How can you showcase your UX research skills in a portfolio without violating NDAs?

1 Understand the scope of NDAs

Before you start working on your portfolio, you need to review the NDAs that you have signed and understand what they allow and prohibit you from sharing. Some NDAs may be very strict and forbid you from mentioning the name of the project, the client, the industry, or the specific features or findings. Others may be more flexible and allow you to share some general information or anonymize the data or visuals. If you are not sure, you can always contact the client or your former employer and ask for their permission or guidance on what you can include in your portfolio.

2 Focus on your process and skills

One of the main goals of a UX research portfolio is to showcase your process and skills, not just the final outcomes or deliverables. Therefore, you can highlight how you planned, conducted, analyzed, and communicated your research, without revealing any sensitive or confidential information. For example, you can describe the research questions, methods, tools, and techniques that you used, the challenges that you faced and how you solved them, and the impact that your research had on the project or the business. You can also use generic or hypothetical names and scenarios to illustrate your process and skills, as long as they are relevant and realistic.

3 Use placeholders and blur effects

Another way to protect the confidentiality of your projects is to use placeholders and blur effects to mask any identifiable information or data. For example, you can replace the logo, name, or domain of the client or the product with a generic or fictitious one, or use a blur filter to obscure them. You can also blur or omit any screenshots, images, or videos that contain sensitive or proprietary features or content. Alternatively, you can use mockups or wireframes to show the general layout or structure of the product, without revealing any details or functionality.

4 Explain the limitations and context

When you create your UX research portfolio, you should always provide some context and explanation for each project that you include. This is especially important if you have to limit or modify the information or visuals that you share due to NDAs. You should state clearly that you have respected the NDAs and explain what you have changed or omitted and why. You should also mention the goals, scope, and duration of the project, the role that you played, and the team that you worked with. This will help your audience to understand the limitations and appreciate your work.