STEP 2

Week 2 — Portfolio and Career Plan

Step 2 helps you define your direction (career goals and target jobs) and establish the written structure required for every portfolio project case.

 

VIDEO

 

HOMEWORK

Step 2A: Download Plan Sheets


Step 2B: Review Other Student Online Portfolios

 

VIDEO

 

Step 2C: Download Required Text for Each Project


Step 2D: Download & Read An Eye For Detail - Self Promotion

 

SUGGESTED

Step 2 Optional: Use InDesign Template for a Print Portfolio

Step 2 Optional: Create a LinkedIn profile

 

STEP 2 — SUB-STEPS EXPLAINED

🔑 Step 2A — Plan Sheets

This sub-step helps you define your future design career direction, including target roles and the type of work you want to pursue.

 

Step 2B — Review Online Portfolios

Review student portfolios to identify strong patterns (presentation, clarity, project quality, and writing) that you can apply to your own site.

 

🔑 Step 2C — Required Text

Every portfolio project case must include, at minimum:

Traditional Text

Title

Concept — explain why you made it

Description — explain what the project is

Discipline — note the category (from Step 2)

 
 

PROMPT: Portfolio Text Rewrite Prompt

You are rewriting portfolio project text for a graphic design portfolio.

Your task is to produce a clearer, stronger, and more professional version of the project’s text while preserving the original intent and facts. You are not evaluating the work — you are improving the written content.

Gate Check — Do Not Skip

Before doing anything else, verify that the project includes all four required sections, clearly labeled or clearly identifiable:

  • Title
  • Concept
  • Description
  • Discipline

If any one of these is missing, stop immediately and return only this message:

“This project cannot be revised yet. It must include Title, Concept, Description, and Discipline.”

Do not provide revisions, feedback, or suggestions if this requirement is not met.

Definitions — These Are Strict

Concept = WHY

The Concept must explain why the project was created. It must be written as a paragraph or multiple complete sentences and must address:

  • The client’s need or problem
  • The target market or audience
  • How the design approach was intended to address that need or reach that audience

The Concept must not include:

  • Tools
  • Software
  • Materials
  • Sizes
  • Formats
  • Production or fabrication details

If those appear, relocate or remove them.

Description = WHAT

The Description must explain what was produced. It must be written as a paragraph or multiple complete sentences and include only factual information such as:

  • Format and medium (print, environmental, digital, web, motion, etc.)
  • Physical or digital specifications (dimensions, quantities, platforms, locations)
  • Technical scope (signage system, wall graphics, HTML/CSS site, video length, etc.)

The Description must not discuss:

  • Intent
  • Audience
  • Goals
  • Client needs
  • Strategy or rationale

The more specific and concrete the Description, the stronger it is.

Discipline

Discipline identifies the design category or categories. It may be a single term or multiple terms.

Examples:

  • Logo & Branding
  • Logo & Branding, Social Media
  • Web, UI/UX
  • Packaging, Information Graphics
  • Environmental Graphics, Wayfinding

The Discipline must accurately reflect the work shown.

Rewrite Instructions

If all required sections exist:

  • Rewrite Title, Concept, Description, and Discipline to be clearer, more professional, and portfolio-ready
  • Improve clarity, flow, and precision
  • Correct section placement (WHY vs WHAT)
  • Remove redundancy between sections
  • Do not invent new facts, clients, outcomes, or deliverables
  • Do not change the scope of the project

Optional Fields (Only if Present)

If included, improve clarity and consistency for:

  • Client
  • Dates
  • Awards
  • Software

Do not add these fields if they are absent.

Output Rules

  • Output only the revised project text
  • Clearly label each section:
    • Title
    • Concept
    • Description
    • Discipline
  • No evaluation
  • No explanations
  • No praise
  • No questions
  • No added content beyond the rewrite

Or…

Case Study Text

Title

Concept — explain why you made it

Description — explain what the project is

Discipline — note the category (from Step 2)

 
 

PROMPT: Portfolio Case Study Rewrite

You are rewriting portfolio case study text for a graphic design portfolio.

Your task is to produce clearer, stronger, and more professional case study text while preserving the original intent and facts. You are not evaluating the work — you are refining the written content.

Gate Check — Do Not Skip

Before doing anything else, verify that the project includes all five required sections, clearly labeled or clearly identifiable:

  • Title
  • Client
  • Problem
  • Solution
  • Results

If any one of these is missing, stop immediately and return only this message:

“This project cannot be revised yet. It must include Title, Client, Problem, Solution, and Results.”

Do not provide revisions, feedback, or suggestions if this requirement is not met.

Definitions — These Are Strict

Title

The Title identifies the project clearly and professionally. It should reference the project, campaign, system, or deliverable — not a class name or assignment title.

Client

The Client identifies who the work was created for.

This may be:

  • An organization
  • A business
  • A nonprofit
  • An internal or academic client (if applicable)

If the client is hypothetical or academic, it should still be named as provided by the student.

Do not editorialize or clarify the client beyond rewriting for clarity.

Problem

The Problem explains what challenge needed to be solved.

It must be written as a paragraph or multiple complete sentences and may include:

  • The client’s need, limitation, or challenge
  • Communication, branding, usability, or visibility issues
  • Context or constraints that shaped the project

The Problem must not describe:

  • The design solution itself
  • Tools or software
  • Deliverables or formats

Solution

The Solution explains how the design addressed the problem.

It must be written as a paragraph or multiple complete sentences and may include:

  • The design approach or strategy
  • Key decisions made to address the problem
  • How the work responds to the client’s needs

The Solution must not include:

  • Measured outcomes
  • Success metrics
  • Audience reaction or effectiveness claims

Results

The Results explain what happened because of the solution.

It must be written as a paragraph or multiple complete sentences and may include:

  • Implementation outcomes
  • Client use or adoption
  • Improvements, clarity, engagement, or usability (if stated by the student)

Results must be based only on information provided. Do not invent metrics, success claims, or client feedback.

If results are modest or qualitative, rewrite them clearly without embellishment.

Rewrite Instructions

If all required sections exist:

  • Rewrite Title, Client, Problem, Solution, and Results
  • Improve clarity, flow, and professionalism
  • Remove redundancy between sections
  • Ensure logical progression from Problem → Solution → Results
  • Preserve original scope, intent, and facts
  • Do not add new outcomes, clients, or claims

Optional Fields (Only if Present)

If included, improve clarity and consistency for:

  • Dates
  • Deliverables
  • Platforms

Do not add optional fields if they are absent.

Output Rules

Output only the revised case study text. Clearly label each section:

  • Title
  • Client
  • Problem
  • Solution
  • Results

No evaluation. No explanations. No praise. No questions. No added content beyond the rewrite.

Step 2D — Read About Self Promotion

This reading focuses on how designers promote themselves and how to position your work to find strong opportunities.

 

TURN-IN REQUIREMENTS

🔑 = file to be turned in

 

🔑 Due on Friday, January 21

Deliverable: Plan Sheets + Your Required Text

Format: Combine both items into one PDF

File name format: LastName-PlanSheets-S2.pdf