(When You Have Too Much — or Too Little)

One of the biggest blockers to publishing a portfolio isn’t the platform or the layout — it’s the content.
More specifically: what the heck should you include?

I’ve seen both sides of this:

• You’ve done a ton of different work and don’t know what to cut

• You’ve done some solid stuff, but worry it’s “not enough”

Here’s how I think about it when helping people move from draft to done:

1. Show the kind of work you want more of

This is the golden rule. Your portfolio isn’t just a record — it’s a filter. If you want to attract a certain kind of client, job, or opportunity, lead with work that points in that direction, even if it’s not your flashiest piece.

2. You don’t need a full archive

More projects doesn't mean more credibility. Most people viewing your site will remember one, maybe two examples at most. Choose a few that are:

• Visually clear at a glance

• Easy to explain in one or two lines

• Representative of what you’re good at now (not five years ago)

Quality > range. Always.

3. You can include personal or concept work

If you're early in your career or between roles, it’s completely valid to show:

• A self-initiated redesign of an app you like

• A passion project or fictional brand

• A design system you created for your own workflow

• A campaign you dreamed up but never launched

If it’s thoughtful and shows your process or taste, it counts.

4. Don’t wait for perfect case studies

You don’t need a novel-length write-up to share a project. You can add context with:

• A sentence or two about the goal

• A bullet list of your role and tools

• A line about what made it interesting or challenging

You can always write deeper breakdowns later — just get something out there now.

TL;DR:

You need just enough to spark trust and curiosity. That’s it.

You don’t need to show everything. You don’t need to prove everything. You just need to help someone understand what you’re about, and give them a reason to reach out.

If you want a clean, free template to build on, check out Elevate Design. It’s built on Carrd and gives you a structure that won’t overwhelm you — or your visitors.