8 Tips for creating an instructional design portfolio

Have you ever wondered how to showcase the learning experiences you craft as an instructional designer? In today’s competitive job market, especially in the field of instructional design, having a polished portfolio could be your ticket to standing out among a sea of qualified applicants. With a portfolio, you can display not only what you know about learning theory and best practices but also what you can do to produce meaningful, high-impact learning experiences. 

In this blog post, we’ll delve into the essentials of creating an effective instructional design portfolio. Specifically, we’ll describe what an instructional design portfolio is, explain why you need one, and provide eight practical tips to best display your instructional design projects and make your own portfolio shine.

What is an instructional design portfolio?

At its core, an instructional design (or learning design) portfolio is a curated collection of your work that demonstrates your skills, expertise, and accomplishments in the field of instructional design. It’s much more than a list of jobs or your educational background; it’s a visual representation of your technical expertise, showcasing your capacity to create engaging, well-structured educational content and your firm grasp of the instructional design process. While at one point portfolio building may have involved physical work samples, typically, designers will now have a portfolio website where their work is displayed.

Why you need an instructional design portfolio

There are several key reasons why having a portfolio website is valuable in the instructional design field. First, an instructional design portfolio serves as a repository of the various kinds of learning experiences you’ve created, innovative strategies you’ve employed, and learning technologies you’ve leveraged. It also communicates your professional brand to prospective clients and illustrates your instructional design skills.

Having a polished, comprehensive instructional design portfolio allows potential employers or hiring managers to see examples of your work. This is crucial because instructional design is a hands-on profession, and tangible evidence of your abilities can be far more compelling for employers than mere descriptions.¹ Moreover, recent survey research has shown that new instructional designers (meaning those with three or fewer years of experience) who have portfolios “earn ~15% more than their peers without portfolios.”² This finding demonstrates that taking the time to curate and compile your best work into an instructional design portfolio can result in tangible advantages.

Setting up your portfolio website

An online portfolio can be developed and hosted on a variety of portfolio platforms. Portfolio sites include WordPress, Wix, Adobe Portfolio, Squarespace and Behance, among many others. These platforms typically offer ready-made templates for you to build from, as well as the option for extensive customization. In selecting a platform and designing your own site, you’ll want to be mindful of when and how you might need to share your work. Ensuring that the platform you select will display your work properly not only on computers but also on mobile devices, for example, will allow you to make optimal use of your content in a wider range of circumstances.³

Your portfolio website should include all the information you believe would "sell" a hiring manager or potential client on your ability to meet their needs. Your site should definitely include:

• Your professional background and, optionally, a downloadable PDF version of your resume
• At least three projects showcasing your instructional design work
• Your contact information or a way for people to get in touch with you

You can find instructional design portfolio examples online at the websites above. You can also get inspiration from the portfolios of graphic designers, architects, writers and other professionals with similar types of work samples to display.

8 tips for creating an effective portfolio website

Creating a portfolio might seem daunting, but with these eight tips, you can develop a collection of work that showcases your skills and experience. Your portfolio site could be the first interaction hiring managers have with you, so take the time to make sure it accurately represents you as an instructional designer.

Showcase your best work

Your portfolio site doesn’t need to include every project you’ve ever completed. Rather, it should serve as a highlight reel of your most impressive and relevant work. In curating projects for inclusion in your portfolio, focus on quality over quantity. Think about your target audience and ask yourself which projects would best illustrate your capabilities and successes to those people. Make sure to note if any of your portfolio projects have won awards or received recognition from important associations or governing bodies.

Highlight your design process

As an instructional designer, one of the most critical aspects of your portfolio website is explaining how you achieve your results.¹ This means detailing your process—from identifying needs and refining learning objectives to customizing course materials and evaluating outcomes. Employers are interested in not just seeing your portfolio examples, but how you created them. 

In developing descriptions of your creative process, think about how specific elements might be framed to resonate with a broad audience. For example, demonstrate how you overcame a technological challenge in a past project to forecast how you might tackle future elearning projects. Connect common challenges with solutions you devised, or specific examples to general principles and best practices, to help potential employers and clients anticipate how your process would work for their projects.

Make it visually appealing and accessible

An elearning portfolio with visual appeal is more likely to hold a viewer's attention. Use modern design principles to create a professional look and feel, incorporating high-quality images, readable fonts, and a consistent color scheme. 

Instructional design portfolios should also be designed to meet accessibility standards. Accessibility is a core component of instructional design, ensuring that all learners can engage with learning materials effectively and equitably.⁴ Adhering to accessibility guidelines consistently throughout your portfolio also demonstrates your commitment to best practices. For example, you’ll want to avoid using color alone to convey meaning and ensure that images include alt text or brief descriptions.

Keep your portfolio updated

An outdated portfolio can be worse than no portfolio at all. Make it a habit to regularly update your portfolio to include recent projects and exclude older ones that no longer accurately represent the quality of your current work. If you use links to external sites you'll also want to regularly check to make sure they're still working. This ensures your portfolio remains relevant and showcases your latest skills and experiences. 

When making updates to your portfolio, it can also be helpful to consider the extent to which the contents you’ve included align with current norms, needs, and demands within the field of instructional design. Ensuring that your portfolio adequately represents the current state of the field can demonstrate your commitment to continuous learning and innovation. 

Include a variety of projects

Diverse projects highlight your ability to adapt and excel in designing for a wide range of audiences and learning environments. Incorporating a range of different project types illustrates how you’ve applied your knowledge and skills to successfully meet the needs of different audiences. For example, if you’ve designed eLearning courses, training manuals, and interactive tutorials, consider representing each project category in your portfolio. Diversifying your portfolio site content demonstrates your capacity to successfully meet the needs of a broad range of employers and potential clients.  

Demonstrate your technical skills

Instructional designers often need to be proficient with a wide range of tools and software.³ Highlight your technical skills by showcasing projects where you used prominent tools, such as Articulate Storyline and Adobe Captivate, or popular learning management systems like Canvas and Blackboard. This will show employers you have the technical prowess needed for contemporary instructional design roles.

Organize and structure your portfolio intentionally

The organization of your portfolio is just as important as the quality of the work itself. Use a consistent and intuitive structure to ensure anyone reviewing your portfolio can navigate the content easily and as intended. Additionally, ensure that clear labels and descriptions accompany all of the content you include. Taking time to optimize the organization and structure of your portfolio site will make it more appealing and provide a better user experience.

Seek feedback on your work

Before finalizing your portfolio website, seek feedback from your target audience including colleagues, mentors, hiring managers or other professionals in the field. Constructive criticism can provide valuable insights into elements or possibilities that you may have overlooked and can significantly improve the quality of your online portfolio.

Elevate your instructional design expertise at SMU

Building a strong instructional design portfolio starts with having a solid foundation in the field. Add to your portfolio and elevate your instructional design career by pursuing the Master of Science in the Learning Sciences (MSLS) degree at SMU. The MSLS program offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to equip you with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary to excel in instructional design. Learn how our expert faculty, state-of-the-art technology, and hands-on learning experiences can help you develop an outstanding portfolio and advance your career.

Ready to take the first step toward a transformative educational journey with us? Schedule a call with one of our admissions outreach advisors today.