Build your professional portfolio with real-world projects

Uxcel Briefs are hands-on, real-world project challenges designed to help learners apply their skills in practical product scenarios. Each Brief simulates a situation you might encounter in a modern product team—requiring critical thinking, creativity, and user-focused solutions.

Briefs cover a variety of topics aligned with Uxcel’s six core skill categories: UX Research, Visual Design, Interaction Design, Content Strategy, Product Thinking, and Leadership. They include a clear scenario, task, recommended tools, and curated resources to guide your approach. By completing a Brief, you can sharpen your problem-solving skills, grow your portfolio, and receive expert feedback from mentors.

Anyone looking to strengthen their product thinking and communication skills can benefit from Briefs. While they're especially useful for designers, they’re also valuable for product managers, researchers, content strategists, and aspiring professionals who want to learn how to break down product challenges and present thoughtful solutions.

Start by studying the scenario and completion criteria closely. Uxcel provides relevant lessons and resources to help you prepare before diving into the challenge. Treat each Brief like a real-world project: brainstorm ideas, consider multiple approaches, and test your decisions.

Strong submissions typically go through multiple iterations and demonstrate both problem-solving and attention to detail. You’ll also improve faster by reflecting on mentor feedback, identifying patterns in your mistakes, and applying those lessons to future projects.

Anyone can access and complete Briefs, but only Pro members can submit their work for professional feedback from Uxcel mentors. If you're not a Pro member, you can still work on the Brief and seek feedback from peers or within the Uxcel community.

When submitting a Brief, you'll upload a showcase image, give your project a name, and write a brief description. For tips on effective submissions, check out our best practices here.

Submitted Briefs are reviewed by Uxcel Mentors—experienced professionals from top companies who offer clear, actionable feedback. In addition, your project will be published to the Showcase page, where community members can comment, like, and offer their own perspectives. This peer engagement helps simulate a real-world design review process.

Mentor reviews typically arrive within 24–48 hours after submission. The more active your Brief is—through likes and community engagement—the more visible it becomes on the Showcase page.

Pro tip: Share your submission with your network to increase visibility and feedback. Our algorithm takes likes and reviews into account when ranking projects on the Showcase page.

Yes! Briefs are built for practice and improvement. You can revisit the same Brief to iterate on your previous work or try a different approach. Submitting multiple times helps reinforce learning, build confidence, and track your growth over time.

Absolutely. Each completed Brief can serve as a portfolio project that demonstrates your ability to think through problems, craft user-centered solutions, and communicate your process. It’s a great way to showcase your skills to hiring managers or teammates in a credible, structured format.