Today: Thomas McCluskey

Thomas McCluskey is a recent graduate of NYU, with experience at CNN and BNY Mellon. He’s currently looking for a role, and overall, he brings something valuable to the table: the ability to take complex systems and make them understandable.

His portfolio is extremely simple. No flashy distractions. No unnecessary visual clutter. Just work, presented cleanly, with a clear focus on impact and clarity. And in many ways, that simplicity works in his favor.

Let’s break it down.

The Good

He tells complex stories with clarity

Thomas’ strongest case study is the BNY Mellon project, even though it’s password-protected due to NDA constraints (hint: have a look at his resume). Once accessed, it’s immediately clear what makes him valuable.

He leads with impact:

• 9.5 billion daily transactions

• 25% boost in user satisfaction

That’s how you open a case study.

Instead of drowning the reader in enterprise complexity, he distills a highly intricate payment tracking ecosystem into something understandable. The structure is tight. Headings are purposeful. The storytelling is focused. And visually, the case study supports the narrative rather than competing with it.

This is particularly important in enterprise or data-heavy contexts. It’s very easy to over-explain. Thomas doesn’t. He abstracts complexity without oversimplifying it.

The CNN case study reinforces that strength. Working on accessibility within an existing design system is inherently complex. Auditing, applying standards, navigating constraints — that requires structured thinking. And again, he demonstrates that he can go deep without getting lost.

There’s a systems mindset here. And that’s valuable.

He minimizes complexity — both in design and communication

Across both case studies, one thing stands out: Thomas doesn’t just design interfaces. He reduces friction in complicated environments.

At BNY, it’s transaction data and dashboards.

At CNN, it’s accessibility and design system governance.

In both cases, he shows:

• Structured thinking

• Comfort with ambiguity

• An ability to communicate technical nuance clearly

The use of motion is a strong supporting element here. Many visuals are shown as screen recordings rather than static screenshots. That keeps engagement high and helps the reader understand flows rather than isolated UI fragments.

This is especially effective for data-heavy or interaction-driven interfaces.

He’s clearly comfortable operating inside complex systems. And that’s not a common strength.

The Potential

Range and positioning clarity

This is the most important point.

Right now, Thomas’ portfolio feels promising — but thin.

There are two case studies:

• One locked behind a password

• One publicly accessible

• A third teased as “coming soon”

If you don’t have the password, you see one project.

If you do, you see two.

That’s likely not enough.

Hiring managers don’t evaluate in isolation. They compare. And when someone else shows three to four relevant, fully accessible case studies aligned with the role — that person usually wins.

The deeper issue isn’t just quantity. It’s positioning.

Is Thomas a:

• Consumer-facing product designer?

• Enterprise B2B systems designer?

• Design systems specialist?

• Data visualization designer?

Right now, the portfolio doesn’t make that choice clear.

If I’m hiring for a consumer product role, I might not see enough proof beyond the CNN case study.

If I’m hiring for enterprise B2B, I’ll like the BNY case study — but I’ll want to see more of that depth.

The teased MixMaster project looks more consumer-oriented, but without access, it doesn’t help him.

This creates friction.

In today’s market, “promising but unclear” often turns into a pass.

And this connects directly to the intro statement:

This is neutral to the point of invisibility.

Research and empathy are baseline expectations. They don’t differentiate him.

Given what Thomas actually does well, the intro could lean into:

• Systems thinking

• Complex data environments

• Enterprise workflows

• Design systems

• Translating technical complexity into clarity

That’s what makes him interesting.

When the portfolio is this minimal, every word carries weight. And right now, the opening doesn’t carry enough.

The polish is good — but not fully controlled

Thomas’ visual fundamentals are solid. Typography is clean. Color is restrained. The aesthetic direction is consistent.

But there are small polish inconsistencies that matter in tight hiring decisions.

Examples:

• Some motion pieces autoplay, others use a standard video player.

• Some visuals are placed inside device mockups, others are not.

• The CNN case study alternates between styled and unstyled presentation.

• A Zoom screenshot with blurred faces feels unfinished compared to the rest of the visual language.

• The motion page shows only two pieces, which makes the layout feel sparse rather than curated.

None of these are major flaws.

But hiring decisions at the margin are often about cohesion and intention.

When presentation choices feel inconsistent, it subtly signals that the final 10% wasn’t fully considered. And that final 10% is often what separates “very good” from “exceptional.”

The work is good. The fundamentals are there. Tightening these presentation decisions would elevate the perceived seniority.

The Verdict

Thomas has real strengths:

• Strong systems thinking

• Comfort in complex environments

• Clear storytelling

• Solid data visualization skills

• Good visual foundations

His BNY case study, in particular, proves he can operate in serious, enterprise-grade contexts.

What he needs now is:

1. Clear positioning

2. One more strong, fully accessible case study

3. Sharper differentiation in his intro

4. Tighter presentation consistency

If he doubles down on a direction — especially enterprise systems, data-heavy platforms, or complex internal tooling — he could be very compelling in that space.

Right now, he’s on that edge where he needs the benefit of the doubt.

With clearer positioning and one more strong project, he moves from “interesting” to “confident hire.”

And that difference matters.

Like most great portfolios, Thomas’ was done with Framer!

Still struggling to get your portfolio off the ground?

Don’t want to spend weeks learning yet another tool? Framer is my top recommendation for building your portfolio — fast, clean, and without the usual headaches.

If you’re just starting out (or even if you’re not), I think Framer is a perfect fit. Here’s why:

• Flat learning curve: The interface feels familiar if you’ve used Figma — plus, there’s a plugin to bring your designs straight in.

• Plenty of learning support: Framer Academy is packed with free tutorials, videos, and guides to help you go from zero to published.

• A huge template library: Tons of high-quality (often free) templates in the marketplace to help you launch quickly without starting from scratch.

• Free if you are a student: Although Framer already offers a generous free plan for everyone, if you are an enrolled student you can get Framer Pro completely for free!

And that’s just scratching the surface. I wrote more about why I recommend Framer here—but honestly, the best way is to try it for yourself.

Affiliate disclaimer: I only recommend tools I personally believe in. Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase — at no extra cost to you.

How I can help YOU

Do you want your own portfolio reviewed in-depth with a 30-minute advice-packed video review? Or do you require mentoring to figure out a proper strategy for your job search?

I got you!

• Book an in-depth portfolio or resume review with me

• Book a mentoring session with me

• Book a quick 15 min chat to ask a question and see if we vibe