UI UX Designer project
Run a usability study and synthesize prioritized recommendations
A real study with real participants on a real interface — graded on whether the test script is unbiased and the findings are evidenced, not summarized from memory.
The brief
Run a lightweight usability study on a real, existing interface. Write a 5-task test script using neutral, task-based instructions (not leading questions). Run it with at least 3 people (friends or classmates are fine). For each task and participant, record whether it was completed, failed, or completed with difficulty, along with a direct quote or observation. Synthesize the raw observations into 3 prioritized, actionable recommendations.
Suggested stack
What you hand in
- A published, viewable doc link with the test script, raw per-participant results, and the synthesis
- The test script shown as written and given to participants, not paraphrased after the fact
- 3 prioritized recommendations, each tied back to specific observed evidence
Grading happens against the rubric below, so read it before you start — not after.
How this is graded
Published in advance and weighted out of 100. Nothing here is a surprise.
Tasks are neutral and outcome-based ("find and add an item to your cart") rather than leading ("try using the search bar, isn't it easy to find?").
Results are recorded per participant per task, with a direct quote or specific observation, not a single blended summary written from memory afterward.
The synthesis identifies patterns that showed up across multiple participants, distinguishing a real recurring issue from one person's one-off comment.
The 3 recommendations are ranked and specific enough to act on, not a restated list of "improve X".
No console errors or crashes, no broken layout, no leftover placeholder text or commented-out code.
Why this project is worth your weekend
- Talking to actual users, not just designing in a vacuum, is the skill that separates a UX designer from a visual designer, and most junior portfolios have zero real research in them.
- A leading test script is the single most common mistake that invalidates real usability findings, and it's easy for an interviewer to spot in the script itself.
- Turning raw observations into 3 prioritized recommendations is the actual deliverable a design lead expects, not a transcript dump.
Where people lose points
- Writing task instructions that hint at the answer ("try using the search bar to find X") instead of a neutral, outcome-based task.
- Reporting findings as a single blended summary instead of showing what happened per participant per task.
- Listing every observation with no prioritization, leaving a reader unsure what to fix first.
Other UI UX Designer projects
Two or three of these turn an empty resume into a portfolio.
Built it? Get it scored against this rubric.
Submit your work and get a score on every criterion above, written feedback, and three resume bullets you can use straight away.