- The problem is stated in the first two sentences, before any solution.
- Each decision names the alternative you did not choose.
- Every number has a source you could explain in an interview, or it is removed.
- Team work states your role, so no reader has to guess which parts were yours.
- Client names, confidential figures and unreleased designs appear only with permission, or they are described in general terms.
- Screenshots show the work, and any personal data in them is blurred or removed.
- The case studies use the same section headings in the same order.
- The longest case study can be read in about ten minutes on a laptop.
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Case study portfolio: show how you decided, not only what you made
A case study portfolio presents two to four projects in depth, each explaining the problem, your decisions, the work you did and what changed. It shows how you think, which a list of finished work cannot. The key judgment is which projects to write up: choose the ones where your decisions were visible and the outcome can be described honestly, even when the exact numbers are confidential.
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Case study portfolio: 110 average monthly searches.Google Ads Keyword Planner · 2026-10-09 · United States
Example excerpt
Worked example: one case study from a portfolio
Sample section
Illustrative example. The person, the organization and the results are invented. Replace bracketed items with verified facts. Case study 2: Reservation flow for a tool-lending library The problem Members at Shelfwise, a fictional tool-lending library, often arrived for pickups that another member had already reserved. Staff spent [hours] each week sorting out double bookings. My role I was the only designer on a team with one product manager and two developers. I ran [number] interviews with members and two staff members, and I owned the reservation screens. Decisions I showed availability by day rather than by hour, because the interviews showed that most members were planning a visit, not a time slot. I removed the optional notes field from the first step, since staff said they rarely read it. Work and testing I tested two versions of the confirmation screen with [number] members. The version that repeated the pickup window in plain words led to fewer missed pickups in [period]. Results and limits Double bookings fell to [number] a week. The staff time saved is [figure from your measurement]. Membership fees and opening hours were outside this project, so they did not change. Reflection I would have tested the day-level view earlier, with a paper prototype, before any code was written.
Section outline
Section order for each case study
Context and problem
What the user or organization was trying to do, and what went wrong or was missing. Two to four sentences.
80 wordsYour role
Your title, your part in the team and who you worked with. Name the parts you owned, so a reader knows where your judgment shows.
60 wordsDecisions
Two or three decisions you made, the alternative you considered for each, and the reason you chose the one you did.
200 wordsWork and testing
What you produced and how you checked it. State the number of people or data points where you can share it.
150 wordsResults and limits
What changed, what did not, and how you know. Describe any confidential result in general terms rather than leaving it out.
100 wordsReflection
One thing you would do differently next time. This paragraph shows how you learn from a project.
60 words
Total: 650 words
Quality checklist
Check each case study before you publish it
Mistakes to avoid
Mistakes that weaken a case study
Starting with the solution
Opening with the final screen or the feature leaves the reader without the reason for it. Start with the problem, then show how you reached the answer.
Listing activities instead of decisions
A timeline of research, wireframes and testing reads like a template. Name the choices you made and say why the other options lost.
Stating results you cannot support
If an outcome is an estimate, say so and explain how you produced it. An unsupported percentage is the quickest way to lose a reader's trust.
Writing a long study for a short project
Length should follow the decisions, not the effort. A focused project can be covered in four short sections, and a longer one is not more impressive for being longer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a case study portfolio and a portfolio site?
A portfolio site presents your work as a set of projects with short descriptions. A case study portfolio gives two to four projects enough depth to show your reasoning. You can combine the two by linking each short project entry to its full case study.
Is there a UX case study template I can use?
A template is useful for section order. Keep the headings the same across projects so a reader can compare them, then write each section from what actually happened. A template cannot supply the decisions for you.
How many case studies should a portfolio include?
Two to four is enough for many people. Pick projects that show different parts of your judgment rather than four versions of the same task.
How do I write a case study when I cannot share the client's name or numbers?
Describe the type of organization and its scale in general terms, and say which figures are withheld. The decisions and the method often can be shared, but check any confidentiality agreement first. They carry most of the value of the case.
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