presented in your portfolio
academic feedback?
• Insert your personality by including passion or side • Ensure you only include work that you are 100%
projects, but ensure that they match the quality proud of and confident about Always be honest about your role in any group
of your other projects and follow a proper design projects:
process • Start and end with your strongest works as
these are the ones that people are most likely to • What did I contribute?
• Be careful stating that you ‘specialise’ or have a remember
niche in a particular area of design. Specialisation • What was the problem I was trying to solve?
takes years to achieve and the majority of recent • Always aim to showcase your recent work
graduates from design courses go into junior • How did I tackle the problem?
design roles with very little experience • Select a personal or passion project to inject your
personality into your portfolio • What were the results?
• Update, refine or re-do your academic work before • Were there any obstacles?
inserting it into your portfolio
• Update, refine or re-do your academic work before
inserting it into your portfolio.
• Consider showcasing other design pursuits or
projects such as photography or illustration to give
you an edge, but make sure they don’t dominate
the portfolio
• Be careful of unsolicited redesigns that don’t follow
the design process or hold up in a real world
situation.
12 Design Portfolio Guide 13“Don’t try to be overly complicated
with your layout. Your work should Portfolio Design
sell itself, and not be drawn away by
ostentatious graphic design”.
Your ability to attractively package and present
information concisely is just as important as the
Showcasing your
content in your portfolio. Ensure the images, layout and
feel of your portfolio draws the viewer in. The devil is in
technical skills
SIMON MOORE the detail, so display your attentiveness in your portfolio Each area of design requires knowledge of different
Senior Industrial Designer design. technical skills, whether it is AutoCAD, Adobe Illustrator
at Dashing, UTS Alum Details to consider are:
or Maya. Ensure that you showcase the relevant
technical skills for your area of design and any that are
mentioned in a job advertisement. Be mindful not to
• How you will format your portfolio include a full page of technical drawings when one will
suffice. You can show more technical details and delve
— If printed, A3 landscape is more appropriate further into how you have mastered that skill if you get
to the interview stage.
— If on screen, a 16:9 ratio is more appropriate
“A portfolio is a way to make thinking
tangible for others to appreciate,
• Embrace white space and let images speak for Software used to design
themselves - don’t clutter pages with too many
whether it’s academic or not. Lay images or text your PDF portfolio
your thinking out in a way that • Avoid black or colour backgrounds as they are hard Utilise software and applications that have great
reflects how proud you are of to print multi-page layout abilities such as Adobe InDesign.
the work you’ve done. Use your Do you research into what design software suits your
• Simple, consistent design will always be more needs best. Most (if not all) graphic software programs
personality to determine how you successful than overcrowded and inconsistent can export a design as a high-quality, high-resolution
would explain your work and as a pages PDF that can be emailed to anyone you want to
demonstrate your work to.
result you will more likely present • Use a consistent grid across your portfolio
yourself authentically”.
• Stick with legible and simple typefaces: ensure key
text is prominent
SCOTT BURNS
• Choose a refined and limited colour palette
Product Designer at ustwo,
UTS Alum • Ensure that text sizes are readable across different
screen sizes and printed materials
• Consider introducing each project with a cover
page
“The most important thing is to have
beautiful images of your work and • Take inspiration from designers work or portfolios
let these do the talking. Let them you like but find your own voice
breathe on the page and don’t be • Be consistent in design across all job application
afraid to use a single image to fill an documents, including your resume and cover letter
entire screen/page”. • Think about whether a footer would be valuable to
guide your viewer through your portfolio (e.g. page
number, project name)
ALINTA LIM
Industrial Designer at King
Living, UTS Alum
14 Design Portfolio Guide 15Activity: Portfolio Tips Specific to
Your Design Process Individual Design Degrees
Conveying the journey of your project from the initial For each area of design (whether you study fashion
brief to the final outcome is important in demonstrating or UX), the design process varies. This activity takes
your design thinking process. You don’t need to include you through the common stages that most projects go
every single aspect of your process, but rather create a through and can be used as a guide for presenting your
story that is engaging, clear and takes others through own project in your portfolio.
the journey to your final result.
1. Project Brief
Explain what the goal of the project was, the clients and if there were any constraints. The portfolio tips in the first half of the guide are
applicable to students of all design degrees at UTS and
give you the foundation of knowledge to start building
and curating your portfolio.
However, there are additional portfolio tips relevant to
your individual design degree and specialisation. Check
2. Research them out!
Provide evidence of relevant research that informed your design process.
Architecture, Landscape Architecture
& Interior Architecture 18
Animation 19
Fashion and Textile Design 20
Photography 21
Product Design 21
3. Development User Experience &v User
Demonstrate the different iterations of the project in a refined and clear way. Interface Design 22
Service Design 23
Visual Communication 23
4. Final
Include a ‘hero’ image of the final outcome and highlight any features if necessary.
16 Design Portfolio Guide 17Architecture, Landscape Animation
Architecture & Interior Show Reel Seek help with the editing if it’s not your strong
Architecture Keep your graduate reel short, maximum one
point
minute Don’t use Flash –it’s not compatible with most
Ensure the reader knows what they are looking at. mobile devices and conveys that you are not up to
Explain how the building works and give the viewer Demonstrate your storytelling ability and speed with trends
a holistic understanding of it directorial skills by evoking some sort of emotion
through your reel Consider Vimeo, YouTube or your own website to
Have a balance of technical drawings, sketches host your reel
and photorealistic renderings to give a holistic Ensure you are keeping your viewer engaged
view of your project and entertained with different pieces that Create a specific thumbnail for your video that is
flow smoothly between one another. Consider eye catching
Play with size, contrast and texture for any continuity, cutting and staging as well as
illustrations you include demonstrating variety Keep download sizes small so your reel loads
quickly. Avoid compressing content so it is
Give images breathing room, they may require a
whole page to be legible
“I remember show reels that have Include scenes that show characterisation and pixelated or the sound distorts
acting by avoiding work that looks like a homework
a feeling of momentum. Engaging exercise Send a link to your reel and ensure any passwords
Showcase a diverse range of skills (particularly movement and visuals, especially needed to access your work are in the email to the
those listed in the job ad): Include sketches as well as finished work; to show employer
— Computer-Aided Design, drawing, when the different pieces flow
your understanding of concepts such as gravity
Animation/Video Stills smoothly into the next one. High and construction of anatomy Update your show reel, and always create a new
— CAD / Construction and technical
documents
quality personal pieces that are a bit URL link (e.g. to your Vimeo). If you have applied to
Give a sense of who you are and the type of art you the same organisation more than once, and you
— Original drawings or sketches (optional) zany and show your personality are like to do through your drawing, staging, lighting, use the same link, hiring managers will assume it
also memorable”. and value is the same old show reel and won’t be able to see
Include photographic evidence of 3D models. Only your progress
if they are of high quality Show your skillsets such as acting, posing, design,
BETHANIE MONTANO composition Portfolio
Have titles for your drawings
Junior Designer at Invisible
If you created a film in a team, be clear about what Demonstrate your knowledge of non-animated
Add in design boards or mood boards if Artists, UTS Alum your role was in each shot. Overlay it on the screen areas too (e.g. storyboarding, character design)
appropriate at the bottom of the reel instead of in a separate
breakdown document If you are specialising in illustration and concept
Find Architecture, Landscape Architecture &
Interior Architecture portfolio inspiration and
“You can always tell when a lot of art, consider stills on a website
Include an explanation of what you did and
resources at: https://uts.ac/portfolioresources thought has gone into the portfolio, describe what software you used to achieve the If you are a character artist, include expression
as the candidate has taken the time effects sheets for your characters (all angles, varying
to edit the images and text they expressions)
If you are showing 3D work, make the wireframe of
are showing to convey the type the models visible to show that you are modelling Provide examples of your range of skills by
of designer they are, rather than cleanly showcasing your process and practice through
sketches, life drawing, still life drawings etc.
cramming in everything they’ve ever Consider your music choice, it should match your
done”. show reel and not overpower your animation or Consider joining skills together, for example a page
distract the viewer. If in doubt, turn music off of figure drawings
KRISTY BALL Do not use copyrighted music, as your reel could Showcase other relevant forms of art such as
Architectural Division Lead be taken down because of it sculpting, photography, drawing and oil painting
at Hot Black, UTS Alum Insert credits at the end with your name and Avoid Fan Art
contact details
Find Animation show reel and portfolio inspiration
and resources at: https://uts.ac/portfolioresources
18 Design Portfolio Guide 18 19Fashion & Textile Design Photography Product Design
Your portfolio should demonstrate what your Present projects from start to finish. You can use Consider the purpose of your portfolio. Are Include a ‘hero shot’ of your final product outcome
specialisation is e.g. menswear, womenswear, some of the ideas below for each project, but don’t you shooting for a wedding, event, landscape,
active wear, etc. feel like you have to use all of them: architectural, or fashion? Show the process from initial concept to finished
product:
Showcase your diverse skills e.g. knitwear design, —Inspiration/concept board to show the origin Select only your best images and then help them
draping and patternmaking, textile design, and of your ideas and your research process stand out by not overcrowding them together on — Context of the project including the client,
illustrative techniques pages brief and constraints
— Ideation/sketches/fabric swatches: to show
Include a concept board for each project/series: how your ideas evolve, the design risks and Consider the mood, colour, composition, and — Ideation of the project through research and
problem solving journey movement of yoru sequence of photos to form a sketches. Include annotations to explain your
— The first piece in a series needs to show narrative design process
research and inspiration, usually in the form of — Design/fashion technical sketches to
a collage of various images, shapes, textures, demonstrate the design construction details Consider how your images work as a whole. Does — Development of the project including final
patterns, and colours that has inspired and technically, and to show your competencies the layout work for both landscape and portrait sketches, renderings, product elements and
led you to create the design. These images using digital design packages such as Adobe photos? features, and package design
can be your own, or they can be borrowed and Illustrator and Photoshop
referenced. Also in some instances, design Include titles/dates/short descriptions with your — Include an image of a usage scenario
process and development work can help — Presentation/fashion Illustrations to photos. Your audience want to know who or what
the reader understand the experimentation enhance visual appeal (hand or digital). These is displayed in the image and the context of the — Explain why you chose that outcome
process. should indicate colour, mood, and provide piece
an understanding of how the fabric will fall Demonstrate various skills including:
— Consider including physical artefacts. For when the garment is on the body Group your work into a similar theme or feeling e.g.
example, fabric swatches should be consistent mood, colour, and tone — Hand sketches
sizes and not fraying — Technical/construction specifications to
show you know how to write and communicate Demonstrate your range of technical skills as a — Photoshop rendering
Provide insight into your creative process with garment construction specifications and photographer by included a mixture of angles and
annotations details aspect ratios, moods and lighting styles — Illustrator line work
Take high quality images of your garments — Production/images of finished garment Print any physical photographs or portfolios on — Prototypes
and make the decision to use a professional to show how designs translated from high quality paper
photographer and model. If you do, make sure to inspiration to product Understand that not every project needs to
credit them in your portfolio Find Photography portfolio inspiration and communicate every skill
Find Fashion & Textile portfolio inspiration and resources at: https://uts.ac/portfolioresources
Demonstrate diversity by demonstrating that you resources at: https://uts.ac/portfolioresources Different projects focus on different aspects, one
can design collections for fashion houses with may be more mechanical, while the next focuses
different aesthetics and target markets on form
Evidence that you understand the client’s market, Any videos that are included should be clear,
customer, aesthetic and visually show them that tightly edited and not too long
you are the right designer for the job
Find Product Design portfolio inspiration and
resources at: https://uts.ac/portfolioresources
20 Design Portfolio Guide 21User Experience & Service Design Visual Communication
User Interface Design Show the design process from the initial research Remember that high quality, clear images of your
phase to the developed design proposition work are paramount
Demonstrate a visually-pleasing portfolio with For digital versions on webpages:
images and small chunks of text even if you are not — Include information on the context of — Don’t present scaled down versions of your
interested in UI or Graphic Design — Incorporate videos/screen captures and the project including the client, brief and work
gifs of how the design works as it is vital to see constraints
Clearly display your design process for each interactions and animated UI components — Try not to include fake mock-ups of work,
project: — Outline research strategies employed, they don’t convey it properly or provide an
— Use links to hide ‘clutter’ e.g. process books, including: sources of data, methods for accurate representation of the work
— The problem case studies, lengthy prototypes gathering and processing data, strategies for
ideation, methods for prototyping and testing — Select the right images that will tell the story
— Your role and who you worked with If you didn’t create any UI solutions, still show the design possibilities, and methods for gaining of your work
final outcome in your portfolio but make it clear user feedback at every stage of the design
— What tools you used that it wasn’t your work process Demonstrate skills across Adobe Creative Suite
— The discovery phases of how you went Find User Experience & User Interface case study — Include images, quotes or videos of: Convey the area of design you want to work in
about solving the problem inspiration and resources at: co-designing with existing service through the type of projects you include
https://uts.ac/portfolioresources participants;
— The process you used to overcome the mapping created from data; prototyping and Include live links for any works with motion/
problem. Such as lo-hi wireframes, proto feedback process movement
types, sketches, personas, user journeys, and
research Include behavioural archetypes or personas Demonstrate a good understanding and use of
developed, and information as to how these were typography
— The final outcome of both your work, and arrived at
what happened after it was handed in Exhibit attention to detail
Include scenarios of user interaction with the
Skills that can be highlighted: re-designed service, for at least one behavioural Vary your project types to show diversity and your
archetype or persona ability to adapt to a commercial reality
— Researching
Include the service blueprint Find Visual Communication portfolio inspiration and
— Content strategy resources at: https://uts.ac/portfolioresources
Demonstrate skills in:
— Information architecture
— Interacting with clients and users within
— Problem definition, constraints, product co-design contexts
vision — Facilitation of codesign
— Analysing user research data
— Visual composition including iconography — Communicating design possibilities
and imagery — Prototyping and testing design possibilities
— Front end development including building Find Service case study inspiration and resources
style guides, components, templates, prototyp at: https://uts.ac/portfolioresources
ing, optimizing performance and implementing
production code
— Testing and conducting usability tests
22 Design Portfolio Guide 23Applying for a Industry Advice
Design Position
“Typically when I go mot my first “The portfolio is the most important
Your essential marketing tool when applying for a
design role is your portfolio. It provides the best
Specific tips to create a round of interviews in the UX/UI asset for a designer to get an
evidence and examples of your accomplishments, design resume: industry I bring a pdf portfolio that inte-rview however during the
skills and abilities as a designer. However, it is just has a curation of 3 - 5 key projects. A interview the portfolio is a support
as important for your portfolio to be accompanied
by your resume and cover letter.
• Design your resume to be simple, readable and graduate can expect to talk through to the actual individual and their
visually pleasing
their process and role on a particular communication skills and the
Job application documents • Try to keep your student or graduate resume to one project. I recommend to structure way they present and express
page
the presentation using the STAR themselves”.
Your job application documents including your portfolio, method - Situation, Task, Action,
• Create your design resume using InDesign or
resume and cover letter, all need to have a consistent
look and feel. Ensure you carefully choose your colour
Illustrator rather than Microsoft Word as designers
are looking closely at the layout of your resume
Result”. MARIA BRIGANTI
scheme, typography, and visual elements. Upload all Environments Design Director
your documents as PDFs unless otherwise specified in
the job advertisement and double check any links to
• Provide professional contact details such as JOANNA GRYGIERCZYK at Frost*collective
your email address, mobile, online portfolio URL,
videos before sending your application.
LinkedIn
Senior Product Designer at
Bilue, UTS Alum
Be aware of Application Tracking Systems (ATS) that
• You are not required to provide a photo of yourself “The biggest thing to know about
scan text in your resume for keywords linked to the job
selection criteria. If your resume was made in a design
on your resume in Australia getting a job, is that you’re being
program (e.g. Illustrator) and is made up of pictures
• Stick to simple, readable fonts and clean layout
hired for a reason - to fill a gap in the
rather than text, the tracking system may not be able to team, to bring new energy, to help
read your resume properly. If you save your Photoshop, “Practice, practice and practice.
Adobe Illustrator or InDesign resume in the .jpg or .png
• White space is your friend the studio do the work it aspires to
Practice talking about your project
format, it won’t be scannable for the ATS. All layers
• Edit your content to be brief and compelling and do, to help shape the future of that
including the text will get merged so the software used in a clear and thoughtful way”.
to preselect fitting candidates will see your resume
don’t forget to spell check! studio. That means that you will get
as an image. With no text on it. As if you submitted a paid not to just turn up, but help
blank resume. Always save your resume as PDF to avoid
• Consider spelling out design acronyms. Your resume
may be viewed first by someone who may be
ZOEY CHEN transform the agency”.
these issues but be sure to research into the best way Senior Architect at HASSELL,
unfamiliar with design terminology
to export your resume to ensure it makes it through the
ATS.
• Provide evidence of your creative artistic
UTS Alum JASON LITTLE
background and technical skills Creative Director/Co-founder
Always tailor your application to the position and
company you are applying to. This requires extensive For The People
• Use colour carefully by making sure it enhances the
research into what the company’s mission, goals,
content and doesn’t distract the viewer
values, products and services, employees, online “My advice is to engage actively in
presence and other relevant information. You will
need to provide evidence that your interests, skills,
• Avoid overdesigning your resume with cutesy communities focused around the “To be honest if you’re at the
graphics, unclear illustrations, cartoonish fonts, industry they want to break into,
experience and knowledge align with and will add value
lots of colours and slanted type interview stage your work is
to the company. This can be achieved in your resume networking and who you know us probably good enough to be hired,
and cover letter by summarising your work or volunteer
experience, co-curricular activities and details of your
• If you choose to have a short bio/resume page in usually more important than the When I’m interviewing a candidate
your portfolio, you also need a full page resume
studies.
with all your details
skills themselves companies want I’m trying to establish if they’re
Please refer to the UTS Careers Resume and Cover
to know that you can work with the going to be a good fit within the
• Avoid rating your technical design skills through other members of the team and it
Letter Workbook (also found under the ‘Resources’ tab
a chart or skill graph. Rating your proficiency company, skills can be taught but
on UTS Career Hub) for information on how to write an
is very subjective. Let your portfolio show off helps immensely if someone you met attitude is something that is much
impressive resume, cover letter and email. You will find
valuable tips on what to include, how to structure and
your proficiency in the technical skills the job can vouch for you”. harder to instil in a candidate”.
advertisement requires
tailor your resume and cover letter documents around
the job advertisement, and what to mention in your job
application email to the employer.
RAYMOND LEUNG RICHARD MEADE
Creative Director at T&DA,
Associate Creative Director at
UTS Alum
Binyan Studios
24 Design Portfolio Guide 25Interview Networking Resources
A successful curation of your job application
• Research the company and interview panel Most employers will agree that job boards are not For a list of resources for different areas of design,
documents will leave the employer wanting to find out
members prior to the interview and tailor your the preferred way to source candidates for vacant please visit the UTS Career Hub info page here:
more about you, and result in an interview.
presentation to them positions. In fact, research suggests that up to 80% https://uts.ac/portfolioresources
Please refer to the UTS Careers Interview Skills of available jobs are never publicly advertised. This is
• Practice your presentation: failing to prepare because hiring managers like to hire people that they These resources include design magazines,
Workbook found under the ‘Resources’ tab on UTS
is preparing to fail. You need to be able to know, like and trust. They prefer to find candidates professional associations and online job boards.
Career Hub for detailed guidance on how to prepare for
communicate your ideas visually and verbally internally, through referrals or direct approaches.
an interview and how to address and answer different
types of interview questions. For these reasons, many hiring managers find
• Be enthusiastic, passionate, honest, creative, employees without publishing job advertisements.
memorable, punctual, positive, and most These unadvertised positions represent the hidden job
Additionally, in creative industries you will be presenting
importantly, be yourself market.
and communicating to an interviewer or interview panel
about how you approach complex design problems and
• Minimise technical issues and prepare alternatives The best way to access the hidden job market is
solutions with the aid of your portfolio.
in advance – e.g. bring your laptop charger so that through networking. So get out there as a designer!
it doesn’t run out of battery and save your work to
Presenting your design work in an interview:
your desktop rather than relying on Wi-Fi • Attend exhibitions or industry events
• Take your audience on a journey, but keep to the
• Prepare questions to ask at the interview • Have your own exhibitions
point as you only have a limited time
• Ask for feedback about your work • Enter competitions
• Know each of your projects inside out and be able
to speak about the brief, challenges you faced,
• Remember to relax! Be comfortable during the • Join professional associations
your creative problem solving/design thinking and
interview as employers are assessing whether they
your outcome
can see you working or ‘fitting in’ with their current • Be involved in your local community
team
• Be able to justify your design decisions – know the
why and how of what you have done • Follow the studios you love on social media
• Be able to critically reflect on your work and what • Join UTS Student Societies
you have learned about yourself or the design
project. Tell the employer how you would approach • Source an internship
things differently next time, or your learnings going
forward • Join online networking platforms such as LinkedIn
• Try to finish with a positive outcome that came from • Search for a mentor through industry networks or
the project such as an anecdote or the client’s through UTS platforms such as the Professional
feedback. It will highlight the work as more than Mentoring Program
self-expression
For more tips on how to approach a designer for an
• Be open about your role and collaboration if ‘informational interview’, how to use online networking
presenting a team project platforms to increase your professional network, and
how to access the hidden and advertised job markets,
• Avoid presenting the same projects you’ve already please read the UTS Careers Job Search Workbook
sent them, unless you are showing more details (also found under the ‘Resources’ tab on UTS Career
Hub).
• Prepare a couple of additional examples of work
not already sent through in your job application
“Personality is important, personal
branding isn’t”.
• Consider presenting files that may be really
interesting but not polished enough to make the
final cut of your portfolio CHRISTOPHER DOYLE
• Always be positive about your work when & CO.
presenting it
26 Design Portfolio Guide 27UTS Careers Drop-In
careers.uts.edu.au 10am-12pm
(02)9514 1471 (No appointment necessary)
careers@uts.edu.au
1.30pm-4.30pm
(appointments bookable via:
careerhub.uts.edu.au)
The University of Technology Sydney attempts to ensure the information contained in this
publication is correct at the time of production (August 2019); however, sections may be
amended without notice by the University in response to changing circumstances or any
other reason.
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