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Case Studies Inspiration

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Notes

90% of designers are unhirable?

Real-world design is messy, iterative, and non-linear, and portfolios should reflect that. Design-mature companies look for portfolios that tell authentic stories of problem-solving, challenges, and learning through failures, rather than idealized case studies that follow textbook processes.

Using the Star method in design case studies:

Top Points

1. Many portfolios follow a cookie-cutter, linear design process, making them unconvincing and inauthentic.
2. A "perfect" portfolio raises doubts about the designer's actual problem-solving abilities.
3. Most portfolios lack depth, offering only minor variations of the same structure across different case studies.
4. Linear case studies fail to reflect the true, messy nature of real-world design processes.
5. Design-mature companies prefer candidates who embrace flexibility and creativity in problem-solving.
6. Portfolios that simplify or exclude failures and challenges are often dismissed.
7. The non-linear, cyclical nature of design needs to be reflected in case studies.
8. Designers should include challenges, failed attempts, and adaptations to show learning and growth.
9. Storytelling is crucial — portfolios should follow the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) framework.