20 Project Ideas to Kickstart Your UX Career

If you came out of a bootcamp you likely have a few UX projects in your portfolio already. But what if you part-timed it and only have 1–2 projects? What if you don’t have a UX portfolio because you can’t afford or don’t want to pay for an expensive bootcamp?

Then this article is for you. You are going to need to get some more skills and projects under your belt. You are gonna need grit to build those skills on your own and you are gonna need some projects to show to a recruiter. It is going to take some early mornings, late nights and some full weekends but if you follow the instructions below. you are well on your way.

How to use this list

Step 1: Understand how a UX Design process works (Research — Design — Testing)

Step 2: Pick one project and apply that process to solving it in 2 weeks.

Step 3: Go to a UX professionals meetup and get feedback on the work you have done.

Step 4: Take the critique, make edits

Step 5: Repeat from Step 1 until you have 5 projects

If you do this you will have accomplished a few key pieces for your career

1) You will have a portfolio

2) You will have the beginnings of a network and maybe even a mentor

3) You have completed the same number of projects as the people who paid $15k for a bootcamp

1. Find a door that frustrates and the impact it has on its context
2. Find a place that is difficult to navigate and document why and how it can be fixed.
3. Find a feature in an application that frustrates you. Redesign it.
4. Redesign the form for submitting a maintenance request to your landlord
5. Design an app that helps you use your screens less
6. Design an app that helps people get off surveilling social media
7. Design a better interface for a microwave
8. Research the design causes of an increase in local crime
9. Design an interaction flow for how to behave at a traffic stop (bonus if you create a multiuser journey map (Cops, EMTs, Civilians, etc)
10. Redesign the flow of a local soup kitchen
11. Redesign a local restaurant menu
12. Design an app for ER check in
13. Design a better keyboard for a smart TV or game console
14. Map out a customer journey for a local business or service
15. Research, understand and document the needs and challenges of a local non-profit.
16. Find a local charity and redesign a donation portal for them
17. Redesign how users can find content on their smart TV (aka TV Guide)
18. Write a case study about a time when you had to wait in line and how design could have sped up that process
19. Go interview 3–5 teachers, identify and design a solution to make their lives easier
20. Design a website where UX designers can post design patterns and test results.