<\/a>Why Should You Have an Instructional Design Portfolio?<\/h2>\nThere are three main reasons you need an eLearning portfolio of your work:<\/p>\n
Demonstrate your skills<\/h3>\n
Even the most experienced instructional designer with profound expertise and quality projects risks being overshadowed by not having an online portfolio. A curated collection of your best work can speak louder than a resume alone ever could. Having your own space to show your eLearning development skills can move your profession to new heights.<\/p>\n
Impress potential employers and attract more clients<\/h3>\n
A well-crafted eLearning portfolio website is your frontline tool for capturing the attention of employers and clients. Having a single place for colleagues, bosses, prospective clients, and others to view your work is important when sending out resumes or tweeting about new software, developments, or research elements.<\/p>\n
By showcasing a variety of projects, you illustrate not just your versatility but also your adaptability to different instructional challenges and audiences. Potential employers (or a hiring manager) and clients can envision what you can offer them, which can give you a distinct advantage in the competitive job market.<\/p>\n
Determine your development needs<\/h3>\n
As well, an online portfolio is an excellent place to show your best work and determine where you need to develop your instructional design skills to become even more amazing!<\/p>\n
You could also set up an eLearning portfolio to showcase what you\u2019ve mastered and share what you could work on to compare with those around you in the instructional design world. There are numerous instructional design portfolios online today, and it\u2019s easy to find both good and bad examples.<\/p>\n
Although comparing your work to that of another person is a fairly fruitless pursuit, learning from their example or using their instructional design portfolios as inspiration is how all the great masters have built and honed their skills.<\/p>\n
\nToo much to read? Get a summary from AI<\/h3>\nChatGPT<\/a> Claude<\/a> Perplexity<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\nInstructional Design Portfolio Examples<\/h2>\n
Here you\u2019ll find instructional design portfolio examples. Some of them are hosted and developed based on pre-existing templates (like Bluehost or WordPress), and some are custom-built. These are presented in no particular order but are good examples of layout, content, and flow.<\/p>\n
1. Lila Azouz<\/h3>\n
Lila Azouz<\/a> has a clean eLearning portfolio that demonstrates her skills in a variety of design and development tools and perspectives.<\/p>\nContent is organized into categories such as educational games, evaluation, and eLearning projects, allowing visitors to quickly navigate to the work samples that pique their interest. Each piece is accompanied by a brief description of Azouz\u2019s role in the project.<\/p>\n
The site\u2019s layout makes it easy to contact her, and it protects copyright by password-protecting some client work that cannot be publicly displayed.<\/p>\n
![\"Lila](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2020\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1606115558.png\" "\\"Lila")
<\/div>\nVisit Lila Azouz\u2019s portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n2. Cath Ellis<\/h3>\n
Cath Ellis<\/a> has given a lovely modern look and feel to her online portfolio and displays her instructional design projects by technology type. She also uses easily recognizable icons and navigation that help one feel comfortable when looking at her examples or moving around in her eLearning portfolio.<\/p>\nBy clicking on the project card, you can read about the client\u2019s task, tools used, techniques employed, and other information that may be helpful to future clients.<\/p>\n
![\"Cath](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2020\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1606115596.png\" "\\"Cath")
<\/div>\nVisit Cath Ellis\u2019 portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n3. Shalini Mathias<\/h3>\n
\u200b\u200bShalini Mathias<\/a> has a really engaging, non-standard portfolio site in the style of an interactive map that was built with the Prezi presentation software. As one navigates the map, they are introduced to the various projects she has contributed to.<\/p>\nWhile Prezi isn\u2019t as popular as it once was, this is a great way to demonstrate both knowledge and skill in different types of learning technologies.<\/p>\n
![\"Shalini](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2020\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1606115636.png\" "\\"Shalini")
<\/div>\nVisit Shalini Mathias\u2019 portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n4. Anna Poli<\/h3>\n
Anna Poli<\/a>\u2018s instructional design portfolio captivates with its intuitive and visually appealing design. Visitors can find everything they need to see quickly, thanks to its well-organized layout.<\/p>\nAnna\u2019s expertise shines through concise project descriptions, making it easy for people to grasp her abilities at a glance. The online portfolio impresses with its seamless user experience and showcases Anna as a top choice for instructional design needs.<\/p>\n
![\"Instructional](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701335268.png\" "\\"Anna")
<\/div>\nVisit Anna Poli\u2019s ID portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n5. David Leisey<\/h3>\n
David Leisey<\/a>\u2018s instructional design portfolio site has a clean look and is easy to navigate. It showcases several projects with a description of the audience, goals, tools used, and a detailed instructional design process of David\u2019s work from action map to final results. On the About page, you can learn about David\u2019s background and read about his approaches.<\/p>\n![\"David](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701335400.png\" "\\"David")
<\/div>\nVisit David Leisey\u2019s portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n6. Caroline Roberts<\/h3>\n
Caroline Roberts<\/a>\u2018 portfolio is well designed and contains all the information potential clients might need: projects with brief descriptions, testimonials, and contact information.<\/p>\nThe \u201cAbout\u201d page showcases Caroline\u2019s professional skills and educational background. It also presents her from a personal perspective, providing information about her hobbies and family that can create a personal connection and put the client at ease.<\/p>\n
![\"Caroline](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701335483.png\" "\\"Caroline")
<\/div>\nVisit Caroline Roberts\u2019 portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n7. Lucy Aguilar<\/h3>\n
Lucy Aguilar<\/a>\u2018s portfolio is eye-catching with its bright colors and vivid language. It contains many facts about her career and life milestones, from moving to the US and working in television to switching to instructional design. There are only a few projects in the Portfolio section; however, you can not only read their descriptions but also see the training modules themselves.<\/p>\n![\"Lucy](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701335608.png\" "\\"Lucy")
<\/div>\nVisit Lucy Aguilar\u2019s ID portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n8. Alex Hoffman<\/h3>\n
Alex Hoffman<\/a> has a concise portfolio containing only the most important information. It\u2019s a single page with a short bio, contacts, and several projects. For each project, Alex has indicated the target audience, his role, and the instructional design tools used. He also includes scripts, prototypes, and a brief explanation of the learning approaches used.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701335694.png\")
<\/div>\nVisit Alex Hoffman\u2019s ID portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n9. Chanel Marshall<\/h3>\n
Chanel Marshall<\/a> has divided her projects into four sections: eLearning, instructor-led training, learning resources, and instructional design, which makes navigating the site quite convenient. This online portfolio contains various types of content, such as slides, training videos, and online courses, showing Chanel Marshall as a great ID professional who can handle any task.<\/p>\n![\"Chanel](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701335784.png\" "\\"Chanel")
<\/div>\nVisit Chanel Marshall\u2019s ID portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n10. Reagan Laborde<\/h3>\n
Reagan Laborde<\/a> showcases her teaching background and publishes scholarly writings on learning technologies and memory. In addition to the projects she has worked on, Reagan has also included formal papers, such as a resume and cover letter, which may be useful to potential employers who may decide to hire this ID.<\/p>\n![\"Reagan](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701335867.png\" "\\"Reagan")
<\/div>\nVisit Reagan Laborde\u2019s ID portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>What Should a Great Instructional Design Portfolio Include?<\/h2>\nBefore you start creating an instructional designer portfolio, you need to decide what information to include. Based on the examples discussed above, here are our recommendations for what you can consider putting on your own portfolio page:<\/p>\n
\n- Your best projects.<\/strong> There\u2019s no need to include all of the projects you\u2019ve been working on for years. Pick the best courses and learning materials that will showcase you as a great instructional designer with a rich professional background. Include a variety of formats, such as eLearning modules, training videos, and written content. For each project, provide a brief description, your role, the objectives, tools used, and the outcomes.<\/li>\n
- Your photo.<\/strong> This is a must if you want to give a personal touch to your web page, make your visitors feel more comfortable, and gain their trust.<\/li>\n
- About.<\/strong> This block is optional, but it gives you an opportunity to tell your story. You might include your professional background, hobbies, your ID journey, and what drives you in this field. Tell a bit about your daily life; it will give visitors a sense of who you are beyond your professional achievements and help you build rapport with prospects.<\/li>\n
- Testimonials.<\/strong> Incorporate feedback from previous clients or colleagues to add credibility to your work and provide an outsider\u2019s perspective on your professional capabilities and work ethic.<\/li>\n
- Areas of expertise.<\/strong> You can highlight your specialties within instructional design, such as curriculum development, multimedia learning, or learner engagement strategies, to help clients or employers understand where you can add the most value. You can also mention your extensive experience in developing eLearning courses for healthcare or other industries in which you work most often.<\/li>\n
- Contact info.<\/strong> Make it easy for potential clients or employers to reach out to you. Include your professional email address, phone number, and links to your professional social media or LinkedIn profiles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/a>How to Create an Instructional Design Portfolio in 4 Steps<\/h2>\nThe examples we presented above were not built overnight. To create an informative and impressive portfolio<\/a>, you need to do some preparation work, analyze your experience, and decide what you\u2019re going to share with the world.<\/p>\nLet\u2019s look at these 4 steps you\u2019ll want to consider before you build your portfolio. Check out this infographic for an overview:<\/p>\n
![\"How](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701335991.png\" "\\"How")
<\/div>\nStep 1. Develop your personal brand<\/h3>\n
The first thing to consider is the approach to content, or how viewers will see you and your brand. Consider why you are building this work of art and what you want it to say about yourself and your work.<\/p>\n
Build a persona for your social media presence.<\/strong><\/p>\nTake a look at your online presence from an external perspective. Is it all over the place, with your personal and professional worlds mashed together? This is okay, if that\u2019s what you want. But if you don\u2019t, now is the time to consider what you want your online persona to be and start to shape your portfolio to reflect that.<\/p>\n
Who are you building this portfolio for: employers, grad school, or clients? Create a persona of who that \u2018person\u2019 is (just like creating personas for the learners in your programs!) so you can position the samples in a way that viewers will find interesting and appealing.<\/p>\n
You may want to consider several different views of your portfolio tailored to the groups that you want to attract to view your work. If you haven\u2019t seen one before, you may want to use an empathy map<\/a>.<\/p>\nAn empathy map is a picture of your client, audience, or employer. It takes an outsider\u2019s view (a view that\u2019s empathetic to the situation and environment of the person who is viewing the portfolio). It makes a list of what your viewer will be exposed to in their current circumstances, what they know about ID, what they face in their work environment, what they are hearing from their bosses, clients, and employees, and other things that allow you to see your portfolio from someone else\u2019s perspective.<\/p>\n
![\"An](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701336088.png\" "\\"An")
<\/div>\nLook around! Make a collection of elements, pages, samples, layouts, etc. to inspire you.<\/strong><\/p>\nOf course, no one is advocating stealing or copying here, but many artists have used others\u2019 works as inspiration for their own projects. These are often referred to as \u201cmood boards.\u201d A mood board is a collection of images, colors, layouts, texts, and navigation from all over the Internet that you feel would be representative of you, your brand, and your message.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n
![\"Mood](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2020\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1606116403.png\" "\\"Mood")
<\/div>\nIf you\u2019ve been working in a corporate environment with strict branding guidelines, you\u2019ve seen examples of the company\u2019s mood board. The collection of colors, fonts, images, layouts, and language styles should be consistent and reflect the persona you are trying to promote (which, ultimately, should be you).<\/p>\n
Assembling a mood board will help you identify the style and brand you want to create for yourself. Use it when looking at the templates or sites that you will choose to set up your portfolio.<\/p>\n
Step 2. Assemble the content for your portfolio<\/h3>\n
Are you aiming to get a new job, take on new clients, or expand your professional network and reputation? To accomplish any of this, you\u2019ll first need to consider the content you have and prepare eLearning samples to include.<\/p>\n
Begin gathering your work<\/strong><\/p>\nCollect all the work that you want to represent in your portfolio and categorize it.<\/p>\n
\n- If you have a very large portfolio or have multiple potential types of viewers, you may want to categorize them using a grid, such as type of client vs. modality, industry vs. timeline, and client vs. budget. It\u2019s your call to determine how to make your samples super easy to use.<\/li>\n
- If you have more offline than online samples, you can convert your face-to-face PowerPoint and workbook samples to HTML5 format if you prefer (using authoring tools<\/a> like iSpring Suite<\/a>), or you can post thumbnails of your work.<\/li>\n
- If you have work that is restricted by an NDA or can\u2019t be used due to a contract, you can still take sample slides that are representative of your work and remove identifying marks, names, or other elements. There has to be some work you\u2019ve done that isn\u2019t entirely restricted by an NDA. (If there isn\u2019t, you\u2019ll need to make some generic samples for display and mention that they represent the work you did for the employer.)<\/li>\n
- If you only contributed part of the design, writing, or coding for the project, that\u2019s okay! You will need to tell the story of how you collaborated, what you contributed, and how it worked out. Just don\u2019t misrepresent others\u2019 work as your own.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Tell the story of each sample<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Each of your samples should have information relevant to your audience (remember your audience personas and write for them!). In some cases, you will want to outline your contribution, the tools used, the context for the development (the intended audience and time period), and the outcome.<\/li>\n
- Your samples should tell the story of how you used a variety of ways to solve problems with design, accessibility, client management, or something that demonstrates not only your technical proficiency but also your style, your ability to manage or participate in collaborative work, and your overall professionalism.<\/li>\n
- If you are grouping your projects by industry (e.g., healthcare, defense, or banking), consider an opening paragraph before the samples summarizing your experience in the industry, including your role titles, level of authority or influence, and overall length of time in the industry. Potential hiring managers in that industry will appreciate your relating to them specifically.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Step 3: Create and optimize your portfolio<\/h3>\n
Now you have to put your eLearning portfolio online. Even if you aren\u2019t experienced with websites, hosting, or other elements of cyberspace, it\u2019s pretty easy to navigate if you stick to platforms built for people who aren\u2019t coders. Here are several options you can consider to create and host your ID portfolio website or page:<\/p>\n
1. iSpring Suite AI<\/h4>\n
iSpring Suite AI is a comprehensive content authoring tool. Its advanced subscription features iSpring Cloud \u2014 an online tool for storing, reviewing, and creating eLearning projects. Unlike other platforms, it has a portfolio builder designed specifically for instructional designers, course developers, and other eLearning specialists. You don\u2019t need any extra platforms, tools, widgets, etc. Simply create your portfolio using the prebuilt layout and share a link to it with potential clients or employers.<\/p>\n
The key benefits of this option are that you can upload your actual SCORM courses (this is rarely a possibility) and that the layout template is tailored to instructional designers\u2019 needs, showing clients everything you want them to see: your name, bio, the tools you use, and your projects with descriptions. So, it\u2019s really easy to build an appealing, effective portfolio without any coding, converting projects to HTML5 or video formats, etc.<\/p>\n
You can also make the portfolio feel truly yours by customizing colors and fonts \u2013 it only takes a few minutes to create something authentic and unique. Further on, we\u2019ll provide detailed instructions on how to create an ID portfolio with iSpring Suite AI.<\/p>\n
![\"An](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701336384.png\" "\\"An")
<\/div>\n2. Hosted portfolio platforms<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nIn this type of setup, the website, server (that will host your designs and eLearning samples), and everything else, are handled for you by a single company. The benefit of this is that they are purpose-built for portfolio use and easy to use and maintain, as they have preset templates for making a portfolio website. And although these portfolio sites often don\u2019t come with a lot of templates (especially free ones), they do give you a chance to create a portfolio website with basic technical skills and no programming requirement.<\/p>\n
Some of the most popular portfolio website builders are Behance<\/a>, Dribble<\/a>, and Adobe Portfolio<\/a>. Keep in mind that these portfolio websites are usually for visual artists and graphic designers, so you may not be able to do more than show individual slides or images unless you pay for more storage space on the site and the widgets that allow you to show interactive pieces (like eLearning courses).<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2020\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1606116693.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n\nExamples of design portfolios created in Dribble<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
3.\u00a0Website platforms (business websites)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nThe benefit of these types of sites, beyond just portfolio-specific sites, is that there are more types of templates (not all of which are relevant) and widgets to add contact methods, social linking, etc. that you may find useful if you are or will consider being a freelancer. Website platforms provide ready-made templates, hosting, storage, layout, and other widgets. You don\u2019t need to know how to write HTML code, JavaScript, or any other type of programming to get beautiful results.<\/p>\n
Many of these sites are free if you don\u2019t select the \u2018premium\u2019 templates. The platforms are easy to use, and the most popular ones include WordPress<\/a>, <\/span>Weebly<\/a>, and <\/span>Wix<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>These sites have hundreds of templates and widgets for people who want to make an online entrance but aren\u2019t programmers or media companies. Keep in mind that there is a huge difference between the .com and the .org versions of WordPress. If you don\u2019t know how to program HTML, you\u2019ll want the .com version.<\/p>\nLike the portfolio website platforms, you will need to pay for the ability to use widgets that will host your eLearning samples and make some things interactive, like contact widgets and video spaces.<\/p>\n
4.\u00a0Self-hosted websites<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nIf you know coding or can manage HTML, building your own website will be the best solution because it helps you control all your design and data. Of course, you don\u2019t have to start completely from scratch, as there are plenty of codebases you can download and then use to help you optimize your time. Probably the site and codebase that are used most for this is WordPress. Unlike the hosted version, wordpress.org<\/a> is a downloadable HTML program that you can use to create your own site and manage your widgets or navigation for your users. Of course, if you\u2019re an instructional design developer, you may want to take this route to demonstrate your skills.<\/p>\nIf you are going to choose this option, you will need the base code, a domain host, and probably some widgets and add-ons from the WordPress library.<\/p>\n
Step 4: Promote your instructional design portfolio<\/h3>\n
You have built this instructional design portfolio for a reason, and that\u2019s to get noticed. However, you won\u2019t get any visibility if you don\u2019t let people know your portfolio is available! There are a couple of great ways to get your portfolio out there and improve your overall presence:<\/p>\n
\n- Use social media to let people know that you have a new portfolio<\/strong>. What social media platforms do you connect with: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and\/or Instagram? Others? Tell your collaborators, friends, and followers to check it out. Offer to discuss anything they see or share experiences.<\/li>\n
- Join a professional group or association.<\/strong> Are you a member of the ATD? eLearning Guild? CCCE? There are many local, national, and international learning associations through which you can promote yourself and your portfolio while contributing to the profession and learning from the experiences of others.<\/li>\n
- Use good old-fashioned word of mouth!<\/strong> It\u2019s amazing how many people will be willing to help you spread the word about your new portfolio site and even give you additional work if you ask. It\u2019s not a burden to talk to people about what you are hoping to do. If there is quality in your work and your relationships, having a good conversation can really facilitate the promotion of your portfolio site and perhaps your instructional design career.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
<\/a>How to Create an Instructional Design Portfolio with iSpring Suite AI<\/h2>\nIf you don\u2019t want to worry about domain registration or buying extra widgets, you can use iSpring Suite AI \u2014 a single tool for creating eLearning courses, training videos, interactive assessments, and role-plays and showcasing them to the world. To create an instructional designer portfolio with this tool, follow these steps:<\/p>\n
1. If you don\u2019t have an iSpring Suite AI subscription yet, <\/span>download a 14-day free trial<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n2. Click on the iSpring Suite icon, and then click on your profile in the top-right corner. In the drop-down menu, select <\/span>Open iSpring Cloud<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"select](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701336720.png\" "\\"select")
<\/div>\n3. Then, upload the projects you want to show in your portfolio to iSpring Space and select My Portfolio<\/strong>.<\/p>\n![\"](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701336774.png\" "\\"")
<\/div>\n4. Click on the Add project to portfolio<\/strong> field.<\/p>\n![\"Click](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701336830.png\" "\\"Click")
<\/div>\n5. Find the project you want to add, and click on Select<\/strong>.<\/p>\n![\"Click](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701336897.png\" "\\"Click")
<\/div>\n6. Add the project\u2019s name, description, and cover image. Click on Save<\/strong>.<\/p>\n![\"Project](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701336954.png\" "\\"Project")
<\/div>\nRepeat this process with other projects. To change the order of the courses in your portfolio, simply drag them to the desired location.<\/p>\n
7. Once you\u2019ve added all the projects, add info about yourself. Click the Edit<\/strong> button under your avatar. In the opened window, fill in the blanks with your bio, profession, work experience, and the tools you use. Click on Save<\/strong>.<\/p>\n![\"Add](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701337014.png\" "\\"Add")
<\/div>\n8. Finally, you can make the portfolio feel like you! Click on the settings button in the upper-right corner. Customize the colors and fonts of your portfolio page. Once finished, click on Save<\/strong>.<\/p>\n![\"Selects](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701337067.png\" "\\"Selects")
<\/div>\nAnd that\u2019s it. Your concise, eye-catching portfolio was prepared within minutes!<\/p>\n
Important:<\/strong> In a trial account, course authors can create a portfolio but cannot share it. However, if you purchased a subscription to iSpring Suite AI, you can do that easily. Click Share<\/strong> in the top right corner, enable Make viewable via link<\/strong>, copy the link, and post it wherever you wish.<\/p>\n![\"Share](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2023\/11\/ispring-blog-image-1701337151.png\" "\\"Share")
<\/div>\n<\/a>Tips on How to Put Together a Portfolio That Really Works<\/h2>\nAs an instructional designer, you know a great deal about designing information in a way that helps the learner acquire knowledge and skills. Do some homework by looking over the websites mentioned above and figuring out how your portfolio fits with your personality and how you intend to present your work to your audience. Here are a few more tips you may find useful:<\/p>\n
\n- Make your websites fully accessible for those who may need special accommodation due to issues regarding sight, mobility, or language. Accessible design is good design.<\/li>\n
- Make sure you have your contact information prominently displayed in the header or footer of the site. Ensure that you also have working contact buttons where needed, but not buried at the bottom left or right corner of any page.<\/li>\n
- Continue to review and update your projects and work samples so you can always present a fresh perspective on how you are progressing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Summing Up<\/h2>\n
Creating an instructional design portfolio is a professional activity that will help you keep your skills honed, allow your design abilities to shine for others to see, and provide you with more credibility in the world of learning design and development. Instructional designers and other learning professionals need digital representation now more than ever, as the world becomes more globally connected and less reliant on word of mouth or resumes to get work. Your portfolio should be carefully thought out as part of your professional brand and a reflection of your true abilities. You can do this by carefully preparing your content, creating a site that is easy to use, and delivering an accessible experience to all of your prospective clients, employers, hiring managers, and colleagues.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Useful Resources<\/h2>\nWhether you\u2019re a novice ID who wants to delve deeper into instructional design or a seasoned professional who wants to refresh their knowledge, check out some more articles about ID and course authoring:<\/p>\n
Too much to read? Get a summary from AI<\/h3>\nChatGPT<\/a> Claude<\/a> Perplexity<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\nInstructional Design Portfolio Examples<\/h2>\n
Here you\u2019ll find instructional design portfolio examples. Some of them are hosted and developed based on pre-existing templates (like Bluehost or WordPress), and some are custom-built. These are presented in no particular order but are good examples of layout, content, and flow.<\/p>\n
1. Lila Azouz<\/h3>\n
Lila Azouz<\/a> has a clean eLearning portfolio that demonstrates her skills in a variety of design and development tools and perspectives.<\/p>\nContent is organized into categories such as educational games, evaluation, and eLearning projects, allowing visitors to quickly navigate to the work samples that pique their interest. Each piece is accompanied by a brief description of Azouz\u2019s role in the project.<\/p>\n
The site\u2019s layout makes it easy to contact her, and it protects copyright by password-protecting some client work that cannot be publicly displayed.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nVisit Lila Azouz\u2019s portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n2. Cath Ellis<\/h3>\n
Cath Ellis<\/a> has given a lovely modern look and feel to her online portfolio and displays her instructional design projects by technology type. She also uses easily recognizable icons and navigation that help one feel comfortable when looking at her examples or moving around in her eLearning portfolio.<\/p>\nBy clicking on the project card, you can read about the client\u2019s task, tools used, techniques employed, and other information that may be helpful to future clients.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nVisit Cath Ellis\u2019 portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n3. Shalini Mathias<\/h3>\n
\u200b\u200bShalini Mathias<\/a> has a really engaging, non-standard portfolio site in the style of an interactive map that was built with the Prezi presentation software. As one navigates the map, they are introduced to the various projects she has contributed to.<\/p>\nWhile Prezi isn\u2019t as popular as it once was, this is a great way to demonstrate both knowledge and skill in different types of learning technologies.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nVisit Shalini Mathias\u2019 portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n4. Anna Poli<\/h3>\n
Anna Poli<\/a>\u2018s instructional design portfolio captivates with its intuitive and visually appealing design. Visitors can find everything they need to see quickly, thanks to its well-organized layout.<\/p>\nAnna\u2019s expertise shines through concise project descriptions, making it easy for people to grasp her abilities at a glance. The online portfolio impresses with its seamless user experience and showcases Anna as a top choice for instructional design needs.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nVisit Anna Poli\u2019s ID portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n5. David Leisey<\/h3>\n
David Leisey<\/a>\u2018s instructional design portfolio site has a clean look and is easy to navigate. It showcases several projects with a description of the audience, goals, tools used, and a detailed instructional design process of David\u2019s work from action map to final results. On the About page, you can learn about David\u2019s background and read about his approaches.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nVisit David Leisey\u2019s portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n6. Caroline Roberts<\/h3>\n
Caroline Roberts<\/a>\u2018 portfolio is well designed and contains all the information potential clients might need: projects with brief descriptions, testimonials, and contact information.<\/p>\nThe \u201cAbout\u201d page showcases Caroline\u2019s professional skills and educational background. It also presents her from a personal perspective, providing information about her hobbies and family that can create a personal connection and put the client at ease.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nVisit Caroline Roberts\u2019 portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n7. Lucy Aguilar<\/h3>\n
Lucy Aguilar<\/a>\u2018s portfolio is eye-catching with its bright colors and vivid language. It contains many facts about her career and life milestones, from moving to the US and working in television to switching to instructional design. There are only a few projects in the Portfolio section; however, you can not only read their descriptions but also see the training modules themselves.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nVisit Lucy Aguilar\u2019s ID portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n8. Alex Hoffman<\/h3>\n
Alex Hoffman<\/a> has a concise portfolio containing only the most important information. It\u2019s a single page with a short bio, contacts, and several projects. For each project, Alex has indicated the target audience, his role, and the instructional design tools used. He also includes scripts, prototypes, and a brief explanation of the learning approaches used.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nVisit Alex Hoffman\u2019s ID portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n9. Chanel Marshall<\/h3>\n
Chanel Marshall<\/a> has divided her projects into four sections: eLearning, instructor-led training, learning resources, and instructional design, which makes navigating the site quite convenient. This online portfolio contains various types of content, such as slides, training videos, and online courses, showing Chanel Marshall as a great ID professional who can handle any task.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nVisit Chanel Marshall\u2019s ID portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n10. Reagan Laborde<\/h3>\n
Reagan Laborde<\/a> showcases her teaching background and publishes scholarly writings on learning technologies and memory. In addition to the projects she has worked on, Reagan has also included formal papers, such as a resume and cover letter, which may be useful to potential employers who may decide to hire this ID.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nVisit Reagan Laborde\u2019s ID portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>What Should a Great Instructional Design Portfolio Include?<\/h2>\nBefore you start creating an instructional designer portfolio, you need to decide what information to include. Based on the examples discussed above, here are our recommendations for what you can consider putting on your own portfolio page:<\/p>\n
\n- Your best projects.<\/strong> There\u2019s no need to include all of the projects you\u2019ve been working on for years. Pick the best courses and learning materials that will showcase you as a great instructional designer with a rich professional background. Include a variety of formats, such as eLearning modules, training videos, and written content. For each project, provide a brief description, your role, the objectives, tools used, and the outcomes.<\/li>\n
- Your photo.<\/strong> This is a must if you want to give a personal touch to your web page, make your visitors feel more comfortable, and gain their trust.<\/li>\n
- About.<\/strong> This block is optional, but it gives you an opportunity to tell your story. You might include your professional background, hobbies, your ID journey, and what drives you in this field. Tell a bit about your daily life; it will give visitors a sense of who you are beyond your professional achievements and help you build rapport with prospects.<\/li>\n
- Testimonials.<\/strong> Incorporate feedback from previous clients or colleagues to add credibility to your work and provide an outsider\u2019s perspective on your professional capabilities and work ethic.<\/li>\n
- Areas of expertise.<\/strong> You can highlight your specialties within instructional design, such as curriculum development, multimedia learning, or learner engagement strategies, to help clients or employers understand where you can add the most value. You can also mention your extensive experience in developing eLearning courses for healthcare or other industries in which you work most often.<\/li>\n
- Contact info.<\/strong> Make it easy for potential clients or employers to reach out to you. Include your professional email address, phone number, and links to your professional social media or LinkedIn profiles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/a>How to Create an Instructional Design Portfolio in 4 Steps<\/h2>\nThe examples we presented above were not built overnight. To create an informative and impressive portfolio<\/a>, you need to do some preparation work, analyze your experience, and decide what you\u2019re going to share with the world.<\/p>\nLet\u2019s look at these 4 steps you\u2019ll want to consider before you build your portfolio. Check out this infographic for an overview:<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nStep 1. Develop your personal brand<\/h3>\n
The first thing to consider is the approach to content, or how viewers will see you and your brand. Consider why you are building this work of art and what you want it to say about yourself and your work.<\/p>\n
Build a persona for your social media presence.<\/strong><\/p>\nTake a look at your online presence from an external perspective. Is it all over the place, with your personal and professional worlds mashed together? This is okay, if that\u2019s what you want. But if you don\u2019t, now is the time to consider what you want your online persona to be and start to shape your portfolio to reflect that.<\/p>\n
Who are you building this portfolio for: employers, grad school, or clients? Create a persona of who that \u2018person\u2019 is (just like creating personas for the learners in your programs!) so you can position the samples in a way that viewers will find interesting and appealing.<\/p>\n
You may want to consider several different views of your portfolio tailored to the groups that you want to attract to view your work. If you haven\u2019t seen one before, you may want to use an empathy map<\/a>.<\/p>\nAn empathy map is a picture of your client, audience, or employer. It takes an outsider\u2019s view (a view that\u2019s empathetic to the situation and environment of the person who is viewing the portfolio). It makes a list of what your viewer will be exposed to in their current circumstances, what they know about ID, what they face in their work environment, what they are hearing from their bosses, clients, and employees, and other things that allow you to see your portfolio from someone else\u2019s perspective.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nLook around! Make a collection of elements, pages, samples, layouts, etc. to inspire you.<\/strong><\/p>\nOf course, no one is advocating stealing or copying here, but many artists have used others\u2019 works as inspiration for their own projects. These are often referred to as \u201cmood boards.\u201d A mood board is a collection of images, colors, layouts, texts, and navigation from all over the Internet that you feel would be representative of you, your brand, and your message.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nIf you\u2019ve been working in a corporate environment with strict branding guidelines, you\u2019ve seen examples of the company\u2019s mood board. The collection of colors, fonts, images, layouts, and language styles should be consistent and reflect the persona you are trying to promote (which, ultimately, should be you).<\/p>\n
Assembling a mood board will help you identify the style and brand you want to create for yourself. Use it when looking at the templates or sites that you will choose to set up your portfolio.<\/p>\n
Step 2. Assemble the content for your portfolio<\/h3>\n
Are you aiming to get a new job, take on new clients, or expand your professional network and reputation? To accomplish any of this, you\u2019ll first need to consider the content you have and prepare eLearning samples to include.<\/p>\n
Begin gathering your work<\/strong><\/p>\nCollect all the work that you want to represent in your portfolio and categorize it.<\/p>\n
\n- If you have a very large portfolio or have multiple potential types of viewers, you may want to categorize them using a grid, such as type of client vs. modality, industry vs. timeline, and client vs. budget. It\u2019s your call to determine how to make your samples super easy to use.<\/li>\n
- If you have more offline than online samples, you can convert your face-to-face PowerPoint and workbook samples to HTML5 format if you prefer (using authoring tools<\/a> like iSpring Suite<\/a>), or you can post thumbnails of your work.<\/li>\n
- If you have work that is restricted by an NDA or can\u2019t be used due to a contract, you can still take sample slides that are representative of your work and remove identifying marks, names, or other elements. There has to be some work you\u2019ve done that isn\u2019t entirely restricted by an NDA. (If there isn\u2019t, you\u2019ll need to make some generic samples for display and mention that they represent the work you did for the employer.)<\/li>\n
- If you only contributed part of the design, writing, or coding for the project, that\u2019s okay! You will need to tell the story of how you collaborated, what you contributed, and how it worked out. Just don\u2019t misrepresent others\u2019 work as your own.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Tell the story of each sample<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Each of your samples should have information relevant to your audience (remember your audience personas and write for them!). In some cases, you will want to outline your contribution, the tools used, the context for the development (the intended audience and time period), and the outcome.<\/li>\n
- Your samples should tell the story of how you used a variety of ways to solve problems with design, accessibility, client management, or something that demonstrates not only your technical proficiency but also your style, your ability to manage or participate in collaborative work, and your overall professionalism.<\/li>\n
- If you are grouping your projects by industry (e.g., healthcare, defense, or banking), consider an opening paragraph before the samples summarizing your experience in the industry, including your role titles, level of authority or influence, and overall length of time in the industry. Potential hiring managers in that industry will appreciate your relating to them specifically.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Step 3: Create and optimize your portfolio<\/h3>\n
Now you have to put your eLearning portfolio online. Even if you aren\u2019t experienced with websites, hosting, or other elements of cyberspace, it\u2019s pretty easy to navigate if you stick to platforms built for people who aren\u2019t coders. Here are several options you can consider to create and host your ID portfolio website or page:<\/p>\n
1. iSpring Suite AI<\/h4>\n
iSpring Suite AI is a comprehensive content authoring tool. Its advanced subscription features iSpring Cloud \u2014 an online tool for storing, reviewing, and creating eLearning projects. Unlike other platforms, it has a portfolio builder designed specifically for instructional designers, course developers, and other eLearning specialists. You don\u2019t need any extra platforms, tools, widgets, etc. Simply create your portfolio using the prebuilt layout and share a link to it with potential clients or employers.<\/p>\n
The key benefits of this option are that you can upload your actual SCORM courses (this is rarely a possibility) and that the layout template is tailored to instructional designers\u2019 needs, showing clients everything you want them to see: your name, bio, the tools you use, and your projects with descriptions. So, it\u2019s really easy to build an appealing, effective portfolio without any coding, converting projects to HTML5 or video formats, etc.<\/p>\n
You can also make the portfolio feel truly yours by customizing colors and fonts \u2013 it only takes a few minutes to create something authentic and unique. Further on, we\u2019ll provide detailed instructions on how to create an ID portfolio with iSpring Suite AI.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n2. Hosted portfolio platforms<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nIn this type of setup, the website, server (that will host your designs and eLearning samples), and everything else, are handled for you by a single company. The benefit of this is that they are purpose-built for portfolio use and easy to use and maintain, as they have preset templates for making a portfolio website. And although these portfolio sites often don\u2019t come with a lot of templates (especially free ones), they do give you a chance to create a portfolio website with basic technical skills and no programming requirement.<\/p>\n
Some of the most popular portfolio website builders are Behance<\/a>, Dribble<\/a>, and Adobe Portfolio<\/a>. Keep in mind that these portfolio websites are usually for visual artists and graphic designers, so you may not be able to do more than show individual slides or images unless you pay for more storage space on the site and the widgets that allow you to show interactive pieces (like eLearning courses).<\/p>\n<\/p>\n\nExamples of design portfolios created in Dribble<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
3.\u00a0Website platforms (business websites)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nThe benefit of these types of sites, beyond just portfolio-specific sites, is that there are more types of templates (not all of which are relevant) and widgets to add contact methods, social linking, etc. that you may find useful if you are or will consider being a freelancer. Website platforms provide ready-made templates, hosting, storage, layout, and other widgets. You don\u2019t need to know how to write HTML code, JavaScript, or any other type of programming to get beautiful results.<\/p>\n
Many of these sites are free if you don\u2019t select the \u2018premium\u2019 templates. The platforms are easy to use, and the most popular ones include WordPress<\/a>, <\/span>Weebly<\/a>, and <\/span>Wix<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>These sites have hundreds of templates and widgets for people who want to make an online entrance but aren\u2019t programmers or media companies. Keep in mind that there is a huge difference between the .com and the .org versions of WordPress. If you don\u2019t know how to program HTML, you\u2019ll want the .com version.<\/p>\nLike the portfolio website platforms, you will need to pay for the ability to use widgets that will host your eLearning samples and make some things interactive, like contact widgets and video spaces.<\/p>\n
4.\u00a0Self-hosted websites<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nIf you know coding or can manage HTML, building your own website will be the best solution because it helps you control all your design and data. Of course, you don\u2019t have to start completely from scratch, as there are plenty of codebases you can download and then use to help you optimize your time. Probably the site and codebase that are used most for this is WordPress. Unlike the hosted version, wordpress.org<\/a> is a downloadable HTML program that you can use to create your own site and manage your widgets or navigation for your users. Of course, if you\u2019re an instructional design developer, you may want to take this route to demonstrate your skills.<\/p>\nIf you are going to choose this option, you will need the base code, a domain host, and probably some widgets and add-ons from the WordPress library.<\/p>\n
Step 4: Promote your instructional design portfolio<\/h3>\n
You have built this instructional design portfolio for a reason, and that\u2019s to get noticed. However, you won\u2019t get any visibility if you don\u2019t let people know your portfolio is available! There are a couple of great ways to get your portfolio out there and improve your overall presence:<\/p>\n
\n- Use social media to let people know that you have a new portfolio<\/strong>. What social media platforms do you connect with: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and\/or Instagram? Others? Tell your collaborators, friends, and followers to check it out. Offer to discuss anything they see or share experiences.<\/li>\n
- Join a professional group or association.<\/strong> Are you a member of the ATD? eLearning Guild? CCCE? There are many local, national, and international learning associations through which you can promote yourself and your portfolio while contributing to the profession and learning from the experiences of others.<\/li>\n
- Use good old-fashioned word of mouth!<\/strong> It\u2019s amazing how many people will be willing to help you spread the word about your new portfolio site and even give you additional work if you ask. It\u2019s not a burden to talk to people about what you are hoping to do. If there is quality in your work and your relationships, having a good conversation can really facilitate the promotion of your portfolio site and perhaps your instructional design career.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
<\/a>How to Create an Instructional Design Portfolio with iSpring Suite AI<\/h2>\nIf you don\u2019t want to worry about domain registration or buying extra widgets, you can use iSpring Suite AI \u2014 a single tool for creating eLearning courses, training videos, interactive assessments, and role-plays and showcasing them to the world. To create an instructional designer portfolio with this tool, follow these steps:<\/p>\n
1. If you don\u2019t have an iSpring Suite AI subscription yet, <\/span>download a 14-day free trial<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n2. Click on the iSpring Suite icon, and then click on your profile in the top-right corner. In the drop-down menu, select <\/span>Open iSpring Cloud<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n3. Then, upload the projects you want to show in your portfolio to iSpring Space and select My Portfolio<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n4. Click on the Add project to portfolio<\/strong> field.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n5. Find the project you want to add, and click on Select<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n6. Add the project\u2019s name, description, and cover image. Click on Save<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nRepeat this process with other projects. To change the order of the courses in your portfolio, simply drag them to the desired location.<\/p>\n
7. Once you\u2019ve added all the projects, add info about yourself. Click the Edit<\/strong> button under your avatar. In the opened window, fill in the blanks with your bio, profession, work experience, and the tools you use. Click on Save<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n8. Finally, you can make the portfolio feel like you! Click on the settings button in the upper-right corner. Customize the colors and fonts of your portfolio page. Once finished, click on Save<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nAnd that\u2019s it. Your concise, eye-catching portfolio was prepared within minutes!<\/p>\n
Important:<\/strong> In a trial account, course authors can create a portfolio but cannot share it. However, if you purchased a subscription to iSpring Suite AI, you can do that easily. Click Share<\/strong> in the top right corner, enable Make viewable via link<\/strong>, copy the link, and post it wherever you wish.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>Tips on How to Put Together a Portfolio That Really Works<\/h2>\nAs an instructional designer, you know a great deal about designing information in a way that helps the learner acquire knowledge and skills. Do some homework by looking over the websites mentioned above and figuring out how your portfolio fits with your personality and how you intend to present your work to your audience. Here are a few more tips you may find useful:<\/p>\n
\n- Make your websites fully accessible for those who may need special accommodation due to issues regarding sight, mobility, or language. Accessible design is good design.<\/li>\n
- Make sure you have your contact information prominently displayed in the header or footer of the site. Ensure that you also have working contact buttons where needed, but not buried at the bottom left or right corner of any page.<\/li>\n
- Continue to review and update your projects and work samples so you can always present a fresh perspective on how you are progressing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Summing Up<\/h2>\n
Creating an instructional design portfolio is a professional activity that will help you keep your skills honed, allow your design abilities to shine for others to see, and provide you with more credibility in the world of learning design and development. Instructional designers and other learning professionals need digital representation now more than ever, as the world becomes more globally connected and less reliant on word of mouth or resumes to get work. Your portfolio should be carefully thought out as part of your professional brand and a reflection of your true abilities. You can do this by carefully preparing your content, creating a site that is easy to use, and delivering an accessible experience to all of your prospective clients, employers, hiring managers, and colleagues.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Useful Resources<\/h2>\nWhether you\u2019re a novice ID who wants to delve deeper into instructional design or a seasoned professional who wants to refresh their knowledge, check out some more articles about ID and course authoring:<\/p>\n
Instructional Design Portfolio Examples<\/h2>\n
Here you\u2019ll find instructional design portfolio examples. Some of them are hosted and developed based on pre-existing templates (like Bluehost or WordPress), and some are custom-built. These are presented in no particular order but are good examples of layout, content, and flow.<\/p>\n
1. Lila Azouz<\/h3>\n
Lila Azouz<\/a> has a clean eLearning portfolio that demonstrates her skills in a variety of design and development tools and perspectives.<\/p>\n Content is organized into categories such as educational games, evaluation, and eLearning projects, allowing visitors to quickly navigate to the work samples that pique their interest. Each piece is accompanied by a brief description of Azouz\u2019s role in the project.<\/p>\n The site\u2019s layout makes it easy to contact her, and it protects copyright by password-protecting some client work that cannot be publicly displayed.<\/p>\n Visit Lila Azouz\u2019s portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n Cath Ellis<\/a> has given a lovely modern look and feel to her online portfolio and displays her instructional design projects by technology type. She also uses easily recognizable icons and navigation that help one feel comfortable when looking at her examples or moving around in her eLearning portfolio.<\/p>\n By clicking on the project card, you can read about the client\u2019s task, tools used, techniques employed, and other information that may be helpful to future clients.<\/p>\n Visit Cath Ellis\u2019 portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n \u200b\u200bShalini Mathias<\/a> has a really engaging, non-standard portfolio site in the style of an interactive map that was built with the Prezi presentation software. As one navigates the map, they are introduced to the various projects she has contributed to.<\/p>\n While Prezi isn\u2019t as popular as it once was, this is a great way to demonstrate both knowledge and skill in different types of learning technologies.<\/p>\n Visit Shalini Mathias\u2019 portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n Anna Poli<\/a>\u2018s instructional design portfolio captivates with its intuitive and visually appealing design. Visitors can find everything they need to see quickly, thanks to its well-organized layout.<\/p>\n Anna\u2019s expertise shines through concise project descriptions, making it easy for people to grasp her abilities at a glance. The online portfolio impresses with its seamless user experience and showcases Anna as a top choice for instructional design needs.<\/p>\n Visit Anna Poli\u2019s ID portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n David Leisey<\/a>\u2018s instructional design portfolio site has a clean look and is easy to navigate. It showcases several projects with a description of the audience, goals, tools used, and a detailed instructional design process of David\u2019s work from action map to final results. On the About page, you can learn about David\u2019s background and read about his approaches.<\/p>\n Visit David Leisey\u2019s portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n Caroline Roberts<\/a>\u2018 portfolio is well designed and contains all the information potential clients might need: projects with brief descriptions, testimonials, and contact information.<\/p>\n The \u201cAbout\u201d page showcases Caroline\u2019s professional skills and educational background. It also presents her from a personal perspective, providing information about her hobbies and family that can create a personal connection and put the client at ease.<\/p>\n Visit Caroline Roberts\u2019 portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n Lucy Aguilar<\/a>\u2018s portfolio is eye-catching with its bright colors and vivid language. It contains many facts about her career and life milestones, from moving to the US and working in television to switching to instructional design. There are only a few projects in the Portfolio section; however, you can not only read their descriptions but also see the training modules themselves.<\/p>\n Visit Lucy Aguilar\u2019s ID portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n Alex Hoffman<\/a> has a concise portfolio containing only the most important information. It\u2019s a single page with a short bio, contacts, and several projects. For each project, Alex has indicated the target audience, his role, and the instructional design tools used. He also includes scripts, prototypes, and a brief explanation of the learning approaches used.<\/p>\n Visit Alex Hoffman\u2019s ID portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n Chanel Marshall<\/a> has divided her projects into four sections: eLearning, instructor-led training, learning resources, and instructional design, which makes navigating the site quite convenient. This online portfolio contains various types of content, such as slides, training videos, and online courses, showing Chanel Marshall as a great ID professional who can handle any task.<\/p>\n Visit Chanel Marshall\u2019s ID portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n Reagan Laborde<\/a> showcases her teaching background and publishes scholarly writings on learning technologies and memory. In addition to the projects she has worked on, Reagan has also included formal papers, such as a resume and cover letter, which may be useful to potential employers who may decide to hire this ID.<\/p>\n Visit Reagan Laborde\u2019s ID portfolio \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n Before you start creating an instructional designer portfolio, you need to decide what information to include. Based on the examples discussed above, here are our recommendations for what you can consider putting on your own portfolio page:<\/p>\n The examples we presented above were not built overnight. To create an informative and impressive portfolio<\/a>, you need to do some preparation work, analyze your experience, and decide what you\u2019re going to share with the world.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s look at these 4 steps you\u2019ll want to consider before you build your portfolio. Check out this infographic for an overview:<\/p>\n The first thing to consider is the approach to content, or how viewers will see you and your brand. Consider why you are building this work of art and what you want it to say about yourself and your work.<\/p>\n Build a persona for your social media presence.<\/strong><\/p>\n Take a look at your online presence from an external perspective. Is it all over the place, with your personal and professional worlds mashed together? This is okay, if that\u2019s what you want. But if you don\u2019t, now is the time to consider what you want your online persona to be and start to shape your portfolio to reflect that.<\/p>\n Who are you building this portfolio for: employers, grad school, or clients? Create a persona of who that \u2018person\u2019 is (just like creating personas for the learners in your programs!) so you can position the samples in a way that viewers will find interesting and appealing.<\/p>\n You may want to consider several different views of your portfolio tailored to the groups that you want to attract to view your work. If you haven\u2019t seen one before, you may want to use an empathy map<\/a>.<\/p>\n An empathy map is a picture of your client, audience, or employer. It takes an outsider\u2019s view (a view that\u2019s empathetic to the situation and environment of the person who is viewing the portfolio). It makes a list of what your viewer will be exposed to in their current circumstances, what they know about ID, what they face in their work environment, what they are hearing from their bosses, clients, and employees, and other things that allow you to see your portfolio from someone else\u2019s perspective.<\/p>\n Look around! Make a collection of elements, pages, samples, layouts, etc. to inspire you.<\/strong><\/p>\n Of course, no one is advocating stealing or copying here, but many artists have used others\u2019 works as inspiration for their own projects. These are often referred to as \u201cmood boards.\u201d A mood board is a collection of images, colors, layouts, texts, and navigation from all over the Internet that you feel would be representative of you, your brand, and your message.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve been working in a corporate environment with strict branding guidelines, you\u2019ve seen examples of the company\u2019s mood board. The collection of colors, fonts, images, layouts, and language styles should be consistent and reflect the persona you are trying to promote (which, ultimately, should be you).<\/p>\n Assembling a mood board will help you identify the style and brand you want to create for yourself. Use it when looking at the templates or sites that you will choose to set up your portfolio.<\/p>\n Are you aiming to get a new job, take on new clients, or expand your professional network and reputation? To accomplish any of this, you\u2019ll first need to consider the content you have and prepare eLearning samples to include.<\/p>\n Begin gathering your work<\/strong><\/p>\n Collect all the work that you want to represent in your portfolio and categorize it.<\/p>\n Tell the story of each sample<\/strong><\/p>\n Now you have to put your eLearning portfolio online. Even if you aren\u2019t experienced with websites, hosting, or other elements of cyberspace, it\u2019s pretty easy to navigate if you stick to platforms built for people who aren\u2019t coders. Here are several options you can consider to create and host your ID portfolio website or page:<\/p>\n iSpring Suite AI is a comprehensive content authoring tool. Its advanced subscription features iSpring Cloud \u2014 an online tool for storing, reviewing, and creating eLearning projects. Unlike other platforms, it has a portfolio builder designed specifically for instructional designers, course developers, and other eLearning specialists. You don\u2019t need any extra platforms, tools, widgets, etc. Simply create your portfolio using the prebuilt layout and share a link to it with potential clients or employers.<\/p>\n The key benefits of this option are that you can upload your actual SCORM courses (this is rarely a possibility) and that the layout template is tailored to instructional designers\u2019 needs, showing clients everything you want them to see: your name, bio, the tools you use, and your projects with descriptions. So, it\u2019s really easy to build an appealing, effective portfolio without any coding, converting projects to HTML5 or video formats, etc.<\/p>\n You can also make the portfolio feel truly yours by customizing colors and fonts \u2013 it only takes a few minutes to create something authentic and unique. Further on, we\u2019ll provide detailed instructions on how to create an ID portfolio with iSpring Suite AI.<\/p>\n 2. Hosted portfolio platforms<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n In this type of setup, the website, server (that will host your designs and eLearning samples), and everything else, are handled for you by a single company. The benefit of this is that they are purpose-built for portfolio use and easy to use and maintain, as they have preset templates for making a portfolio website. And although these portfolio sites often don\u2019t come with a lot of templates (especially free ones), they do give you a chance to create a portfolio website with basic technical skills and no programming requirement.<\/p>\n Some of the most popular portfolio website builders are Behance<\/a>, Dribble<\/a>, and Adobe Portfolio<\/a>. Keep in mind that these portfolio websites are usually for visual artists and graphic designers, so you may not be able to do more than show individual slides or images unless you pay for more storage space on the site and the widgets that allow you to show interactive pieces (like eLearning courses).<\/p>\n Examples of design portfolios created in Dribble<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n 3.\u00a0Website platforms (business websites)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The benefit of these types of sites, beyond just portfolio-specific sites, is that there are more types of templates (not all of which are relevant) and widgets to add contact methods, social linking, etc. that you may find useful if you are or will consider being a freelancer. Website platforms provide ready-made templates, hosting, storage, layout, and other widgets. You don\u2019t need to know how to write HTML code, JavaScript, or any other type of programming to get beautiful results.<\/p>\n Many of these sites are free if you don\u2019t select the \u2018premium\u2019 templates. The platforms are easy to use, and the most popular ones include WordPress<\/a>, <\/span>Weebly<\/a>, and <\/span>Wix<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>These sites have hundreds of templates and widgets for people who want to make an online entrance but aren\u2019t programmers or media companies. Keep in mind that there is a huge difference between the .com and the .org versions of WordPress. If you don\u2019t know how to program HTML, you\u2019ll want the .com version.<\/p>\n Like the portfolio website platforms, you will need to pay for the ability to use widgets that will host your eLearning samples and make some things interactive, like contact widgets and video spaces.<\/p>\n 4.\u00a0Self-hosted websites<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n If you know coding or can manage HTML, building your own website will be the best solution because it helps you control all your design and data. Of course, you don\u2019t have to start completely from scratch, as there are plenty of codebases you can download and then use to help you optimize your time. Probably the site and codebase that are used most for this is WordPress. Unlike the hosted version, wordpress.org<\/a> is a downloadable HTML program that you can use to create your own site and manage your widgets or navigation for your users. Of course, if you\u2019re an instructional design developer, you may want to take this route to demonstrate your skills.<\/p>\n If you are going to choose this option, you will need the base code, a domain host, and probably some widgets and add-ons from the WordPress library.<\/p>\n You have built this instructional design portfolio for a reason, and that\u2019s to get noticed. However, you won\u2019t get any visibility if you don\u2019t let people know your portfolio is available! There are a couple of great ways to get your portfolio out there and improve your overall presence:<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t want to worry about domain registration or buying extra widgets, you can use iSpring Suite AI \u2014 a single tool for creating eLearning courses, training videos, interactive assessments, and role-plays and showcasing them to the world. To create an instructional designer portfolio with this tool, follow these steps:<\/p>\n 1. If you don\u2019t have an iSpring Suite AI subscription yet, <\/span>download a 14-day free trial<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n 2. Click on the iSpring Suite icon, and then click on your profile in the top-right corner. In the drop-down menu, select <\/span>Open iSpring Cloud<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n 3. Then, upload the projects you want to show in your portfolio to iSpring Space and select My Portfolio<\/strong>.<\/p>\n 4. Click on the Add project to portfolio<\/strong> field.<\/p>\n 5. Find the project you want to add, and click on Select<\/strong>.<\/p>\n 6. Add the project\u2019s name, description, and cover image. Click on Save<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Repeat this process with other projects. To change the order of the courses in your portfolio, simply drag them to the desired location.<\/p>\n 7. Once you\u2019ve added all the projects, add info about yourself. Click the Edit<\/strong> button under your avatar. In the opened window, fill in the blanks with your bio, profession, work experience, and the tools you use. Click on Save<\/strong>.<\/p>\n 8. Finally, you can make the portfolio feel like you! Click on the settings button in the upper-right corner. Customize the colors and fonts of your portfolio page. Once finished, click on Save<\/strong>.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s it. Your concise, eye-catching portfolio was prepared within minutes!<\/p>\n Important:<\/strong> In a trial account, course authors can create a portfolio but cannot share it. However, if you purchased a subscription to iSpring Suite AI, you can do that easily. Click Share<\/strong> in the top right corner, enable Make viewable via link<\/strong>, copy the link, and post it wherever you wish.<\/p>\n As an instructional designer, you know a great deal about designing information in a way that helps the learner acquire knowledge and skills. Do some homework by looking over the websites mentioned above and figuring out how your portfolio fits with your personality and how you intend to present your work to your audience. Here are a few more tips you may find useful:<\/p>\n Creating an instructional design portfolio is a professional activity that will help you keep your skills honed, allow your design abilities to shine for others to see, and provide you with more credibility in the world of learning design and development. Instructional designers and other learning professionals need digital representation now more than ever, as the world becomes more globally connected and less reliant on word of mouth or resumes to get work. Your portfolio should be carefully thought out as part of your professional brand and a reflection of your true abilities. You can do this by carefully preparing your content, creating a site that is easy to use, and delivering an accessible experience to all of your prospective clients, employers, hiring managers, and colleagues.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re a novice ID who wants to delve deeper into instructional design or a seasoned professional who wants to refresh their knowledge, check out some more articles about ID and course authoring:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n2. Cath Ellis<\/h3>\n
<\/div>\n3. Shalini Mathias<\/h3>\n
<\/div>\n4. Anna Poli<\/h3>\n
<\/div>\n5. David Leisey<\/h3>\n
<\/div>\n6. Caroline Roberts<\/h3>\n
<\/div>\n7. Lucy Aguilar<\/h3>\n
<\/div>\n8. Alex Hoffman<\/h3>\n
<\/div>\n9. Chanel Marshall<\/h3>\n
<\/div>\n10. Reagan Laborde<\/h3>\n
<\/div>\n<\/a>What Should a Great Instructional Design Portfolio Include?<\/h2>\n
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<\/a>How to Create an Instructional Design Portfolio in 4 Steps<\/h2>\n
<\/div>\nStep 1. Develop your personal brand<\/h3>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nStep 2. Assemble the content for your portfolio<\/h3>\n
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Step 3: Create and optimize your portfolio<\/h3>\n
1. iSpring Suite AI<\/h4>\n
<\/div>\n<\/p>\nStep 4: Promote your instructional design portfolio<\/h3>\n
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<\/a>How to Create an Instructional Design Portfolio with iSpring Suite AI<\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>Tips on How to Put Together a Portfolio That Really Works<\/h2>\n
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Summing Up<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Useful Resources<\/h2>\n