11 Iconic Product Design Portfolios Before They Were Famous
Portfolios of Don Norman, Jake Knapp, Erika Hall…from the internet archives of the 1990s & 2000s
Reading time: 11 minutes
Product and UX designers use online portfolios to show off recent projects, bio, and blog posts to attract clients and employers. Keeping your portfolio going is an endless task unless you “make it big” as a designer.
When designers get famous, they usually take down their online portfolios so you rarely get to see their pre-famous portfolios.
Wouldn’t you love to see what that famous designers’ portfolios looked like when they were just hitting their stride?
It’s possible with a tool called the Wayback Machine. It archives the internet, and it’s a fantastic research tool.
I used the Wayback Machine to find the mid-career portfolios of famous designers that I admire…long before they were famous. What did their portfolio look like 10-20 years before they got famous?
Here are the ancient, forgotten design portfolios that launched some famous product and UX design careers. Let’s start with the oldest online portfolio that i could find.
1.) Don Norman’s portfolio in 1998
jnd.org
Don Norman, author of The Design of Everyday Things needs no introduction. He was already famous in 1998, but I think this deserves to make the list. Back in ‘98, was using his website to spread awareness of human-centered design (which is so Don).
Don’s brand of human-centered design was on full display in 1998. That pose in the photo…that drop shadow…10/10, Don. 👏👏👏
2.) Jared Spool’s portfolio in 1999
uie.com/
Jared Spool is an influential speaker, author, and teacher of design. He has been at it for a long time, and you can see that writing and original thinking is a bit part of his offering. Check out the writing on his portfolio/consulting/blog:
Jared Spool is an insights machine, and I love how his mission hasn’t changed a bit. 10/10, Jared. 👏👏👏
3.) Erika Hall and Mike Monteiro’s portfolio (Mule Design) in 2002
muledesign.com/
Before Erika Hall and Mike Monteiro were famous authors and designers they started Mule Design together, a design agency that they still run today. You would be hard-pressed to find two designers who live more authentically than Erika and Mike. Their 2002 website shows their approach to design well.
The simple, witty writing style that made these two so popular is clear from twenty years ago. Great micro-copy…to the point…professional yet cheeky…10/10, Erika & Mike. 👏👏👏
4.) Jeff Gothelf’s portfolio in 2003
jeffgothelf.com/
Jeff Gothelf is the co-author of Lean UX, and in 2003, he used his portfolio to advertise his consulting services. Jeff Gothelf has always been a master of personal branding (he even wrote a book about it called Forever Employed), and his 2003 portfolio hints at his talent for unique positioning.
Gothelf’s portfolio kinda looks like a trendy portfolio from today. Those colors…The vintage hacker vibe…the way he sells UX design without naming it…10/10, Jeff. 👏
5.) Teresa Torres’ portfolio in 2004
teresatorres.com/
Before she was a product coach and author of Continuous Discovery Habits, Teresa was an interaction designer and UI designer. So I dug up her portfolio from 2004. You can see how Teresa is a master at dealing with complexity through these intense portfolio projects.
These information architecture projects look extremely tough but there’s so much clear thinking behind them…11/10, Teresa. 👏👏👏👏👏
6.) Jon Kolko’s portfolio in 2007
jonkolko.com/
Before he was an author, Jon Kolko advertised “user centered interaction design” on his portfolio. I’m a big fan of Jon’s writing, and the projects in this portfolio are very impressive. Jon doesn’t just talk the talk. He walks the walk!
The helvetica calendar…those sideburns…the curriculum vitae…12/10, Jon. 👏👏👏
7.) Ian Spalter’s portfolio in 2009
ianspalter.com/
Before Ian was the head of design at Instagram, he had this business card approach to his portfolio. His website today is still just as simple.
The simplicity…the Tumblr blog…the dual role of PM and Designer…10/10, Ian. 👏
8.) Jake Knapp’s portfolio in 2011
jakeknapp.com/
Before Jake Knapp was the famous co-author of the Design Sprint Book, he used his design portfolio to advertise his photography services. This portfolio snapshot from 2011 is a great example of how designers often sell all kinds of creative services before they find their niche. I’m a big fan of Jake Knapp, and this portfolio snapshot makes me love him even more!
When I found this vintage version of his website on the Wayback Machine, I cried tears of joy. The logo…the wordplay…that little wired mouse…13/10, Jake. 👏👏👏
9.) Jaime Levy’s portfolio in 2011
jaimelevy.com/
Jaime Levy is the author of UX Strategy, and her work in strategy launched the UX strategy movement. Jaime has always been very good about sharing examples from her life and work. This snapshot is no exception!
Those vintage iPhone wireframes feel very 2011…as does the post about creating a Facebook profile…11/10, Jaime. 👏👏👏
10.) Nir Eyal’s portfolio in 2012
nirandfar.com/
Ok, this one isn’t really a portfolio or a designer per se. But it’s an interesting example of how bloggers shape their message through years of iteration. Before Nir Eyal was the author of Hooked and a famous product design consultant, he was blogging about “behavior engineering” on his portfolio.
This article feels very descriptive of the product philosophy behind his book but a bit more unfiltered. That distressed grunge logo is the cherry on top of this intense blast from the past…9/10, Nir. 👏
11.) Julie Zhuo’s portfolio in 2013
juliezhuo.com/
Before Julie was a famous design manager at Facebook and author of Making of a Manager, she had a portfolio that showcased her social media links. The best part about this portfolio is how similar it is to her current portfolio.
The pensive photo…the way she describes each social media… linking to her dog pictures on her portfolio…11/10, Julie. 👏👏👏👏👏
The internet never forgets…
When I look at these ancient portfolios, I realize that these famous designers are famous because they picked a design topic and stuck with it. People like Don Norman and Jaime Levy have been writing the same content for decades. It’s inspiring to see the clarity of mission and focus.
It’s also inspiring to read the micro-copy of designer portfolios when they needed work and had something to prove. We all start our careers a little thirsty.
These designers are famous for a reason, and I think that reason is even clearer when you go back in time. I hope you learned something from this walk down memory lane!
Comment your favorite designer’s portfolio
Who is your favorite designer? Post their portfolio link in the comments, and I will reply with a link to their portfolio from the past.
