How to Elevate Your Portfolio: Sketching Your Design Process
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A well-illustrated design process is essential for any designer's portfolio. It provides a clear narrative of how you approach challenges, making your expertise tangible and understandable. A portfolio is your professional fingerprint, offering potential employers or clients a glimpse into your capabilities, style, and versatility. It's not just about displaying your designs but about telling the story of your expertise, making it an indispensable tool for career advancement in the design industry.
Whether you're looking for your first job or exploring a job change, making your design portfolio stand out is critical. One way to set your portfolio apart is by including sketches to show your thinking process from concept to solution.
In this Master Class, Mike Rohde, author of the best-selling books The Sketchnote Handbook and The Sketchnote Workbook, will show you how to use simple sketching techniques to add a visual representation of your thought process to your design portfolio.
You'll learn:
- An overview of basic sketching skills and an easy-to-follow drawing approach.
- A hands-on exercise where you'll use those simple drawing skills to create sketches of your thought process hidden inside your finished design work samples.
Join this Master Class to learn how to build your sketching skills and confidence and create a unique portfolio with your sketches.
Mike invites you to follow along with him as he demonstrates simple drawing techniques and creates sketches of design samples. Here are materials you will need to do that:
- 3-5 sheets of plain white printer paper (US Letter or A4).
- 1 pencil (wooden or mechanical).
- 1 black pen (gel, ballpoint, felt tip, etc.).
- 1 color pen (gel, ballpoint, felt tip, etc.).
Your Speaker and Industry Expert
Mike Rohde is a designer, author, and illustrator with a passion for visualizing ideas and teaching people how to think visually and be more creative. He designs software, experiences, and services using a human-centered approach and a collaborative attitude.
Mike is the author of two best-selling books on sketchnoting: The Sketchnote Handbook and The Sketchnote Workbook. He also helps authors communicate ideas visually in books like REWORK and REMOTE, The $100 Startup, and The Little Book of Talent.
Mike leads online and in-person workshops where students learn sketchnoting techniques and build their own creative confidence. He also created The Sketchnote Army, a showcase of sketchnoters and their work from around the world.
Mike interviews interesting visual thinkers to understand what makes them tick on the Sketchnote Army Podcast.
Build High-Impact Design and AI Skills
- Learn from industry leaders.
- Practical 1-hour Master Classes.
- Apply what you learn right away.
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You get an industry-recognized IxDF Certificate after each Master Class you complete. Add it to your LinkedIn profile and résumé to show managers and clients you learned your skills from the best.
Questions? We've Got Answers
Why are design skills so important right now?
Design skills are valuable for both you personally and for your company.
For you personally, design skills are important because:
Design roles are growing faster than average. The World Economic Forum ranks human-centered design among the fastest-growing skill areas through 2030.
Employers increasingly expect design skills across roles, not just from designers. Knowing design thinking, user research, or UX principles makes you more competitive in any field.
Designers who combine human-centered skills with AI expertise are in especially high demand.
For your company, design skills are important because:
Design skills help your team increase sales, retain customers, and improve customer satisfaction. Better customer experiences lead directly to better business results.
Companies that invest in design outperform the S&P 500 Index by 228% (Design Management Institute, Design Value Index).
Design is more than aesthetics. It's how teams make products easier to use, services more efficient, and technology more human. These skills create value across every department.
I’m not a designer. Why should I learn design and AI?
Design and tech skills can open up career opportunities.
For example, if you’re in a field such as:
Marketing, communication, HR, software development, customer service, business management, healthcare, teaching, and many more.
Why can design skills make you valuable in these jobs and industries?
That's because:
Design skills help your team increase sales, retain customers, and improve customer satisfaction. Better customer experiences lead directly to better business results.
Companies that invest in design outperform the S&P 500 Index by 228% (Design Management Institute, Design Value Index).
Design is more than aesthetics. It's how teams make products easier to use, services more efficient, and technology more human. These skills create value across every department.
Do I need any prior experience in design or tech?
No.
Our courses, master classes, and career programs cover everything from the fundamentals to advanced topics.
Whether you're completely new to design or an experienced professional, you'll find courses, master classes and career programs at your level.
Will I receive a Certificate?
Yes.
After you finish, you’ll receive an industry-recognized IxDF Certificate to prove you've completed an evidence-based curriculum taught by industry leaders.
Add IxDF Certificates to your LinkedIn profile, resumé and job application in a few easy steps.
You can download your certificates as .jpg files, so they are easy to share. Certificates are always valid.
How do I add the IxDF Certificate to my LinkedIn profile?
That's easy.
Add your IxDF Certificates to your LinkedIn profile, resumé and job application in a few easy steps:
Click “Add profile section” on your LinkedIn
Tap “Recommended”
Select “Add licenses or certifications”
Enter your IxDF Certificate details
Hit “Save”
You can download your IxDF Certificates as .jpg files, so they are easy to share. IxDF Certificates are always valid.
Need more detailed instructions?
How can the global and local IxDF community help me?
We can help you in several ways.
Join meet-ups in your city: Join the regular meet-ups in your city in a nearby cafe or office building to have fun and learn with people just like you. You get full access to IxDF Local Groups where you can build your network, find new opportunities, or simply enjoy yourself in the company of people who are passionate about design. The meetings are completely optional and are spread across app. 500 cities worldwide.
You can also get instant help and career advice in the IxDF online members-only forums. Here, you can build your global network through our supportive community.
I just signed up for a live Master Class. What's next?
Wonderful! When you sign up for a Master Class, you’ll receive an email from Zoom with a link to join the live Master Class.
This email is sent from [email protected] - please check your spam folder.
If you can’t find the email, please reach out to [email protected], and we’re super happy to help you!
Great news! You’ll also get an on-demand version of your Master Class a few hours after the live event ends.
A few days later, the on-demand Master Class will show up on your private profile page.
That way, you can view the Master Class on-demand at any time. As many times as you wish.
Will the live Master Class be recorded and become available on-demand?
Absolutely!
When you sign up for a live Master Class, you’ll automatically receive the link to the recording a few hours after the live event ends.
A few days later, the on-demand Master Class will show up on your private profile page if you’re an IxDF member. If you’re not a member, you’ll receive your recording by email.
You can enjoy your Master Class on-demand at any time, anywhere. Watch it as many times as you want.
What if I can’t attend a live Master Class?
Great news! We’ve got you covered.
When you sign up for the live Master Class, you’ll automatically receive the link to the recording a few hours after the live event ends.
A few days later, the on-demand Master Class will show up on your private profile page if you’re an IxDF member. If you’re not a member, you’ll receive your recording by email.
You can enjoy your Master Class on-demand at any time, anywhere. Watch it as many times as you want.
What if I have more questions?
We’d love to hear from you and help you!
Reach out to us at [email protected] or use the online contact form.
High-Impact AI and Design Skills
What the Design Industry Says
Everything you learn at IxDF is evidence-based and designed to create actual results in your job and career.
Hear from designers, career switchers, and product leaders who share their experience with IxDF.
– Forbes.com
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– UxManiac
– Don Norman
– UsefulUsability.com
– Future Product Days
– Employed World
4.8/5 “Excellent” (based on 2,341 reviews)
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– Critical Techworks
– Sagicor South Africa
– Leads.Lab
9/10 “I highly recommend it for anyone.”
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– NextGen Healthcare
– Toools Design
– AiGA Design
– Core77
– IBM
– UX Planet
– George UX Conf
– SAP Community Network
– Canon
– UI Gradient
– UX Salon Barcelona
– Paul Boag
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– IDZ Berlin