This Portfolio

Hero section of this portfolio
Figma layout: Project page gallery
Figma layout: Project card
Home page design for version 2 of my dev portfolio
Home page design for version 1 of my dev portfolio

Technologies used

This portfolio has gone through many iterations - each one marking a milestone in my design/dev journey. Through reflection, experimentation & a lot of trial & error, I haven’t just built a site, but also shaped my personal brand.
I have no doubt that this portfolio will continue to evolve, but I'm proud of what I've created so far.

I once again choose Next.js & Tailwind CSS for this project. Next.js for its performance & Tailwind for its ability to greatly increase my workflow speed. Animations are created using Framer Motion.

UI/UX

I scaled down the UI to make it as simple & focused as possible. This minimalist approach carries over to the UX as well, where I wanted things to be straightforward & streamlined. I followed familiar patterns & conventions to help users understand where things are & why they’re there. Interactions are encouraged through hover effects, animations & layout choices.

Challenges

  • Creative process icon

    Staying inspired & creating something both personal & user-friendly

  • Balanced UI icon

    Keeping the design futuristic while avoiding bloating the UI

  • Planning icon

    Allowing myself adequate planning time

  • SSR icon

    Keeping the site as SSR-friendly as possible

Outcome

  • Spending time on the “why” behind my design choices helped me craft a portfolio that feels intentional, cohesive across all screen sizes, & true to my own aesthetic preferences.

  • I simplified, then simplified some more. Focusing on well-crafted details, & letting them speak for themselves, ended up being more effective than my previous over-complicated designs.

  • Planning properly made the build smoother, faster & kept me (mostly) sane.

  • Used what I know about how Next.js works under the hood to keep things SSR where I could — good practice, even on a small build like this one.

Reflection

Building something that represents me visually & technically has been incredibly fun & surprisingly challenging. I approached every detail with care & intention, & I hope it shows.

I learned (again) that less is more, & saved a lot of time by applying my project planning experience from previous roles.

This project helped me improve my UI/UX skills, & taught me how to professionally approach design decisions for greater visual storytelling.