Everyone needs a portfolio by Abby_The_IA
The best Portfolios... 1. Show pride, not Just proof 2. tell a story, not a catalog 3. illustrate Process, Not just passion
Step 1: Define Your Chronology Volunteered
Volunteered College
First Job Ran Marathon
Promotion
Second Job
Third Job Taught
Now begins 7 minutes of silence... Break the timeline of your story in chunks of context and start layering on important details. Don’t forget: Personal Achievement, Volunteerism, education, promotions etc.
Step 2: Tell Your Story + Highlight interest Volunteered
Volunteered College
First Job Ran Marathon
Promotion
Second Job
Third Job Taught
Each person has 5 minutes to tell their story. The rest of the team will take notes on that persons story. 5 minutes will then be given for the team to give them notes on what they found the most interesting and why.
Abby The IA:
Career Timeline
Executive Producer for: IA Summit 2010
Boston
New Hampshire
Attended Northeastern Bachelors in Graphic Design
First job as an Information Architect @ EMC Microsoft Practice.
2004
2005
IDEA 2010
Chicago Design Lead Information Architect on innnovation team for Fidelity Investments
2006
2007
Ba
IA Summit 2010
New York City
Started information architecture practice in strategic healthcare agency.
2008
Senior UX Planner at DraftFCB
2009
2010
Director of Strategic Planning + UX at Draftfcb
2011
Managing Partner, TUG
Consultant & Teacher
2012
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Step 3: Who are you? What is common about what is interesting in your story?
Take 5 minutes of silence to come up with short, job title-less description of yourself. Write each attempt on a note card. Then quickly go around and share these for reaction from your team.
About me:
I make the unclear, clear.
Next Steps toward a great portfolio
Decide what you should (and can) show
Show Process
Show Your Deliverables
Show The Story
Sharpie.com Sharpie.com About this effort: Lead in redesign that brought together Sharpie’s very popular social community properties with the more standard catalog functionality
Good Example of:
Results: Sharpie was written up in the NY times on site launch day. They also received the TED Ads Worth Spreading Award in 2012. 12
Show The Result
Prismacolor.com | Summer 2009 Prismacolor.com About this effort:
Lead on full site redesign including a rich social community of artists sharing their work online. Good Example of:
Results: Redesign resulted in a 400% improvement in engagement as measured through site traffic, time on site and uploads, comments and views of the member gallery. 7
If ever possible, Show The Numbers
Good Examples
http://www.ralphmillard.com/
http://dbushell.com/
http://www.chrislackey.com/
http://barthendrix.com/
Before you go.. Trade Cards
thank you! Twitter: @Abby_The_IA Email: abbycovert@gmail.com Website: www.AbbytheIA.com Slides: Slideshare.com/abbycovert