UI/UX designers who have learnt UI/UX Design and Development Services know how competitive the job market is these days. You get to compete for a good job along with dozens of talented and ambitious designers. Therefore, attracting attention to your persona and making employers remember you are vital for succeeding in this area. Having a stunning UX case study is one of the components of your career growth in web design. Let’s discuss how you can create a memorable case study to get a dream job.
What Is a UX Case Study Anyway?
UX case studies are included in the portfolio to showcase your work so far. These may include text and visuals to explain how you previously handled design projects and what you achieved. A good UX case study demonstrates a designer’s skills, creative thinking, and expertise and maximizes their appeal as potential employees.
A well-structured, appealing case study speaks louder than words. So, if you get too nervous during the job interview or worry that you lack formal education in this sphere, a UX case study will have your back. An experienced recruiter knows when they see a real gem, but they should be given enough information to make an informed decision. So, how much is enough, and what exactly should be included in the case study?
Step 1: Know the Components of a UX Case Study
Approach a case study as a meal that you need to cook. For this meal to be delicious, you need all components to be included in the proper proportions. The things you need to include are as follows:
- Project overview
- Statement of the problem
- Users’ description
- Roles and tasks
- Scope and limitations
- Design practices
- Results and lessons learned
So, you should give a context, explain what goals you pursued, and articulate how you achieved them with available resources and constraints. We recommend creating an outline first so that you don’t get carried away and forget about some of these components. Once you have a detailed outline, you can develop the UX case study in more detail.
The UX case study should maintain a good balance between visuals and text. Choose the most impressive deliverable for each stage of the UX design process. It should vividly display what the accompanying text says. Don’t use lengthy descriptions overburdened with terms. One or two sentences for each section will be enough, so choose the words carefully!
Step 2: Don’t Focus on the “What”
The golden rule with creating excellent case studies is not to focus on discussing what you did. An experienced recruiter will be able to see it all themselves. Instead, dwell more on how and why you made your design decisions. The ability to articulate and justify your design choices is what an employer is looking for. Their main goal is to see how well you can communicate your design process and defend your position because that’s exactly what you will do if they hire you.
Step 3: Arrange the Data into a Compelling Story
Don’t perceive a UX case study as a penny-plain compilation of your research, wireframes, user flows, etc. Unite these scattered data into a story that flows and tells what motivated you to make specific design choices. In other words, allow the recruiter to get into your head and assess your thought process.
Recruiters look for interesting stories because they help them answer the “what if” question: What if this designer joins our team? Will they be able to communicate their thought process to others? A story intricately interlaced with the project description can tell a lot about you: how creative you are, whether you can think big, whether you can solve wicked problems, etc.
Step 4: Use Headlines
Recruiters often spend only several seconds scanning each UX case study. If they see a large block of text supported with some visuals, they will likely feel confused. You don’t want to lose their attention, right? After the text is ready, or before you even begin writing it, create headlines that will divide the case into easily manageable paragraphs. This will make the text look more structured and well-thought.
In a way, your ability to do it points to your design skills. Look at the text as if it is a web page that needs to be created with the best user interface design practices in mind.
Step 5: Highlight Your Team Contribution
UX designers rarely work independently. If your project was a collaborative effort, don’t forget to stress that you worked as part of the team. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge other people’s work in your case study – it will only show you in a more positive light. Use “I” less and throw in more “we” to show that you are a team player.
Useful Tips to Keep in Mind
Creating a UX case study from scratch may be overwhelming, especially if you do it for the first time. So, here are some recommendations for you.
Get Inspiration from Samples
If you feel lost and don’t know where to start, look for samples online. These may give you a better idea of what you should do and inspire you to create a compelling case study. However, be sure you do not plagiarize, as originality is one of the fundamental principles of excellent UX design.
Don’t Be Too Shy
Highlight the value of what you did. Recruiters should be able to see your contribution instantly.
Use Storytelling
Tell a meaningful but concise story and remove everything non-essential from the story. If a recruiter wants to know the details – they will ask you.
Spellcheck Is Vital
Proofread and revise as needed. The quality of the text is another indicator of your professionalism, so be sure to read the story several times before submitting it.
Conclusion
Your UX case study is a glimpse of how you approach design, solve problems, and communicate ideas. Invest as much time and effort into it as possible because it may play a decisive role in your career advancement in the design sphere. You also need to update and revise your case studies as you gain more experience so that they will reflect your current level of expertise.
