How do you showcase references in your design portfolio?

1 Why references matter

References can add value to your portfolio by providing social proof, feedback, and context for your design projects. Social proof means that your work has been recognized, appreciated, and endorsed by others who have worked with you or benefited from your solutions. Feedback means that you have received constructive criticism, praise, or suggestions that helped you improve your design skills and outcomes. Context means that you have explained the purpose, scope, and impact of your design projects, as well as the challenges, constraints, and opportunities that you faced and solved.

2 How to select references

When choosing references for your portfolio, you should consider the following criteria: relevance, diversity, and credibility. Relevance means that your references should relate to the type of design work that you are applying for or showcasing. For example, if you are applying for a product design job, you should include references from product design projects, not graphic design or web design projects. Diversity means that your references should represent a range of clients, employers, or collaborators that you have worked with, as well as different types of design projects, such as conceptual, commercial, or social. Credibility means that your references should come from reputable sources, such as established companies, organizations, or professionals, who can verify your work and vouch for your skills.

3 How to request references

When asking for references, you should be polite, respectful, and specific. You should contact your potential references via email or phone and explain why you are requesting a reference, what type of reference you need, and how you plan to use it. You should also provide some information about your portfolio, such as the link, the target audience, and the goal. You should give your references enough time to respond and thank them for their cooperation. You should also ask for their permission to use their name, title, and contact details in your portfolio.

4 How to format references

When presenting references in your portfolio, you should follow some basic guidelines: be concise, be consistent, and be honest. Be concise means that you should use short quotes or summaries that highlight the main points of your references, not long paragraphs or stories. Be consistent means that you should use the same format and style for all your references, such as font, color, and layout. Be honest means that you should not alter, exaggerate, or fabricate your references, as this could damage your reputation and credibility.

5 How to position references

When placing references in your portfolio, you should consider the following options: separate page, project page, or testimonial slider. Separate page means that you create a dedicated page for your references, where you list them in a logical order, such as chronological, alphabetical, or thematic. Project page means that you include your references within each project page, where you show them alongside your design process, deliverables, and results. Testimonial slider means that you use a dynamic element, such as a carousel or a popup, that displays your references randomly or sequentially on your homepage or portfolio page.

6 How to update references

When maintaining your portfolio, you should also update your references regularly. You should add new references from your recent or ongoing design projects, as well as remove outdated or irrelevant references from your older or discontinued design projects. You should also contact your existing references from time to time and ask them if they are still happy to be featured in your portfolio, or if they have any changes or updates to their testimonials or contact details. By updating your references, you can keep your portfolio fresh, relevant, and credible.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?