10 UI Designer Portfolio Examples

A UI design portfolio showcases a designer's top projects, creativity and problem-solving skills. It proves a designer’s ability to create engaging, intuitive digital spaces. Read about the significance of a well-crafted portfolio. It offers insights into building one that stands out. Learn from top UI designers' examples and understand the essential elements of a compelling portfolio. Create a portfolio where you present your work effectively to capture attention and secure clients. 

When it comes to user interface design, first impressions hold a lot of importance. As a UI designer, you’re eager to capture the attention of potential clients. Your challenge? To showcase your skills and creativity in a way that resonates. The goal is clear - to leave a mark and ensure that your name stays with them long after your initial interaction. 

 In this journey, the tools you use are as diverse as the designs you create. Every element matters, from a well-crafted email to the visual impact of a striking business card. The essence lies in how you present yourself as a designer and as the solution to the client’s needs. 

 Now, imagine leveraging every touchpoint as an opportunity. In this context, securing clients becomes an art form. It’s about crafting experiences that engage, convince and convert.  

As we venture further, let's explore some UI designer portfolio examples that showcase a blend of functionality and aesthetics. Learn from these excellent examples and apply the learnings to create an exemplary user interface portfolio.  

What Is a UI Design Portfolio and Why Do You Need One?

A UI Design Portfolio shows off a designer's top projects. It's like a visual CV. It proves your skills and your creativity in how you solve problems. This portfolio lets you show your design process to recruiters, hiring managers and potential clients. It shows you're good at making digital spaces engaging, intuitive and aesthetically pleasing.  

But why do you need a UI design portfolio? Here are five good reasons: 

1. Shows Off Your Skills: Your portfolio shows your talent in finding creative solutions for design challenges. 

2. Reveals How You Work: It gives a peek into your design process, from the first idea to the final piece. 

3. Proves Your Wide Experience: It shows the various projects you've handled. This shows your flexibility in working across different fields. 

4. Improves Visibility: A portfolio makes it easier for potential clients or employers to find you when they look for design talent. 

5. Helps You Grow: Looking back at your work lets you see where you can improve and how much you've grown. 

What Makes a Good UI Portfolio?

Creating a standout UI portfolio involves more than just displaying your designs. You have to present your work in a way that highlights your strengths and design philosophy. A compelling portfolio reflects your design skills and ability to engage and solve user problems. Here's what contributes to a good UI portfolio: 

It’s vital to differentiate UI from UX. While both contribute to better design, the focus is on different things when discussing UI and UX. This quick video offers a concise definition and components of both. 

1. Good Design

The way your portfolio looks and feels directly reflects your UI skills. Make sure you create a clean, intuitive design that showcases your style. Use it to demonstrate what you know about layout, typography and color theory. Make sure your portfolio looks great on all devices. Many viewers will visit from mobile devices. A mobile-friendly design is essential. 

2. Range of Projects

A good portfolio should highlight a broad spectrum of your abilities. Include a variety of projects to demonstrate your versatility. For example, showcase a mobile app design, a complex web dashboard and an interactive game interface. This variety shows you can tackle different design challenges with creativity and skill. 

Good design portfolios often have Dribbble and Behance designer profiles. These platforms allow you to share your designs with a wider audience. It shows your active participation in the design community and showcases your versatility and creativity. 

3. Your Design Process

Don’t just show the final product; reveal how you got there. Effective portfolios explain the design process. They cover the problem, your approach and the solution. This narrative shows how you tackle design challenges, a critical aspect of your work. 

For each project, describe your thinking, the user problem you aimed to solve, the research behind it and how you came to the final solution. This approach gives depth to your work and shows you’re not just about pretty interfaces but solving real user issues. 

4. User-Centric Design

Make sure your portfolio puts the user front and center. A user-friendly portfolio allows visitors to explore your work easily. Simple navigation, clear categories and a clean layout ensure your work shines without distractions.  

How you create the page layout affects how users interact with the product. Watch Dr. Priscilla Esser, Ph.D., discuss the concept of visual frameworks in design. It offers guidance on creating structured, visually appealing designs that enhance user experience. 

Choose projects that demonstrate how your design improved the user experience. Explain your research, the user feedback you incorporated and your design's impact on the product. This focus tells potential employers or clients that you design purposefully and empathetically. 

5. Unique Style

While versatility is crucial, your design style should shine through. This unique flair can set you apart from other designers. A unique touch or style makes your portfolio memorable. Let your individuality be evident, whether it’s a specific color scheme you love or a unique way you handle navigation. 

6. Testimonials and Collaborations

You can add testimonials or quotes from colleagues and clients to boost your credibility. It shows you’re talented and a great person to work with. Positive reviews highlight your professionalism and the impact of your work. Highlighting projects where you collaborated effectively with others can also demonstrate your teamwork skills. 

7. Freshness

An updated portfolio is a sign of a dedicated designer. Regularly adding new projects shows that you’re active in your field and continuously want to improve. It also gives visitors a reason to return and see your latest work and how your visual skills have evolved. 

Pro Tip: You can incorporate timelines for projects in your portfolio. Providing a concise timeline for all your projects over the years illustrates your journey, growth and the breadth of your experience. 

Visual skills help you create appealing, functional user interfaces. Watch Michal Malewicz, Creative Director and CEO at Hype4,  explain how vital visual skills can help you get attention in a world with decreasing attention spans. It highlights that good design impacts decision-making without needing expertise in art. 

The 10 Best UI Designers and Their Portfolios

Let's get to the main section, spotlighting the best UI designers and their portfolios. This curated list showcases top talents whose work has set benchmarks in the industry. These portfolios offer inspiration and insight into what makes great design work. Here, we see the principles of effective design brought to life in ways that educate, inspire and challenge you to showcase your work in the best possible manner.  

1. Gloria Lo

Gloria Lo, a self-taught designer from Sydney, uses typography well to create an inviting outlook for her portfolio. Her self-taught path in design on the About page reveals strong dedication and eagerness to learn. It also shows her adaptability and deep involvement in the design process from start to finish. 

Gloria’s Strength 

Gloria’s portfolio is a curated exhibit of her work. With only three case studies, each one stands out for its thoroughness. You can see Gloria's passion for design as a force for good in every aspect of her work. 

Her 'About' page reveals that she thrives on continuous learning and loves to connect with like-minded, idea-sharing individuals. This hunger for growth and collaboration breathes life into her designs.  

What Makes Gloria Lo Stand Out

Gloria's portfolio may be concise, but the depth sets it apart. She goes in-depth into each project with a clear, end-to-end narrative. Her values shine through her work—passion, constant learning, creative expression and humility. These principles and glowing testimonials speak to her character and dedication. Her commitment to solving real-world issues through design aligns with the missions of the startups she helps. It shows her not just a designer but a visionary. 

2. Josie Allison

Meet Josie Allison, a versatile designer with roots in Idaho's mountains and a life in San Diego's coastal vibes. Her journey, fueled by a passion for creativity and human connection, spans graphic, UX, brand and web design. Josie crafts intriguing and delightful experiences with a daring, meticulous, and playful approach. Her site goes beyond basic UI design, thanks to lively animations right on the homepage. These animations do more than just look good. They show off Josie's wide range of skills. 

Josie's Strength 

Josie makes her case studies easy to understand. She sets up a special section for each one. This way, visitors can understand every project without any hassle. It's a smart move. It lets anyone looking through her portfolio get the full story of each design. 

What Makes Josie Stand Out 

The subtle animations on her homepage are a game-changer. They draw you in. They make the whole portfolio feel alive. This shows Josie knows how to mix design with motion. She makes things not just nice to look at but interactive. It's this blend of skills that makes her portfolio pop. She creates an experience that sticks with you.  

3. Stefan Hiienurm

Stefan Hiienurm's portfolio is a testament to his expertise in the UI/UX domain. Presenting his work for renowned clients such as Airbnb and Mastercard, his portfolio showcases bold solutions and a brave approach to design. He stands out through his commitment to creating visually engaging interfaces that enhance the user's experience in tangible ways. 

Stefan’s Strength

Stefan's Belkin case study shines clearly on the top. He shows the smart home assistant case study through vibrant visuals that guide you through its use. He cleanly lays out each feature. You see Stefan's knack for making complex tasks simple. His designs solve real-world puzzles, like linking smart devices with ease. 

What Makes Stefan Stand Out

Stefan's portfolio uses subtle animations that invite you in. Hover over a project, and it comes to life. This makes exploring his work a joy. You will mostly find muted colors (less vivid colors) in the portfolio. Yet, he uses touches of blue to add zest. These splashes of color catch the eye and hold your attention. 

You have a vast palette of colors to craft your designs that offer endless creative possibilities. But it’s essential to simplify your work with colors. Michal Malewicz offers advice on how to simplify the color palette.  

4. Sinem Kurt 

Sinem Kurt is a UI/UX designer from Berlin. Her professional warmth shines immediately. She laid out the homepage with a clear and organized structure that guides you through her work.  

The top menu bar presents easy navigation, with social media links and well-defined subpages. It ensures everything you need is just one click away. You can access her portfolio immediately as you scroll down the home page. It features a selection of projects, each highlighted with vivid images that draw you in for a closer look. 

Sinem's Strength

Sinem brings a special touch to the design. Her 'About Me' tells of a designer who loves art and embraces a holistic approach. This depth suggests she looks beyond just technicalities. She blends broader insights into her UI/UX projects. This approach could lead to more groundbreaking, people-focused designs. 

What Makes Sinem Stand Out

Testimonials pepper Sinem's portfolio as they add voices of praise from happy clients and team members. These personal vouches guide potential clients to trust in her capabilities. At her page's end, a contact form offers a simple, welcoming opportunity for new connections. This choice shows Sinem's emphasis on easy communication and openness to fresh collaborations. 

Sinem's portfolio marries design skills with a keen grasp of engaging users and nurturing client relations. Her work proves her talent in creating an inviting and unified user experience. 

5. Tom Parkes

Tom Parkes, a UI and branding designer, stands out with his unique portfolio. His work, full of life through parallax scrolling, reflects a commitment to clarity and thoughtful design.  

Quick definition: In parallax scrolling, the background content (i.e. an image) moves at a different speed than the foreground content when you scroll.  

As a co-founder of First and Foremost, he also dedicates his expertise to social and environmental impact projects. It shows a blend of creativity and responsibility. 

Tom's Strength 

Tom presents his work with clarity. Each project includes a sub-headline. This approach gives context and guides visitors through his design journey. He also shares designs from live websites and offers additional insights to help visitors grasp the essence of his work. 

Tom’s information (or about page) shows nine years of experience. His expertise lies in visual design, branding and UI animation. He also worked with clients like Airbnb and received multiple design awards. This experience showcases his ability to deliver high-quality, award-winning work for prestigious clients. 

What Makes Tom Stand Out

Tom uses white space cleverly. He separates text from visuals. This creates a clean, engaging layout. Bold colors and succinct information support his visual narratives. He also incorporates animations that add life to his designs. It helps visitors understand more about the core idea behind the design than a static image. These playful elements reveal the interactive essence of his projects. They ensure his portfolio makes an impactful statement. 

6. Sharon Karvanja

Sharon Karvanja, a UX/UI designer based out in France, presents a portfolio that stands out with its subtle yet impactful use of hand-drawn elements. She gives each slide a personal touch that pops. This inventive detail captures the visitor’s attention and showcases her unique approach to design. It balances digital proficiency with a handcrafted feel that adds depth to her presentation. 

Strengths in Sharon Karvanja's Work 

Sharon's strengths lie in her comprehensive approach to documenting her design process. For each project, she provides a narrative that outlines her role in the project. It offers a clear window into her design thinking. Her educational background, including a UX/UI Design Bootcamp and a Google UX Design Certificate, further shows her commitment to honing her skills through structured learning and practical application. 

What Makes Sharon Karvanja Stand Out 

Sharon’s flair that she brings to her portfolio sets her apart. Her projects display technical ability and an expression of her creative identity. Her fun facts, like being a guitar player and mug collector, along with her candid admission of having "Impostor Syndrome," make her relatable and show a willingness to grow and embrace vulnerability. This personal touch, with her clear communication and detailed case studies, positions her as a promising and relatable designer in the field. 

7. Inna Tskhay 

Inna Tskhay's portfolio greets you with a bold declaration of her identity as a web designer. She created her portfolio in two languages: Russian and English. It helps her reach out to the international audience. The striking visuals on her homepage instantly draw you in. With four years of creating captivating websites, she specializes in creating projects with unique animations and clean commercial designs. 

Inna's Strength

Inna's work is a blend of artistry, knowledge and functionality. She takes pride in her designs featured in Tilda's gallery. She also guided 135 web design students, many of whom have won international awards. Inna's portfolio highlights her reach and impact in the web design world. 

What Makes Inna Stand Out

Inna’s commitment to each project's narrative and understanding of typography's crucial role in design sets her apart. She applies this in her work for diverse industries, from beauty and grooming to education and e-commerce. Her portfolio displays her design prowess and outlines her detailed process from briefings to the final launch. It highlights her thorough approach to web design. 

8. Bradley Haynes

Bradley unfolds his design journey in one continuous scroll through the home page. He bypasses a traditional homepage to showcase a bit about his projects. He gives enough space to each project on the homepage. His work, especially for Lonely Planet, immediately draws you in with its vibrant imagery and compelling layout. 

Brandley’s Strength

Bradley embraces storytelling and allows each scroll to reveal a new chapter in his design narrative. This linear progression leads viewers through his experiences, processes and successful outcomes. He creates a cohesive story from start to finish. 

What Makes Bradley Stand Out

His mastery of design is evident in the thoughtful use of color and text that frames each image. Bradley's layouts flow seamlessly and guide the eye through a visual journey that is as intuitive as it is beautiful. This approach highlights his skills and creates a memorable experience for the viewer. 

9. Sarah Nowell

Sarah Nowell introduces herself with a refreshing simplicity on her website. While many designers present their work upfront on the homepage, Sarah chooses a more inviting approach. A gentle welcome precedes a separate showcase of her work. It encourages visitors to explore more into her portfolio. This method reflects a confident designer who understands the power of intrigue and the value of visitor engagement. 

Sarah’s Strength

Sarah's strengths shine through her thoughtful use of subtle colors, which bring a sense of calm and clarity to her designs. Her expertise is apparent in the detailed case studies she provides. She explains her design decisions and processes with depth and precision. It shows her profound understanding of user experience and product design. Her approach makes complex concepts accessible and reflects a designer with a keen eye for both aesthetics and functionality. 

What Makes Sarah Stand Out

Sarah Nowell stands out because she knows how to use color and detail to make her designs clear and appealing. When you go through each of her case studies, you’ll find them easy to understand. The research behind making the design stands out. The case studies show she knows a lot about making products that people find useful and enjoyable.  

10. Tara Lynne

Tara Lynne lets her diverse app design portfolio do the talking. Her homepage, simple yet elegant, directly showcases her projects. With over eight years of experience, she has worked on everything from medical software to luxury items. Tara is a designer and front-end developer whose passion for UI/UX shines through her work, displayed pridefully on her website. Her skillset makes her the perfect, trustworthy UI designer.  

Tara’s Strength

Tara's strengths shine in her case studies, where she employs tables and graphics to clarify complex information. She maps out the customer journey using visuals to guide understanding. Her use of perspective grids for warranty products exemplifies how she structures information. Tara's approach in detailing each phase, from research to final design, demonstrates a clear, logical flow in her design thinking. 

What Makes Tara Stand Out

Tara stands out for making complex information easy to understand. She breaks down her design thinking into clear steps. This shows her deep thought process behind every design. Her work goes beyond looks to ensure users find it practical and straightforward. 

Tips to Build Your Own UI Portfolio

Building a stand-out UI portfolio requires more than just showing your best work. It demands storytelling, an understanding of design principles and a reflection of your unique approach. Here are seven tips to help you construct a portfolio that resonates with clients and peers. You can draw inspiration from key figures in graphic design history. 

1. Start with Your Story

Every great design begins with a story. As Saul Bass created engaging narratives through his title sequences, your portfolio should tell your professional journey. Use your projects and experiences to illustrate your growth, challenges and successes. 

2. Simplify and Focus

Paul Rand, known for his minimalist logos, taught us that simplicity could capture the essence of a brand. Apply this to your portfolio by focusing on clarity and ease of navigation. Let your work shine without unnecessary distractions. 

3. Connect Emotionally

Milton Glaser’s designs, especially the 'I ♥ NY' logo, created an immediate emotional connection. Aim to evoke emotion with your UI designs. You can include projects that solve real-world problems or that have personal significance. 

4. Structure with Grids

Massimo Vignelli’s use of grids brought order and coherence to his work. Organize your portfolio using a grid system to create a balanced, harmonious layout that methodically guides viewers through your content. 

5. Make It Intuitive

Susan Kare’s pioneering work on the user-friendly icons for the original Macintosh shows the importance of intuitive design. Ensure that your portfolio is intuitive to navigate. It makes the user's journey through your work feel effortless. 

6. Be Visually Cohesive

Ensure your portfolio has a cohesive visual theme. This doesn’t mean all your work has to look the same. Still, there should be a consistent quality and a recognizable style that threads through your portfolio, much like the cohesive visual identity Susan Kare established for Apple’s early interface. 

7. Show Your Process

Finally, don't just showcase the end product. Like the detailed case studies of Dieter Rams, show your design process. Include sketches, wireframes and iterations to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and how you arrive at a design solution. 

Remember, your UI portfolio is your most powerful tool for showing potential clients or employers who you are as a designer. Take a page from these design legends and infuse your portfolio with the passion, clarity and user-centric focus they brought to their iconic creations. 

The Take Away

A UI design portfolio helps you show your skills, creativity and problem-solving abilities. It shows your ability to make digital spaces engaging and intuitive. The best portfolios highlight various projects, reveal the design process and focus on user-centric solutions.  

Notable designers blend personal narratives, diverse projects and clear, engaging presentations into their portfolios. As we come to a close, focus on these three things: 

• Distinguish yourself through a portfolio that displays beautiful interfaces and highlights your strategic thinking.  

• Show diverse projects to demonstrate adaptability and technical skills. 

• Update regularly to reflect a commitment to learning and professional growth. 

Embrace these principles to create a portfolio that showcases your talent and propels your career forward in UI design. 

Where to Learn More

Take our beginner course on Visual Design: The Ultimate Guide to get started on your journey in UI design.  

Read this Forbes article on How To Build A Portfolio Website That Shines.  

Get started with Figma’s UI design portfolio template if you are just starting.  

Take inspiration for your UI design portfolio from top portfolio designs on Behance.