How do you show the value of your user research portfolio?

1 Choose your projects wisely

Your portfolio should include a selection of projects that showcase your range of skills, methods, and domains. You don't need to include every project you ever worked on, but you should aim for a balance of breadth and depth. Choose projects that are relevant to your target audience, that highlight your unique contributions, and that have clear goals, challenges, and outcomes. Avoid projects that are too similar, too vague, or too outdated.

2 Tell a story for each project

For each project, you should provide a clear and concise narrative that explains the context, the process, and the results of your research. Start with a brief overview of the project, including the goal, the scope, and the role you played. Then, describe the research methods you used, how you planned, executed, and analyzed your research, and how you communicated your findings and recommendations. Finally, showcase the impact of your research, how it influenced design or business decisions, and what outcomes or metrics were achieved.

3 Highlight your skills and methods

Your portfolio should not only show what you did, but also how and why you did it. You should demonstrate your skills and methods in user research, such as user interviews, surveys, usability testing, contextual inquiry, affinity mapping, personas, journey maps, etc. You should also explain how you chose and applied these methods, how they fit into the overall research strategy, and how they helped you answer your research questions. You should also include examples of your deliverables, such as research plans, reports, presentations, or artifacts.

4 Show your collaboration and communication

User research is not a solo activity. You should show how you collaborated and communicated with other researchers, designers, developers, product managers, or stakeholders throughout the project. You should highlight how you involved them in your research process, how you solicited and incorporated their feedback, and how you shared and advocated for your insights. You should also show how you adapted your communication style and format to different audiences and contexts, such as using storytelling, data visualization, or interactive prototypes.

5 Reflect on your learnings and challenges

Your portfolio should not only showcase your successes, but also your learnings and challenges. You should reflect on what worked well and what didn't, what you learned from your research and from your collaboration, and what you would do differently or improve next time. You should also acknowledge any limitations or constraints that affected your research, such as time, budget, access, or ethics. You should show that you are open to feedback, willing to learn, and able to overcome challenges.

6 Keep your portfolio updated and accessible

Your portfolio is not a static document, but a dynamic and evolving representation of your work and skills. You should keep your portfolio updated and accessible, so that you can showcase your latest and most relevant projects. You should also review and refine your portfolio regularly, so that you can highlight your growth and achievements. You should also make sure that your portfolio is easy to find and navigate, that it follows a consistent and professional style, and that it respects any confidentiality or privacy agreements.

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?