📰 3 ARTICLES
Portfolio Flaws to Fix to Stand Out in Today's Market
- Design lead Matej Latin gives a breakdown of the UX job market, using data and metrics to assess its reality, which in his opinion, is better than many claim. Latin then emphasizes the importance of a standout portfolio, arguing that the market isn’t necessarily saturated overall—more so, it’s saturated with bad design.
- Latin gives examples of common portfolio mistakes that lead to quick rejections, such as poor storytelling, lack of organization and prioritization of work, and failure to showcase the impact of design decisions. He encourages designers to shift their mindset, continually invest in the portfolio creation process, and always be iterating.
- “Those of you who are enthusiastic about the craft of design but hate designing your portfolios: embrace it and learn to love it. Fix your attitude towards that and then you’ll be able to invest the effort and the energy required to create a stellar portfolio that will land you a better job and build foundations for an illustrious career.”
How AI Technology Can Empower Rural Entrepreneurs
- Growth strategist Thasya Ingriany proposes how AI-powered technology can address the financial needs of rural entrepreneurs, specifically those who may not be fully supported by traditional financial institutions or who may be unbanked entirely.
- By leveraging alternative data such as mobile usage and purchase histories, AI can build credit profiles for individuals without formal financial histories, enabling them to access loans and financial services.
- “This issue is widespread — only 27% in Southeast Asia have bank accounts, leaving millions unbanked… Examining both income and payment records can offer a clearer view of her financial trustworthiness. If we imagine a future where this kind of information can be easily collected, how could AI help bridge the gap for people?”
How to Keep Going
- Creative consultant Danielle Pender offers practical advice for makers who feel stuck, identifying that different types of blocks, whether related to the creative process, mental state, financial worries, or burnout, can have real consequences for motivations on both personal and professional projects.
- She identifies and empathizes with issues such as lack of routine or external pressures, and provides solutions such as adjusting expectations and aligning work with natural productivity rhythms. She also encourages self-care and reflection on why motivation may be waning and offers techniques to reignite passion, like experimenting with new styles or managing health and work-life balance.
- “A loss of motivation is often linked to some kind of block. Some of these blocks overlap, while others stand alone. And while it may be impossible to pinpoint your exact issue on a personal level in an article like this, there are practical steps you can take and questions you can ask yourself to help unearth what motivation means for you and how you can reignite the spark that has perhaps been snuffed out.”
💜 PORTFOLIO INSPIRATION
Amanda Koos Freitas, a UX Academy graduate, brings her background in psychology and education to her design portfolio, melding both in the app “MontiBaby”, an end-to-end design that helps guide and support parents in raising their children according to the Montessori education model before they are of schooling age. She also shows off her keen eye for UI in her design for Siddha Meditate, an app for tracking mediation practice. Siddha boasts an accessible interface and serene, welcoming color choices.
Got a portfolio you love that you’d like to share with our audience? Email your suggestions to hello@designlab.com.
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Every great design begins with an even better story. — Lorinda Mamo (designer)
🧪 FROM THE LAB
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- September 24th, 2PM EST: UX Academy Informational Webinar
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