Designing
for Designers
Creating a website to showcase our graphic design class required exceptional attention to detail—the platform needed to both promote our exhibition and serve as a portfolio launchpad for forty-seven unique designers. We aimed to balance sophisticated aesthetics with functionality, creating a digital experience that complemented our physical exhibition while giving each designer the chance to meet their next employer.
A responsive website that promotes and gives details for our exhibition event along with being a centralized way to access the portfolios of all graduating designers. The site must extend and compliment the event branding and the content being produced by other committees.
See the
Solution
Self-Made
Fall 2024
Opportunities for Improvement
No event information
Frequent page jumps
Static with limited motion
Slow loading speed
Shifting Perspectives
Spring 2024
Opportunities for Improvement
No event information
Extraneous navigation
Static grid layout
In Focus
Spring 2022
Opportunities for Improvement
Overused animation
Unclear navigation
Type needs more heirarchy
Make it
Creative
Do something different, highlight everyone’s work
Make it
Engaging
Incorporate motion, micro interactions
Make it
Actionable
Calls to action, convert viewers into employers
1
Small page count, no unnecessary fluff. Condense information into fewer sections
2
Highlight various disciplines with minimal friction
3
Prioritize mobile and responsive design for best accessibility
Alexis has been working in the design industry for 14 years and has been in a hiring position for the past 5 years. She oversees a team of 12 designers and is responsible for bringing in new talent. She's constantly looking for fresh perspectives that can enhance her team's creative output.
Regularly attends graduate exhibitions to scout emerging talent
Spends approximately 30-45 seconds reviewing each portfolio initially
Checks portfolio websites on both desktop and mobile devices
Often browses portfolios during commutes or between meetings
Alexis' aim is to efficiently evaluate numerous portfolios to identify standout talent, build lasting relationships with educational institutions for ongoing recruitment, and stay current with emerging design trends and techniques that could benefit her agency's work.
Limited time to review large numbers of portfolios
Frustration with poorly organized or slow-loading portfolio sites
Often encounters impressive visuals but poor navigation or information architecture
"I'm not just looking for beautiful work. I need to see designers who understand that their solutions must solve real business problems."
Refining
Phase
Revised
Wireframes
1
Focus on density, include as many people on the screen at a time as possible
2
Go in a cleaner direction with the visuals, sharp corners and largely monochrome
3
Balance length of hero animation to engage but not deter by way of delaying information
Comps
Our
Solution
An inviting card provides easy access to information sought by any eventgoers and those interested in attending. Calendar and maps integrations make planning a breeze.
With so many designers to choose from, finding one with the right set of skills can be difficult. A set of engaging, animated filter buttons makes searching simple.
Once you find a designer that piques your interest, you can get a more detailed view of their specialties by hovering on their headshot.
Fluorescent Pink
FF48B0
0,72,31,0
White
FFFFFF
0,0,0,0
Black
000000
0,0,0,100
Problems
Solved
Created a platform to showcase graduating designers' work to industry professionals who might not attend the physical exhibition
Extended the exhibition beyond its physical location and limited duration, allowing access to everyone
Implemented filtering functionality to help visitors find designers that match specific criteria or specializations
Created a permanent digital record of the exhibition and student work for future reference