hey everyone and welcome back to the channel today we're talking about a Hot Topic in the design World case studies versus showcases more specifically why I believe your portfolio website is no longer the best place for case studies and why you should consider shifting towards showcases instead first let's break this down showcases and case studies both serve different purposes showcases are the what they visually impress highlight Aesthetics and give a quick snapshot of the work itself case studies on the other hand are the why they dive deep into the thinking behind the work the decisions
the challenges the problem solving process now both have their time and place but when it comes to your website portfolio I'm making the case pun intended that showcases are the way to [Applause] [Music] go to back this up I asked my fellow design leaders and peers when reviewing candidates how much of their case study do you actually read 61% said some of it 33% said it depends most notably one person said most of it and nobody said all of it honestly I think that says a lot some of them went to share more context and
their responses and here's some highlights after a skim First Impressions matter to me I'll email the candidate about a case study presentation and I will be highly specific about what I'm looking for my first check will be be a quick skim is there a connection from problem to solution do I see high quality interface and interaction design for the initial screening I focus on the content above the fold I'm looking for an overview of the project background problem solution and impact I'm skimming to see if there's enough relevant highquality work to have them present more
work to me that's a lot of skimming now there is a time and a place for each think about the hiring process at this screening stage of the hiring process is much more about skimming the information getting a quick sense of your work at the interview or review stage that's when there is a good reason for a deep dive case study into the story behind the work yes case studies are necessary when it comes to the interview stage but when we're just applying and trying to get our work noticed do we really need so much
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code fima 12 start using Rec Craft's mockup generator and bring your designs to life your way thanks to them for sponsoring this video case studies are long and detailed and tell the full story of a project traditional case studies work through the problem process and impact in detail often including deep dives into things like research iterations and any decision- making along the way now they are a great way to demonstrate your design thinking and approach showing how you tackle challenges how you make decisions and ultimately arrived at a solution when done well they provide really
valuable insights into your problem solving skills but let's be honest almost no one reads case studies on a portfolio website hiring managers and recruiters simply don't have time to read multi-page case studies when reviewing portfolios a portfolio should introduce your work but not require a deep commitment to understand your impact in my opinion case studies work best in design interviews or as a learn more option on your portfolio not as the first impression of your work look hiring managers spend less than 20 seconds per candidate if you're best work is buried in a case study
it might be missed entirely a hiring manager is scanning for key signals one is this work and experience relevant to what I'm looking for in a candidate two does this meet my Quality Bar and expectations three do I see strong product thinking craft and impact hiring managers and recruiters are here for the highlights there's a time and a place for case studies like interviews or deep dive conversations but for a portfolio the industry is Shifting towards showcases quick engaging and impactful driven presentations of your work the top three things hiring managers are interested in are
your role not just your job title like ux designer but how you influenced and shaped the project your role in the product and project itself outcomes what is the impact of your work this could include success metrics business and customer impact output what you actually designed the final visuals shipped work and results let's touch on showcases think of these as bite-sized versions of your case study something that captures the attention quickly of the viewer while still communicating the value of your work we're talking two three paragraphs Max super high on visuals and straight to the
point so let's break down exactly what your showcase should include a well-crafted showcase has three key elements summary of problem or opportunity area start with one or two concise sentences that frame the project what was the challenge what opportunity were you tackling for example users were dropping off during the checkout process leading to abandoned cuts and lost sales that's it no fluff no unnecessary background just the core problem next key outcomes and results highlight the impact of your work what changed as a result of your Design This is what makes your work stand out some
examples increased signups by 40% reduced customer support tickets by 25% streamlined the checkout flow leading to a 15% boost in sales numbers are great here but if you don't have exact metrics that's okay you can also highlight qualitative wins like improved usability or better user satisfaction in fact I have a whole video here on YouTube with ideas on how to talk about impact without metrix so go and check that out and we've arrived at solution finally this is where your work shines instead of explaining every step show your design in action screens prototypes before and
after comparisons we're designers after all so the more visual the better if possible use motion gifts video demos or even interactive prototypes these are way more engaging than static images and can communicate your impact much faster showcases focus on the highlights and impact of a project a portfolio is a first impression not a deep dive showcasing your best work in a clear and Visually compelling way makes an immediate impact visual heavy final outc comes first people want to see what you did why it matters not scroll through walls of text before they get to the
good part the 22nd rule if you only had 20 seconds to capture someone's attention what would you show and tell recruiters and hiring managers are skimming portfolios quickly we know this so a showcase ensures that they see your strongest work immediately a showcase is like a movie trailer it spikes interests and leaves me wanting more a great showcase teases your work making people want to learn more think of it like a movie trailer you don't need to show every detail but just enough to grab my attention and almost leave me wanting more that might encourage
them to actually end up reaching out to you hiring managers and leads don't always have time to read lengthy case studies up front showcase lets them scan quickly and decide if they want to go deeper showcases are ideal for demonstrating a body of work perhaps if you've worked at a company for a long time or maybe you have multiple projects to highlight a showcase can let you present breadth quite efficiently instead of forcing each project into a deep case study you can show a body of work quickly by having a collage of visuals and summary
of sustained impact during your tenure for example over 3 years at X comp I worked on 10 plus major product initiatives including x y and Zed here's a glimpse of how they shaped the overall product and the impact it had you can always link to a more detailed case study if someone wants more depth a showcase can include links to detailed case studies or blog posts for selected projects this keeps your portfolio streamlined while still offering depth for those who want it you could even link out to a presentation or a figma link if you
like final thoughts your portfolio should be optimized for First Impressions it should be easy to scan visually engaging and designed to hook the viewer quickly if a hiring manager or recruiter wants to dive deeper into your work you can always provide a detailed case study later such as in an interview or as a PDF or even link out to a notion doc what do you think have you noticed this shift as well drop your thoughts in the comments below I really hope you found this helpful if you did please consider sharing it with a friend
or someone you think it might help too until next time friends see you later [Music]
