My understanding of the articles (listed below) about portfolio thinking leads me to conclude that a portfolio is not to be thought of as an end-product but rather a work in progress, and furthermore, a work that reflects your processes and growth throughout the course of your projects and career. Another conclusion I arrived at during these readings is that you should continually be evaluating how your current work and extraneous projects could be presented in your portfolio to demonstrate the traits you have to offer to a professional setting, and to approach the process of growing your portfolio with ample creativity. Your portfolio should also communicate that you are conscientious of the needs of your audience and that decisions and changes you make in your work are intended to better serve these needs.
The value of portfolios for myself is to compile evidence of skills listed on a resume. By creating digital portfolios, I can give viewers a more practical understanding of how I’ve grown and applied the skills I want to showcase. For example, I’m considering doing freelance design work in the future. With a well thought out digital portfolio, I can communicate the kind of projects I enjoy working on and thus potential clients with needs that align with my style will be more compelled to hire me given this evidence.
McLagan, Patricia A. “Portfolio Thinking.” HRD Roles, Training and Development, Richardswanson.com, Feb. 2000, http://www.richardswanson.com/textbookresources/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Ch-5-Portfolio-Thinking.pdf.
Sharp, Elizabeth. “I Propose Renaming the Portfolio to Portfolio Thinking.” Elizabeth Sharp, Medium, 23 July 2018, https://medium.com/@elizabethrsharp/i-propose-renaming-the-portfolio-to-portfolio-thinking-a202eb934e95.