How can you create a standout portfolio as a user behavior researcher?

1 Choose your projects wisely

Your portfolio should include a variety of projects that reflect your research interests, skills, and experience. You don't need to include every project you have ever worked on, but you should select a few that showcase your best work and your ability to solve different types of problems. Ideally, your projects should cover different domains, contexts, and audiences, as well as different research methods, such as interviews, surveys, usability testing, or analytics. You should also highlight your role and contribution in each project, and how you collaborated with other researchers, designers, developers, or stakeholders.

2 Tell a compelling story

Your portfolio is not just a collection of deliverables, but a narrative that shows your research journey and outcomes. For each project, you should provide a clear and concise overview of the problem, the research objectives, the methods, the findings, and the recommendations. You should also explain how your research informed or influenced the design or business decisions, and what impact it had on the users or the organization. Use visuals, such as screenshots, diagrams, charts, or videos, to illustrate your points and make your portfolio more engaging and memorable.

3 Showcase your skills and knowledge

Your portfolio is also an opportunity to showcase your skills and knowledge as a user behavior researcher. You should demonstrate your ability to plan, conduct, analyze, and communicate user research, as well as your familiarity with relevant tools, frameworks, and best practices. You should also show your critical thinking, creativity, and curiosity, and how you approach and solve problems from a user perspective. You can use

tags to highlight any code or scripts you used for data collection or analysis, or link to any publications or presentations you have authored or co-authored.
###### Tailor your portfolio to your audience
Your portfolio should be tailored to your audience and their needs and expectations. Depending on who you are applying to or pitching to, you may need to emphasize different aspects of your work or use different formats or platforms. For example, if you are applying to a job at a large company, you may need to focus on your experience with complex and scalable projects, and use a professional and formal tone. If you are applying to a job at a startup, you may need to focus on your ability to work with limited resources and iterate quickly, and use a more casual and creative tone. You should also research the company or client's domain, goals, and challenges, and highlight how your research can help them achieve their desired outcomes.
###### Update and refine your portfolio regularly
Your portfolio is not a static document, but a dynamic and evolving reflection of your work and growth as a user behavior researcher. You should update and refine your portfolio regularly, adding new projects, removing outdated or irrelevant ones, and improving your presentation and storytelling. You should also seek feedback from other researchers, designers, or mentors, and incorporate their suggestions and critiques. By keeping your portfolio fresh and relevant, you will increase your chances of attracting and impressing your target audience.
######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?