I lately accomplished the method of hiring for a Head of Design position at my present firm and was stunned once I couldn’t discover a lot high quality content material wherever (YouTube, Medium, even Google) on learn how to assess a designer’s portfolio, particularly a designer for a senior management place.
My guess is that’s as a result of whether or not you want somebody’s designs are comparatively extra subjective than whether or not you want a product supervisor’s method, however I nonetheless assume there are various traits that we will systematically establish when searching for a powerful designer.
There are, in spite of everything, clear design greatest practices round what’s “good” and “unhealthy” design, so let’s use that toolbox to our benefit.
Earlier than we get into my portfolio standards, right here’s some transient context on our firm and what’s vital to us so you’ll be able to see the way you would possibly customise your personal hiring standards.
Since my present firm is in very early phases (pre-product market match), I personally look over every designer’s portfolio earlier than I or others on my workforce interview them.
I do have recruiters and HR of us who vet profiles earlier than they ever get to me, however given how vital this position is to our mission and success, I guarantee that I’ve given a portfolio the thumbs up earlier than I ask myself, my teammates or our founder to spend time with them.
Ability-level-wise, we’re searching for somebody who can fulfill the position of head of design. They’ve a powerful command of UX and visible design, can run consumer interviews, assist us uncover what to construct, and create designs when necessities are nonetheless in movement.
The workforce is small and very proficient, so every of us wants to have the ability to effortlessly move on the tempo others would possibly take into account sprinting (whereas juggling giant quantities of uncertainty).
We’re a non-profit, however design and technology-wise we function extra with a B2C mindset as a result of our founder comes from the B2C world (he created Shopzilla, which he later bought to turn out to be TikTok).
Our product can also be consumer-facing (donors and recipients). Which means that we have now a particularly excessive visible design and UX bar when taking a look at portfolios, so I index closely on portfolios.
Once I obtain somebody’s file, I first take a look at their portfolio to know their high quality of labor, then their resume, and at last their quick solutions to the questions on the appliance kind earlier than assembly them for an interview.
No want to take a look at their resume or purposes solutions — regardless of how spectacular—if their portfolio reveals that they don’t have the kind of design abilities and aesthetic that we’re searching for.
In case you work at a B2B firm and you might want to rent a designer to work on an inner software, your course of most likely doesn’t index as extremely on portfolio design.
1. Stunning and intuitive visible and UX design.
The very first thing I take note of once I land on somebody’s web site is the primary impression I’ve of them. I can normally instantly inform if they’ve an eye fixed for B2C design that matches what I’m searching for.
That is fairly intuitive, which is okay. I depend on each subjective (my intestine) and goal measures of design to attempt to get to the perfect reply.
Since I would like this text to be tactically helpful for you, listed below are some snippets of fine portfolios I’ve seen.
Instance 1.
Instance 2.
On this step, I’m simply seeing if the positioning seems to be good, is simple to make use of, and customarily an excellent expertise.
Does it assist me get to know this particular person, or does it go away me feeling pissed off as a result of I’m misplaced within the navigation or it took me someplace I wasn’t anticipating to go? Are there buttons that appear like buttons however really aren’t?
2. Frames the issue nicely
Behind each good design, reply, resolution, or studying is an effective query.
Asking the best questions doesn’t all the time provide the proper reply, however asking the flawed query will virtually undoubtedly get you the flawed reply.
So — as soon as I get a really feel for the general design fashion and usefulness of the web site, I leap straight into the case research.
I look very carefully at how they framed their drawback assertion or what drawback they had been charged with fixing.
I used to be stunned at what number of portfolios jumped straight into their reply of how they solved it with out taking a second to precise what they had been making an attempt to unravel.
Once I’m flipping by portfolios, I don’t all the time have the total context of whether or not a query was 100% the best query to ask (I wasn’t there), however it ought to convey why the issue or query is vital to their product and mission.
I ought to be capable to perceive it instantly, and it needs to be compelling.
3. Brings experience & inspiration.
Did they spend 6 months tweaking a sub-feature that was most likely spec’ed out to demise, or did they determine learn how to resolve a greenfield drawback in a really eloquent and sensible approach?
Given the place we’re as an organization, it’s vital {that a} designer has 0 to 1 expertise.
And never solely am I searching for somebody who’s constructed one thing out of nothing, I’m additionally searching for somebody who conjures up me.
As soon as I framed who I used to be searching for on this approach (“do you encourage me?”), it was a lot simpler to type by the portfolios and resumes.
I began asking myself different questions, like “will I study extra and turn out to be a greater product particular person working with you?”
4. Solutions the case research drawback with simply the correct amount of element.
That is the place I’m searching for the influence this particular person had.
I’m searching for succinct however holistic. Present your math, however don’t drag me by the glass.
I discovered that a variety of junior designers are likely to go slightly overboard right here. There have been a variety of portfolios that confirmed each step of their design course of, which can be good, however normally an excellent summarization may even get the purpose throughout.
Sifting by the “reply” piece of the portfolio is the place I attempt to perceive their course of.
It’s principally the place the place a designer is answering the query, “How did you determine what to construct/design?”
After all, everybody is aware of to dutifully responds to the query with “consumer testing” so I search for a number of layers of depth on high of that.
Consumer testing is nice for studying and testing your assumptions, however typically occasions it doesn’t offer you a transparent reply and as a substitute offers you extra questions.
Plus, everyone knows now that you simply don’t go to your prospects and ask them “what would you want me to construct?” so the issue fixing logic actually can’t cease at consumer testing.
There are a variety of extra layers to reply the query, “how did you determine what to construct,” together with hypotheses testing, riskiest assumption testing, and steady discovery.
Lastly, the cherry on high is when designers quantify or present the influence that their resolution and designs had on account of their course of. That is uncommon and I do know it may be onerous to do, however it additionally units you other than the remaining while you do that.
For a job the place unbelievable ability in B2C visible and UX design are paramount, we index closely on portfolios.
Right here’s what I search for:
1. Stunning and intuitive visible and UX design.
2. Frames the issue nicely.
3. Brings experience & inspiration.
4. Solutions the issue with simply the correct amount of element.
Designers are extremely highly effective — they’re those who make concepts come to stay. For a species that closely relies on sight and visualization, design is a superpower.
I hope this was helpful to you in your journey to search out your designer.
If in case you have any questions or ideas on how I can enhance my search standards, publish it within the feedback! I’m all the time curious to study extra from the bigger group.
