The document provides advice for creating an effective portfolio. It outlines minimum requirements including graphic sensibility, professional quality, clear context and storytelling, sketching, modelmaking and prototyping, and attention to detail. It then discusses adding extra elements like focusing on the work rather than formatting, showing passion and enthusiasm, and unexpected "magic" that makes reviewers take notice. The overall message is that portfolios need to meet basic standards while also standing out through unexpected creativity.

1. Béhance 10 things I wish I knew when I did my portfolio
John Moriarty & Thomas Crisp
May 15th 2014

2. Agenda.
1. The harsh reality
2. Minimum requirements
3. That little bit extra
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3. 01. Reality
90% of the decision is made in the first 10 seconds.
Average time spent on first review is 60 seconds.
Viewer is looking for a decision trigger (good or bad)
......Give yourself every chance to succeed.
It’s tough out there.
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4. 02. Minimum Requirements
What this means: A checklist of minimum skills
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5. 02. Minimum Requirements
You know how to lay out a page, where to put a
logo & maintain a good sense of visual balance.
10Graphic Sensibility.
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6. 02. Minimum Requirements
Would we be happy with this person
writing to and talking with our clients?
9Pro Quality.
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7. 8
02. Minimum Requirements
A clear context.
Set the scene, the challenges & goals.
Who is the user and why will they care?
Why should this product exist?
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8. 7
02. Minimum Requirements
A strong story.
What are the insights that informed your approach?
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9. 02. Minimum Requirements
Sketching.
Show your real sketches, doodles & notebooks.
Over-stylized Photoshop don’t tell us much about
your ability & beautiful sketches are hard to ignore.
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10. 02. Minimum Requirements
Modelmaking
& Prototyping.
Show the thinking that brought you to the final
solution. What lessons did you learn along the way?
510

11. 02. Minimum Requirements
Ability to detail.
Demonstrate your ability to take an idea and follow it
through all the way. Show your obsession.
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12. Now that you have covered the basics.....
03. The little bit extra
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13. 3
03. The little bit extra
Focus on the work,
not the format.
Don’t overtly theme the presentation. Keep it simple
& let the work speak for itself.
• PDF less than 5 mb or a simple website.
• Make sure there are no typos!
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14. 03. The little bit extra
Passion &
Enthusiasm.
Show your hunger. Show the depth and
range to your work and thought process.
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15. Add Magic.
You can tick every other box but it’s the unexpected things,
the moments of magic and poetry that make the viewer sit up
and really take notice. Get this right and a lot of other things
are forgiven!
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03. The little bit extra
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16. Design Partners
576 Sacramento St, Fl 6
San Francisco, CA 94109
john@designpartners.com
thomas@designpartners.com