How do you get feedback and improve your portfolio over time?

2 Collect and select your projects

The next step is to gather all the projects that you have completed or participated in, and select the ones that best represent your goals, skills, and style. You should aim for quality over quantity, and avoid including projects that are outdated, irrelevant, or repetitive. You should also consider the diversity, coherence, and balance of your portfolio, and make sure it showcases a range of project types, scales, and contexts. For each project, you should include a brief description, the main concept, the design process, the final outcome, and your role and contribution.

3 Organize and format your portfolio

Once you have selected your projects, you need to decide how to organize and format your portfolio. You can choose between a digital or a physical portfolio, or both, depending on your preference and the situation. A digital portfolio can be a website, a PDF file, or an online platform, while a physical portfolio can be a printed book, a folder, or a binder. Regardless of the format, you should make sure your portfolio is easy to navigate, read, and understand. You should use a consistent layout, font, color, and style throughout your portfolio, and avoid clutter, distractions, and errors. You should also make sure your portfolio is compatible with different devices, browsers, and printers, and that it is accessible and secure.

4 Seek feedback and critique

One of the best ways to improve your portfolio is to seek feedback and critique from others. You can ask for opinions from your peers, mentors, professors, clients, employers, or other professionals in the field. You can also join online communities, forums, or groups where you can share your portfolio and receive comments and suggestions. When seeking feedback, you should be open-minded, respectful, and grateful, and avoid being defensive or argumentative. You should also be selective, and filter the feedback based on its relevance, validity, and usefulness.

5 Evaluate and update your portfolio

Another way to improve your portfolio is to evaluate and update it yourself. You should regularly review your portfolio and assess its strengths and weaknesses, its alignment with your goals, and its impact on your audience. You should also compare your portfolio with other portfolios in the field, and identify the gaps, opportunities, and trends. Based on your evaluation, you should update your portfolio by adding new projects, removing old ones, or revising existing ones. You should also check for any errors, inconsistencies, or improvements in your portfolio.

6 Showcase and promote your portfolio

The final step is to showcase and promote your portfolio to the world. You should use different channels and platforms to share your portfolio with your network, potential clients, employers, or collaborators. You can use social media, blogs, newsletters, podcasts, or online directories to spread the word about your portfolio. You can also participate in competitions, exhibitions, events, or workshops where you can present your portfolio and network with other professionals. You should also keep track of the performance, feedback, and outcomes of your portfolio, and use them to measure your success and improve your portfolio further.

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?