Designing a Killer UX Portfolio by Ian Fenn

Portfolio required: two words that fill UX designers, new and experienced, with dread. We’re often experts at telling our client’s story, but find it difficult to communicate our own. Ian Fenn used to be a portfolio skeptic, believing they caused more problems than they solved. But he’s also a pragmatist, and with requests from recruiters increasing, he set about creating the perfect UX portfolio. Since publication, copies have been requested by recruitment agents – not in relation to work, but as an example to show other UX designers how to do things right. In this entertaining talk, Ian explains how to create a killer UX portfolio.

About Ian Fenn

Ian Fenn designed his first digital interface in 1988 at the University of Surrey, but it wasn’t until eight years later that his formal UX career began with work for the UK’s first digital agency, Intervid. There he contributed to the groundbreaking launch of RealVideo, the world’s first cross-platform solution for delivering real time video over the Internet.

Breakthroughs continued at the BBC a year later, where achievements included a month-long web outside broadcast from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and creation of one of the UK’s first blogs. His personal site, the Chinese food website Chopstix, was also singled out for praise in the UK’s annual ‘Yell’ web awards.

For the past eight years Ian has worked as an independent UX consultant for everyone from startups to major corporates. Clients such as BT, Virgin Media, LexisNexis, and agencies such as M&C Saatchi and Conran Design Group have recognised his ability to consistently exceed project targets through intelligent and thoughtful interaction design.

You can find him on twitter as @ifenn.