A number of tools are available to help you build and host your portfolio. Each of these have templates in which you can use plug in your own text and images and create dynamic interactions.
These tools basically take two forms: fully-customizable tools and basic tools, which are less flexible.
Fully-customizable tools: Webflow and Editor X
These allow you to fully customize your portfolio by using CSS. Like all products they also provide templates and tools that easily allow you to build sections such as navigation or ‘about me’, and showcase your work in various ways. Even without using native CSS, if you learn either tool you can make your site look pretty much anyway you want. Knowing some CSS will make it easier.
These products are more expensive than the others (Webflow is over $25 monthly, Editor X over $20) and require more time to learn. The advantage is that you can make your portfolio look and work exactly as you want.
Each of the student portfolios we viewed in this lesson were built using Webflow.
Basic Tools: Squarespace, Wix, UXfolio, and WordPress
Basic tools are comparatively easier to use, cost generally less than $20 per month but are limited in the amount of customization you can achieve. Your best strategy may be to find a template that closely matches your vision and run with it.
UXfolio offers a free portfolio page and a number of templates and is used by many UXers. It is easy to get up and running, and we’ve seen some excellent portfolios built using it.
UXfolio offers a free portfolio page and a number of templates and is used by many UXers. It is easy to get up and running, and we’ve seen some excellent portfolios built using it.
Wix is one of the leading places to get started in designing a portfolio. One UX instructor reports that it was voted the easiest to use in an informal survey of his students. It may not work well for more advanced designers, but it is a drag-and-drop tool that can help users get up and running quickly at an affordable price. Editor X is also made by this company.
Squarespace, like Wix, is a drag-and-drop interfafce, but is a little more limited in terms of pricing plans. Where Squarespace shines is the large number of templates it provides, especially helpful for those that want to get a site started quickly.
WordPress is the most widely-used website builder, and as oldest of these choices it may feel a bit dated. WordPress offers extensive customization, but it requires knowledge of code (JavaScript and PHP), and possibly even additional plug-ins. However, many WordPress templates showcase UX work (this author uses one).