16 Best Practices for Posting Your First Project

What’s a project?

The word "project" sounds grand. It implies effort, dedication, and creativity, but also fun. A project on Uxcel is no different. It's the design work you submit to share with Uxcel's community, created to help designers share, explain, and discuss their work. Submitting a project on Uxcel is a fantastic opportunity to build a digital portfolio without the need to develop a website.

The Showcase is a collection of all submitted projects where designers can find inspiration and leave feedback. However, a project isn't just a few screens; it's a comprehensive case study. As the author of your project, you must learn to present your work, articulate your decisions, and demonstrate your process, including any challenges you face. This holistic approach not only highlights your design skills but also showcases your ability to think critically and solve problems, making your project a valuable addition to your portfolio.

The benefits of sharing projects

So, what does developing a project give you as a designer?

• Build a powerful portfolio. Every project you publish is automatically added to your 'My Projects' tab. This curated selection of your best work can be shared with potential employers.
• Receive actionable feedback. Projects allow you to get reviews and recommendations from field experts, providing valuable insights for improvement.
• Get recognition from the Uxcel community. Any project you submit is eligible for our regular Community and Editor’s Choice awards. Award-winning projects are tagged with a unique badge and highlighted in the showcase. This recognition can help your work be seen by thousands of members, and you can share your accomplishments on LinkedIn or with potential employers.
• Compete to win prizes. We host regular design competitions with prizes for the best projects. Keep an eye out for upcoming challenges to put your skills to the test.
• Challenge yourself and hone your skills. Developing a project is an excellent opportunity to enhance your abilities in conducting research, communicating with users, analyzing data, building wireframes, conducting testing, brainstorming, creating designs, and articulating your opinions.

How to submit a project

There are two ways to submit a project:

• Submit a project you've developed at some point in your career. This could be a project you developed with your team, a personal non-commercial project, a project for a friend, a design contest entry, a volunteer opportunity, or a project from a bootcamp.
• Explore the design briefs offering scenarios for design works. This option is ideal for those who don't have a portfolio, are beginners, or are changing their careers and want to gain skills and upgrade their portfolios. By following a design brief, you can create a project that demonstrates your ability to tackle specific design challenges.

🧠 Pro tip: Explore our vast library of design briefs to find the scenario that sparks your interest and inspires your next project.

Best practices for projects

1. Articulate your work

Your project should be more than just images. The hiring market values designers who can explain their design work. Even if you haven’t conducted the research yourself, share the data you relied on about your users. You can submit user personas, customer journey maps, and empathy maps — Uxcel offers templates for these. If some interviews provided valuable insights, feel free to quote users' words.

🧠 Pro tip: Explore our courses on UX Research and Design Thinking to learn how to utilize UX deliverables effectively and conduct impactful research.

2. Use the Uxcel case study template

Uxcel offers a template for a case study, which is a perfect tool to format your work and present it in an appealing package.

3. Explain your choices

Visual designs need explanations. Describe why you chose specific colors, typefaces, and images, and how you believe they will work.

4. Show your process

Documenting your process from sketches to digital frames proves ownership and demonstrates your thinking process.

5. Ensure high-quality visuals

Blurry images can detract from your work. Make sure all visuals are clear and high-quality. We recommend using PNG or JPEG formats to maintain good quality.

6. Use functional links

If you include links to prototypes in Figma or articles on Medium, ensure they work and check the permission settings. On Figma, you can share your file without giving edit access by selecting the "View only" option when you share the link.

7. Follow design brief requirements.

If you’re submitting to a design brief, carefully read the requirements. If the design brief is focused on developing a signup process with accessibility in mind, your work should be about that — not a checkout process but a signup. Think of ways to demonstrate how your work meets accessibility requirements. If the brief is about an entertainment mobile app, submitting a bank desktop app is out of place.

8. Check your spelling

Spelling mistakes can undermine great work. Always proofread your text. Tools like ChatGPT and Grammarly can help with proofreading and improving your text.

🧠 Pro tip: Explore how to use ChatGPT to create efficient microcopy and craft informative yet concise texts, even if you’re a designer, not a writer, in our AI in UX/UI Design course.

9. Provide a perfect cover image

Use the provided Uxcel templates to showcase your designs with mockups and create a prominent cover image with attractive visuals and a compelling title.

10. Be concise but informative

Clearly articulate your decisions with concise yet informative text. Pay as much attention to the write-up as to the project design itself.

11. Give credit

Collaboration is an integral part of design projects, and acknowledging your teammates’ contributions shows professionalism and respect. Whether it was a co-designer, a mentor, or a friend who provided feedback, giving credit to others enhances the authenticity of your project and builds trust within the community.

12. Include tools used

List the tools you used in your project. Providing this information helps others understand your workflow and the resources that facilitated your design process. Mention software like Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch, or any other tools you utilized. This can also highlight your proficiency with various design tools, which is valuable information for potential employers.

13. Add relevant tags

Tags help categorize your project, making it easier for others to find. Include keywords related to your project's theme, tools used, design techniques, and target audience. Effective tagging can increase your project's visibility and engagement within the Uxcel community.

14. Use text formatting

Proper text formatting enhances readability and structure. Indicate headings (H1 and H2 are available currently) and emphasize key points with bold or italic text to organize content. If you reference specific studies, statistics, or articles, include hyperlinks to these sources.

15. Get inspired

Visit the Showcase tab to look at others’ works, get inspired, or challenge yourself to create something as good or better. The Showcase is a vibrant collection of diverse projects. Browsing through it can spark new ideas, help you understand current design trends, and motivate you to push your creative boundaries. It’s also an opportunity to learn from others’ successes and challenges.

16. Comply with license requirements

If you use free templates from the Figma community or other sources, ensure you comply with the license requirements to avoid copyright violations. Always review and follow the licensing terms of any third-party resources you use in your project. This not only protects you legally but also respects the work of other creators.

Collaborate and give feedback

Remember, receiving valuable feedback from Uxcel’s community starts with giving thoughtful feedback to others. While clapping to show appreciation for someone's work is a quick way to encourage them, leaving written feedback is far more impactful. Thoughtful comments not only help others improve but also foster meaningful connections within the community.

Here are some tips to offer constructive criticism effectively and avoid causing resentment:

• Use the sandwich method. Start with a positive comment, provide constructive criticism, and then end with another positive comment. For example:

"I love the color palette you've chosen. It really makes the design pop. One suggestion would be to reconsider the spacing between elements to improve readability. Overall, the layout is very engaging and user-friendly."

• Be specific and actionable. Offer practical recommendations if you see issues and know how to fix them.
• Focus on the work, not the person. Frame your feedback around the project itself rather than the individual.
• Encourage experimentation. Suggest ideas for trying different approaches or techniques.
• Acknowledge improvements. If you've seen their previous work, mention any noticeable improvements. This shows that you recognize their efforts and progress.

Great work often results from collaboration and the sharing of ideas, leading to something truly beautiful. Constructive feedback fosters a positive and productive environment where everyone can grow and improve their skills.