UXmatters, a web magazine about user experience, just published the second article in my new bimonthly column, Client Matters, where I give UX professionals an honest look at initiating and managing relationships with clients.
The latest article is titled, Process, Not Portfolio. In it I argue that showing your previous work in a portfolio isn’t what is going to turn a prospective client into a paying one; rather it’s how you did the work and how well you can explain how the process affected the outcome that will help you land the gig.
When I have a meeting with a prospective client, I don’t show my resumé and go through the whole chronology of my previous work. A lot of my projects are showcased in my online portfolio, so if they’re curious to see what I’ve done before, they can have a gander. Instead, I focus the discussion on a single project—one that involved a problem that is similar to the one they are facing—and I walk through the process I used to help discover the best solution.
I’ve gotten pretty comfortable doing this spiel. I start off by setting the stage: This is who my previous client was. When we started, these were their goals; their challenges. Then, while I go through each deliverable for the project, I recount the evolution of how I analyzed the problem space, identified the areas of opportunity, and facilitated the planning of a holistic design solution. As I describe my process, give examples of my insights, and explain how they informed the design, I can see their eyes light up.
Read the article on UXmatters, and stay tuned for future articles in my Client Matters column.
Huge thanks goes to Al Abut, Chris Avore, Elizabeth Bacon, Will Evans, Chris Fahey, Robert Gorell, Paul Hibbitts, Andrew Hinton, Gabby Hon, Matt Nish-Lapidus, and Mary Shaw, who all shared their experiences and helped me mold my initial argument into something much stronger. And to Pabini Gabriel-Petit, founder and editor-in-chief of UXmatters, for her skilled “red pen”.
Related Posts:
- Client Matters: Does Your Client Need a Consultant or an Agency?
- Client Matters: Needs + Resources + Location + Schedule + Budget = Scope
- Client Matters: Ironclad Contracts: Tougher Than a Pinky Swear
- Whit Hour – Week 6
- Interviewed for “Facebook, Google, and the data design disaster”
“it’s how you did the work and how well you can explain how the process affected the outcome that will help you land the gig.”
this is so true… I have found (in my experience) that clients do appreciate a nice portfolio, but they appreciate a record of success even more… hearing the process and how you have helped previous clients achieve their goals can speak volumes.
Great read once again
~ Aaron I
Tweets that mention Pleasure and Pain » Client Matters: Process, Not Portfolio -- Topsy.com // Oct 5, 2009 at 10:56 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Robert Gorell and Ray DeLaPena. Ray DeLaPena said: New blog post: Client Matters: Process, Not Portfolio http://bit.ly/10ZfDc (via @whitneyhess) [...]
“Process, Not Portfolio” // Oct 5, 2009 at 1:22 pm
[...] few weeks ago, Whitney Hess asked for my two cents on a piece for UX Matters. She was polling her colleagues to see whether [...]
<h2 align=”center”>Costs For Uggs–What It Costs?</h2>
–>Are you lusting after a few (or even more) Uggs (UGG Australia) boots and if so, you're in good company, as girls and women of all ages, especially with the simple, slipper-like design of these sheepskin ugg boots, which are relatively easy and very comfortable to wear. And they appear to be affected. Some men are also jumping on the trend and luxury UGGs? Australia, the brand also offers a range of contemporary styles for them.
–>Could you mind giving everyone loves from ugg-boots? There are so many types of uggs, ugg bailey button,ugg classic tall, ugg classic short, ugg classic cardy. How to choose your favorite? Or do you really want to one uggs regardless its style? Despite their design is awkward and slipper-lile, Uggs is one of the few stations that are of general interest, have argued that cross generational lines.
–>Young people, students and young mothers and the Middle Ages, the original Black Ultra Tall UGG Boots, seem pulled the fleecy-lined boots that are manufactured in Australia, with the best materials. Are you sure that your feet warm in winter without socks, and cool in summer so that is more versatile too? If no, hurry up to take one ugg boots on goodugg uk sale ! That's why we see people wear them in schools, supermarkets, on the slopes and even in the most popular beaches in the United States and abroad. Many surfers also use uggs to keep their feet warm.
–>What do you really care about? Is its price or quality, or you just following the general trend? You know what are you thinking in your heart!
Many thanks for your kind words as always