Beyond the traditional portfolio

Since my debut in creating and publishing content on the internet 15 years ago, I’ve seen the following schema so many times: a designer is looking for a job and has to come up with a selection of projects to demonstrate their abilities in doing great work, and hopefully, being hired by the company.

As a result, the tech and creative industries have inherited the default format of a portfolio to showcase accomplished works, with a selection of 3-5 case studies, sometimes more. In-house designers, freelancers, and agencies all follow this format for their websites.

While this is fine in most cases—because at the end of the day, projects are what we do, so you’re better off being able to prove your ability to deliver great ones – I don’t think it has to be the only format. More precisely, my idea is that your portfolio shouldn’t be your entire website, but just a part of it, and one way of showing your work.

Let’s dive in.

The evolution of personal websites

Is it just a matter of function influenced by form? Let’s take the example of architects, as it’s quite close to our field, designers. When asked about their past creations, a presentation will often be the default format, a good ol’ 16:9 keynote, with great 3D renders, a few annotations here and there, and key data. That’s it.

I guess my question here is, why should these websites behave like a flat succession of slides? Websites are not just that. Websites are living canvases, can be powered by wonderful technologies, can have unlimited shapes, and on top of that, they have an interactive layer.

I’m convinced that different formats of work can co-exist on the same website, and that offering multiple ways of interacting with content — your work in this case, can only have positive outcomes. Let’s see some of the options available.

Examples: Now, Feed, and Changelog

/now: what you’re currently working on1. My projects are usually grouped by theme — call it initiative, topic, axis, whatever — and I like to use a Burner List, a concept from Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky in Make Time.

What I like about this format is that it gives your visitor a sense of where you’re heading right now, what your topics of interest are, etc. Additionally, it’s a simple way to promote your current side projects.

/feed: nothing really new, to be honest; it’s a concept directly taken from Dribbble, and I also like what Luc Chaissac made with it. Post stuff you’ve been exploring: from interaction details and concepts to smooth transitions and project reveals/teasers. Anything.

I think there is something about finding back the simplicity of sharing your work, of “just posting a shot.” Also, it’s way easier to be regular with this format.

/changelog: well, this one is clearly optional, but for those like me who love to tinker with their personal websites, bringing improvements here and there, tweaking details, and adding new pages, it would make sense to consider it a project on its own. And like every project, it deserves its changelog. It’s also a nice way to reflect.

Showcasing a multifaceted identity

More than the work itself, understanding the inspirations and motivations behind it is interesting. It’s about what drives you, what resonates with you. Also, what are the achievements of your work? Did it get featured? Did you do an interview, cross any milestones, or get promoted? All of these signals combined help create a richer narrative and paint a more holistic picture of your skill set.

Examples: Writing, Moodboard, and Track Record

/writing: yes, we’re talking about a blog here. I’m nowhere close to being able to give advice on this one, as I regret not documenting my past challenges and reflections more consistently — this is definitely one of the things I aim for now. A good example to follow is Pauline P. Narvas’s blog, with topics spanning life, tech, online, the world, and community.

It’s about regularity and quality. It’s about sharing what you would have loved to read 5, 10, or even 15 years ago. It’s completely fine to push thoughts into the void and probably better to not expect any visitors or reactions. But do you remember the first time you shared an interesting article from some Internet stranger with your friend, and it felt like you found a secret, unknown part of the Internet? Try to aim for this feeling for your readers.

/moodboard: reveal your inspirations. None of us is creating something new from purely nothing, and I personally tend to consider them as part of the credits. Think of it as a collection of inspirations; yes, it’s most of the time visual stuff, but it can surely take several forms.

/track-record: a list of achievements, grouped by year, sorted in reverse chronological order, with links to public announcements, changelog entries, YouTube videos, etc.

This gives a sense of impact, velocity, and public recognition to your visitors. On a more personal level, it’s an efficient way to fight imposter syndrome by reflecting on your growth and being able to do quick reality checks.

Wait, what about /about?

Let’s not forget about this good ol’ classic. While it is becoming more common for Internet makers to have one, I tend to see it more as a portal to the pages mentioned above, rather than just another page of your website.

Mine can be much better, but so far I like how it expresses a bit of my story while leaving you with links to explore in a not-too-pushy way.

A living website

While these concepts of additional pages are just ideas you can remix, think of them as extensions. Like software, these extensions help grow the perceived spectrum of capabilities while being easily updatable and removable. Combined with APIs, you can easily connect the platforms you’re active on and build stronger extensions.

Again, portfolios and case studies are fine. But when it comes to sharing a different facet of your work with ideas, experiments, and work in progress, I think opting for a different format makes sense.

Moreover, writing and keeping track of your achievements is also a great way to build new connections with people, which can potentially lead to new ideas, collaborations, and more. You can also have a second, more personal track record that can be the foundation of your narrative and a tool to help you reach your goals.

From portfolio to space

Let’s wrap up. Portfolio and case studies are not over, but they aren’t the only way to showcase your skills and past work. Given the ever-evolving nature of our work, our personal websites are ideal receptacles to experiment with new formats to share and inspire others, including our younger selves. They can be a place where you encapsulate your projects, accomplishments, and thoughts, and as a result, be in a comfortable position to reflect on the past months or years.

As always, start small. Why not spend an hour or two going through all your work from this past year, reviewing major and minor contributions, featured content, and potential career updates? Add links, dates, and a few categories. Do this every weekend for a few weeks, and you’ll have a full track record of your life as an Internet maker.