The document discusses strategies for user experience professionals to effectively present themselves and their work through portfolios and other mediums. It emphasizes the importance of knowing oneself, defining goals, and targeting the audience, alongside sharing project experiences and demonstrating work processes. Additionally, it critiques common pitfalls in UX portfolios and suggests practical tips for improvement.

1. SELL YOURSELF BETTER
Jason Mesut - Head of User Experience, RMA
@jasonmesut

2. 2001
10 years ago

3. At one of the early UPA events
Giles Colborne asked
“ Who are the
gurus in UK?
Who should
they be ”

4. At one of the early UPA events
I responded with.
“ Fat
Someone who isn’t...
Ugly
Lacks interpersonal
skills
Negative ”

5. At one of the geeky events

6. Not a good framework
But a good start

7. 2005
6 years ago

8. Euro IA submission
‣ Input from peers, developers, clients,
designers, project managers, CEOs
‣ Asked what makes a great user
experience professional?

9. 2005 - 1st Euro IA

10. 18 key
attributes

11. 9 useful
for selling

12. Worked with nearly 200 UX
10 - Present
08 - 10
41
05 - 08
9
04 - 05
85
01 - 04
30
98 - 00
15 11 Oyster/
The Team
RMA
Flow
Yell
PA Framfab/
LBI
Applications
Comms
Digital agenc
y consultancy
User-Centred agency
Management Design
Online
consultancy consultancy
business
directory

13. Perfect EA
‣ Soft skill focused
‣ Too unwieldy for an interview
or review
Needed something different

14. ExS IxD
Experience Interaction
Strategy Design
UR IA
User Information
Research Architecture
4 key disciplines of User Experience

15. Industrial design
Design Device
strategy interface
design
ExS IxD
Business Software
Marketing, strategy design
HCI
consulting Market Web
research design
UR IA
Design Library
research science
Psychology

16. Industrial design
Design Device
strategy interface
design
ExS IxD
Business Business Software
strategy design
consulting, HCI
Market Web
Marketing research design
UR IA
Design Library
research science
Psychology

17. ExS IxD
Experience Interaction
Strategy Design
UR IA
User Information
Research Architecture
Insight and big picture

18. ExS IxD
Experience Interaction
Strategy Design
UR IA
User Information
Research Architecture
User Interface Craft

19. ExS IxD
Experience Interaction
Strategy Design
UR IA
User Information
Research Architecture
Conceptual, design, feel

20. ExS IxD
Experience Interaction
Strategy Design
UR IA
User Information
Research Architecture
Analysis, rigour, logic

21. ExS IxD
Experience Interaction
Strategy Design
UR IA
User Information
Research Architecture
4 key disciplines of User Experience

25. Why don’t you have a go

26. Industrial design
Design Device
strategy interface
design
ExS IxD
Business Business Software
strategy design
consulting, HCI
Market Web
Marketing research design
UR IA
Design Library
research science
Psychology

27. 1. Know yourself

28. Why sell ourselves better?

29. Better job?

30. Better job?
Same company
New company

31. Make our lives
better or easier

32. Create a better
product or service

33. 2. Define your goal

34. Who are you selling to?

35. Boss
Colleague
Peer
Client

36. Read what they read

37. Read what they read
Use their language

38. Read what they read
Use their language
Research them

39. Simon Doggett
Empathise
with your
audience

40. Senior UX recruiters
- Busy in day
- See lots of cvs & portfolios
- Often review on move

41. We have limited time to work
out why you are different and
if you fit with our team

42. 3. Target your audience

43. Ways to sell yourself
Blog
Speaking
Books / websites
CV
Portfolio
LinkedIn

44. Blog Thinker
Speaker Thought leader
Books / websites Consultant
CV Experienced
Portfolio Designer
LinkedIn Job hunter

45. Depends on how you want
to be perceived and who
you are talking to

46. I’ve seen a lot of portfolios
Since October 2010 - past 7 months
450+ 80+ 24
CVs and Interviews Hires
portfolios

47. UX Portfolios are 80% bad*
*The above is a guesstimate. Don’t crucify me

48. UX Portfolios are 80% bad
‣ No project context
‣ Lack of process demonstrated
‣ Excuses about confidentiality
‣ Packaging & medium gets in the way

49. I had to do something
‣ Ranted on London IA forum
‣ Set up a closed group session to
‘show and tell’ example portfolios
‣ Shared output back on London IA

50. Lee McIvor
1. Introduce
yourself

51. Lee McIvor
who am I?
I’ve been a user experience consultant for over 5 years, and have
been freelance for around 3 years. Prior to that I worked variously as
a software and web developer for another 6 years, after leaving
university in 1998.
Originally from Liverpool, I studied Economics at Northumbria
University, which taught me what I didn’t want to do with the rest of
my life. After that I found myself studying an evening course in
Interaction Design at Sunderland University, which showed me how
interesting a day at work could be.

52. Lee McIvor
what do I do?
Over the course of my career so far I have gained a range of
experience, including interaction design, usability evaluation,
qualitative and quantitative research, and web accessibility.
In many of my recent engagements I have o ered the full spectrum
of services to my clients to enable them to ful ll a project, and often
to help them begin to build these competencies within their own
organisations.
I’m a great believer in not only developing my own knowledge, but
sharing it with others too.

59. Georgette Sullivan

60. 2. Demonstrate
your working

61. It’s like Math(s)

62. The act is
as important
as the artefact

63. Lee McIvor
research & analysis
The best experiences are designed when you have
a deep understanding of the users of a given
service, product or system. For this reason a good
research phase combined with e ective, detailed
analysis are vital.
I have been involved in a range of research
projects, within a range of industries including
investment fund management, travel, grocery and
social housing services.

64. Lee McIvor
design
I really enjoy sketching and collaborating with
clients and colleagues when beginning the design
phase. These early stages provide a space for
creative thinking, discussion of research ndings
and how they might impact design, and most of all
for considering the widest range of ideas as
possible with few inhibitions.

65. Jason Mesut

66. Jason Mesut

67. Simon Doggett
Concepts
Collaborative ideation I’ve facilitated many sketching and brainstorming sessions, collecting the best ideas with
fellow designers and non creatives too.
Importance vs. feasibility I’ve helped identify key performance indicators that really matter, and attach them to
functionality while gaining assessment from developers and managers.
Tangible futures I’ve helped business teams and clients see what the long term product vision looks like
by prototyping and signing o tangible future documents. Phase 2 isn’t always a myth.
Business goals vs. requirements I’ve been passionate in separating business and design strategy when necessary, to help
the product grow and to make sure the experts are looking after their respective
domains.
8

68. Simon Doggett
Sketches & Scamps
Video browser page
The original project wall for the xxxx Video project. We used magic
whiteboards to sketch through all the main conc Early homepage concept
on paper. This work belongs to me and one other graphic designer.
10

69. 3. Share your project
experience

70. Case
Study
Roles he played THE TELEGRAPH
IA
|
IxD
|
UXD
|
UI
PROJECT ACTION
Telegraph
Fantasy
Football As
we
were
up
against
it
f e
wasn’t
a
grea vailable
to
spend
making
sure
we
had
the
corr t
started
sketching
-­‐
when
en
work
at
a
very
small
scale,
this
helps
me
concentrate
on
just
the
DATE
crux
of
the
idea,
whilst
allowing
me
to
generate
lots
of
ideas
in
a
small
amount
of
August
2010
PLATFORMS
iPhone
DELIVERABLES
User
journeys
Wireframes
Sitemaps
Visual
designs I
developed
a
3
step
pr ering
feedback
throughout
the
process
to
ensure
a
user
always
knows
what
to
do
next:
CHALLENGE
Drop players select
which
players
you
want
to
drop
whilst
also
changing
The
Telegraph
approached
us
in
July
forma fo
bar
provides
hints
as
to
what
the
user
must
do
-­‐
choosing
2010
enquiring
whether
we
could
certain
forma equire
players
in
cert o
be
dropped.
Transfers Pick players om
tab
bar
allows
you
to
switch
between
available
build
them
an
account
management
app
for
their
Fantasy
Football
game,
a w
many
player ou
s o

71. Drop players select
which
players
you
want
to
drop
whilst
also
changing
The
Telegraph
approached
us
in
July
forma fo
bar
provides
hints
as
to
what
the
user
must
do
-­‐
choosing
2010
enquiring
whether
we
could
certain
forma equire
players
in
cert o
be
dropped.
Transfers Pick players om
tab
bar
allows
you
to
switch
between
available
build
them
an
account
management
app
for
their
Fantasy
Football
game,
a w
many
player ou
s o
by
the
beginning
of
the
coming
pick.
Available
budget
is
displayed
and
the
op o
sort
players
b
football
season. ers.
fers Trans Review changes con y
or
go
back
to
change.
12:00 PM O2-UK 12:00 PM
O2-UK
It
would
only
be
available
to
exis
12:00 PM Cancel Drop players
Pick
Drop
Pick players Review
O2-UK Pick new
users
who
have
already
chosen
their
Cancel Drop players players
You need to drop 1 defen
der to use 3-5
-2
Y
elders O2-UK
12:00 PM
es rm
Transfers 22 Budget £8.7m Review chang
team,
allowing
them
tTrancheck
how
o
sfers 22
your team. Pick
Ta p players to dr
op them from Budget £2.2m Transfers 22
ange
ng after this ch
Points
Value 6 transfers remaini
£2.2m Team
Name Team You will have
their
team
is
performing
each
week,
Points
Budget Value 2)
Position
(-£4.5m) Transfers 24 (+
Points
Value Defenders - You need
to drop 1 defender to Budget £0.1m
Team Defenders use 3-5-2
Position
Defenders
t
importantly
Player 2
TM1 Xpts £X.Xm Player 2 TM1 Xpts £X.Xm
Players In
Xpts £X.Xm
TM1
make
transfers. £X.Xm Player 2
TM1 Xpts £X.Xm Player 3
Xpts TM2
Player 2 TM2 Xpts £X.Xm £X.Xm
Player 3 Xpts
TM2
£X.Xm Player 3
TM2 Xpts £X.Xm Player 4
Xpts TM3 Xpts
Player 3 TM3 £X.Xm
Player 4 Players Out
Whilst
the
majority
of
the
app
was
Player 4
TM3 Xpts £X.Xm
Player 5
TM4 Xpts £X.Xm Player 5 TM4 Xpts £X.Xm Player 6
TM3 Xpts £X.Xm
an
exercise
in
displaying
lists
of
Player 5
TM4 Xpts £X.Xm
elders
elders
Player 5
TM4 Xpts £X.Xm
£X.Xm Player 6
informa ansf
Xpts TM3 Xpts
TM3 £X.Xm
elders Player 6
£X.Xm GK 1
Xpts 3-5-2 DEF
allowed
users
to
change
forma
TM3 4-3-3 MID STR
Player 6 4-5-1
4-4-2
3-5-2
4-3-3
w yers
at
4-5-1
4-4-2
an OUTCOME
I
saw
this
as
the
biggest
obstacle
in
To
date
the
applica wnloads,
of
which
95%
s
making
the
app
a
success. every
week.
On
average
it
is
genera e
views
a
month.
Users
of
the
app
mak t
of
transfers
then
those
playing
via
the
website.

73. We still want to see
deliverables as well

77. Content tips
1. Introduce yourself
2. Demonstrate your working
3. Share project experience

78. Packaging tips
‣ Structure with a clear journey and narrative
‣ Keep it real
‣ Don’t let the medium or design get in the way
‣ Let your work(ing) shine through

79. Confidentiality tips
‣ Trust people
‣ Anonymise / de-brand / re-create
‣ Show personal work
‣ Set passwords on pdfs
‣ Put an NDA in place

80. Portfolios are not
just for new jobs

81. Not just for new jobs
‣ Remember what you have done
‣ Communicate what you’ve done before
‣ Give you license to repeat & improve
‣ Help train and educate others
‣ Sell Process, Solutions, Your company

82. “ the act of coming to
conclusions about your own
contribution in the world so
that you can make it
meaningful for someone else”
Tim Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D18Jyl-aWIY&feature=player_embedded

83. “ [...] an architected
communication of what it
means to be you, and what it
means to others who work
with you ”
Tim Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D18Jyl-aWIY&feature=player_embedded

84. The act is
as important
as the artefact

85. Photograph workshops

86. Keep your sketches

87. Save your outputs

88. Edit video

89. 4. Run a portfolio

90. But there’s one thing that
all of this relies on

91. Doing great work

92. Time & energy are the only
things in your way...

93. “don’t look for the
next opportunity.
the one you have
in hand IS the
opportunity.”
Paul Arden

94. 1. Know yourself
2. Know your goal
3. Target your audience
4. Run a portfolio
5. Do great work

95. Big thanks to:
Portfolio stars
Simon Doggett
Lee McIvor
Giulia Piu
Georgette Sullivan
Sam Smith
Rob Graham
My past employers
RMA, The Team, LBi, Flow, PA, Yell

96. Get detail and updates at
betteruxportfolios.com