Okay, what's wrong with a food delivery app project? It's not the project idea itself that's the problem; rather, it's the frequency with which it's used to showcase skills in the portfolios of junior designers.
Recruiters who have seen tons of similar projects may find it harder to evaluate your skills. It's not only UI and process that matter. It is also what kind of problem you identified and how you approached it. Choose one of the most common challenges, and it may feel like you even didn't look for one ā you just copied what others did.
If you haven't had the chance to work with real clients yet, here are 4 real-world project types that can help you stand out.
#1 Project based on a problem of your family and friends
Understanding struggles faced by your friends and family may require some observation and active listening. Spend time with them, pay attention to their routines, interactions, and any pain points that stand out during your conversations. Here're some examples of how your project may look like:
Family meal planning app: Your busy family struggles with coordinating meals, different dietary preferences, and grocery shopping.
Children's educational game for limited screen time: Your friends with young children worry about excessive screen time but still want educational engagement for their kids.
Elderly-friendly social network for grandparents: Your grandparents find it challenging to navigate mainstream social media platforms due to their complexity.
#2 Project based on a real product you love
Choose a product or tool you personally enjoy, conduct an in-depth study of its user experience, and interview individuals who actively use it. Based on the data, propose some changes or improvements. You may also focus on one area only to help you narrow down the focus.
Don't do a generic product redesign. The real challenge here is not to assume that you know better (because you definitely don't). That is why it is very important to back up your design with the end user's feedback.
Think about how you would approach it if you were a part of the team. You would not change all colors overnight or make the dashboard unrecognizable. Instead, make thoughtful changes designed to help the business succeed and match what users actually want.
Inclusive redesign challenge: Transform a popular product into a more inclusive and accessible version, ensuring it caters to users with diverse abilities.
Instagram redesign by Kim Thuy Tu: one of the examples how to make it right by following user-centered methodology from end-to-end.
#3 Project for a company you would love to work for
Research the product range, industry focus, and current challenges of your dream company. Analyze their existing solutions, market positioning, and any publicly stated goals or strategies.
Develop a new product that integrates into their ecosystem or build industry-specific solutions that showcase your expertise in a similar area. Maybe they are thinking how to integrate AI into their offering or how to beat the competitors with the new brand strategy. This targeted project also communicates your genuine interest in the company's goals.
Travel & Hospitality ā Booking.com: Create a social travel planning platform, allowing users to connect with other travelers, share itineraries, and get recommendations from others who have visited similar destinations.
Mobility & Logistics ā Uber: Build a home-van sharing service integrated into the company's current product ecosystem.
Education & Technology ā Teachable: Develop an advanced assessment and feedback system, allowing for automated grading for certain types of assignments and detailed feedback with multimedia elements.
#4 Project for local business or community
Select a local business or cause that you have an interest in supporting. Read their online reviews, talk to their customers or employees to understand their goals, challenges, and aspirations.
Delivery service: Build a delivery service for a cozy vintage furniture shop around the corner.
Neighbour parcel reminders: Ever received a neighbor's package by mistake? Build a product that allow neighbours to notify each other or share other similar requests.
Small business loyalty program: Develop a digital rewards program for your beloved local eatery, encouraging customers with perks for frequent visits or purchases.
Whatever project you add to your portfolio, don't rush it. Creating artifacts might not be the most challenging part. The real difficulty lies in making a tangible difference with your product. Ask yourself, would people genuinely use a product for reporting parcels, or would they stick to the traditional way of knocking on each other's doors? Be critical about what you create, and let your curiosity guide your process.