PORTFOLIO ACADEMY

VETTING PROJECTS AND CRAFTING CONTENT

Watch the corresponding training video and then download and print this PDF to complete the exercise
below. We suggest you write your answers directly in this PDF and keep it handy because you’ll want to
refer back to it often.

Project Vetting Worksheet

Step #1: Collect all your projects

The first step is to sit down, brainstorm, and write down all the projects you’ve been working
on in the past few years. Include everything! Don’t erase, don’t exclude anything! For now, we
just one everything to be listed here. Then, we will sort and prune that list later! Look at your

PROJECT VETTING WORKSHEET

design files, LinkedIn, previous portfolios, email threads with clients to dig for projects you
have worked on.

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Step #2: Pair projects with your ICA

Next up, write the name of your ICA at the top then use the list you just created and add all the
projects that are relevant for that ICA. If you have multiple ICAs, feel free to duplicate this part
and start sorting and organizing your projects. Don’t prune still, include everything that might
be relevant!

NAME OF THE ICA:

Relevant projects:

PROJECT VETTING WORKSHEET

(Feel free to add more ICAs)

NAME OF THE ICA:

Relevant projects:

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Step #3: Prune your list!

Now it’s time to clean up that list! The goal is to have a maximum of 4-6 projects per ICA.

PROJECT VETTING WORKSHEET

Go through each project:

◆◆ Cross out projects that are not good enough (not high quality, not relevant enough, you
get the picture).

◆◆ Add a mark if a project is only good for ‘show off’ - if this doesn’t ring a bell, go to
“Deciding Which Projects to Feature in the Portfolio,” where I explain the concept of
show-off projects.

◆◆ Add a mark if an NDA protects a project. If you cannot show anything from the project,
cross it out. If you can, but you need to redact, change the name, etc., leave the project
in, but add an ‘NDA’ mark next to the project name.

Step #4: Evaluate

Did you get the 4-6 projects? Don’t worry about NDAs for now. If you can modify the designs,
change the logo, redact some information and you are good to go, then don’t worry. We will
take care of it when putting together the spotlight designs for your portfolio. If you have 4-6
projects for all your ICAs, you, my friend are ready to move on!
If you don’t have the 4-6 projects, don’t be sad. If you have at least 3, I recommend you move
on. You can still have a small but mighty portfolio that sells you as a professional designer by
only showing relevant, super high-quality projects.
If you are still struggling to have enough projects, head over to the “What to Do If You Don’t
Have Enough (Good) Projects” lesson, where I teach you how to come up with fake projects
that work like magic for your ICA. I’ve also put together a guide with 10 in-depth original project
briefs. You just need to pick a cool project an run with it.

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Do you have the 4-6 projects?

No Yes

Is it because of NDAs?

Yes No

PROJECT VETTING WORKSHEET

Can you change the logo,
Go to the “Way to Do If You
redesign the project a bit or
No Don’t Have Enough (Good)
redact information so that
Projects” lesson
you could use it?

Yes YOU ARE READY TO ROLL!

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