Quick Summary
Learn how to curate your design portfolio with this three-step process. Start by building a project database to centralize key details, then use a scorecard to evaluate projects based on size, confidentiality, and alignment with future goals. Finally, create a hierarchy to determine which projects deserve top-tier promotion, like homepage features, and which are better suited for social media or private use. This system ensures your best work shines while keeping the process efficient and manageable.
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“Last year, our organization completed over 100 art projects. The artists, staff and community involved want to see their respective projects on the website, posted on social media and pitched to the press … but we just don’t have the bandwidth to promote them all. Any tips on how to prioritize?”
– Grace Lai, STEPS Public Art
Hello Grace,
First off, congratulations! Completing 100 projects is incredible. Having too many to promote is a good problem.
Promoting every project on your website or social media might have worked when you were smaller, but it becomes less efficient as you grow.
Here’s how you can prioritize:
Step 1: Build a Project Database
Create a central place to store all your project details. Use a tool like AirTable, Notion, or even a spreadsheet to log important details—client, location, budget, timeline, scope, challenges, etc. Having this information at your fingertips will help you later.
Step 2: Develop a Scorecard
Some projects are more social media and PR-friendly than others. To assess each one’s marketability objectively, consider criteria like:
- Size: Scale matters. Rate your projects from 1 to 3, based on size.
- Confidentiality: Did you sign an NDA? Score confidential ones 0, private 1, and public 2.
- Positioning: Does the project align with the type of work you want to attract? Score from 1 to 3.
You can add other criteria, such as community impact or visual appeal, depending on your priorities.
Step 3: Create a Project Hierarchy
Once you’ve scored the projects, categorize them into levels:
- Level 1: These are your top-tier projects. The ones you want to showcase everywhere. Put extra effort into promoting them (think professional photos, videos, or PR) and make sure they’re front and center on your website and social media (like your homepage or pinned posts).
- Level 2: These are still important but don’t need as much attention. Use fewer resources (like just professional photos) and feature them less prominently (maybe on a “Notable Projects” page with a regular social post).
- Level 3: For these projects, stick to using your own resources. A link on your website and a social media post would be enough.
- Level 4: These are projects you don’t need to promote widely. You could add them to a “Completed Projects” page or share them privately with collaborators, but you don’t need to highlight them on your website or socials.
Feel free to adjust the steps as you see fit. What matters is having a system so your best projects get the attention they deserve (without overwhelming you in the process). Plus, clear criteria will help you avoid complications like office politics or personal opinions.
What do you think? Would this method make your portfolio updates feel less overwhelming? Reply and let me know.
See you next Thursday,
Daniela
