I need honest feedback: what would make you stay longer on a case study? 🤔

I recently saw a recommendation in Contra’s dashboard about going deeper on projects to improve portfolio quality, and it made me question how I am presenting my own work.

I tend to write a lot. I like explaining the thinking, the systems, the decisions. But I honestly do not know if people are actually reading it, or just scrolling through the visuals.

I have been revisiting projects like BASYX and asking myself. Is this a portfolio for designers, or for the person hiring me?

Would really appreciate honest feedback. Is this too much copy?

Do you read case studies fully, or just scan?

What actually makes you stop and pay attention?

Honestly the visuals do the scanning, the copy does the convincing — you need both, just don't front-load the text

For Energy Central, I also took a much bolder approach for one of the ideas. For every project, I always push one idea that sits at the bolder end of the scale. It probably won't make the final cut, but elements of it usually do. The reason I do it? Presenting only "safe" ideas is underwhelming. I want clients to feel a buzz when they first see our work. The same excitement you get when you buy a new car or unwrap a present for the first time. That's the feeling I'm chasing every time I design.

I'm obsessed with this direction. I tend to do the same in my process—I feel like sticking to the safe options dulls my own senses as well as my clients. If I do that too much, I feel like my skills start to atrophy. Even if the client won't choose the riskier option, it's more...