Today: Vijayalaxmi (VJ) Wankhede

Today we’re taking a look at VJ’s portfolio — and it’s a standout example of how to combine technical depth with thoughtful storytelling.

VJ is a product designer and UX engineer with a background in code and about three years of hybrid experience. That’s a unique positioning — and her portfolio does a great job of showing how her technical past informs the way she approaches design today.

Let’s dive into what she’s doing really well — and a couple areas where there’s room to go even further.

The Good

Storytelling That’s Structured and Confident

One of the things that immediately stands out in VJ’s portfolio — especially in the Tiyaro case study — is her ability to tell a clear, focused story.

She doesn’t overcomplicate things. Instead, she breaks down complex problems into digestible sections, making it really easy to follow along. Rather than overwhelming us with process, she gives us just enough: a few interview takeaways, some framing questions, and then quickly moves into how she approached solving the problem. This is exactly the kind of scannable, “get-to-the-point” storytelling hiring managers appreciate.

And when she does show design decisions, she often adds short annotations to her mockups. These small callouts go a long way — they help the viewer understand the why behind her design without having to guess. The only light suggestion here would be to reduce the number of alternate versions shown in some sections. A bit more focus on what worked rather than what was explored could make the case studies even sharper.

Homepage That Knows How To Convert

VJ’s homepage is a great example of how to turn a portfolio into a funnel.

Each case study preview is framed with a clear, results-oriented title — like “Designed UI that helped Tiyaro land a Fortune 100 customer.” This is so much more compelling than just saying “Conversational AI product” or listing the company name. It immediately gives the work business relevance.

She also keeps secondary details (like the platform or product type) tucked into tags, so the title remains clean and punchy. These previews make you want to click — which is exactly the job of a homepage. If anything, the thumbnails could show a bit more, but the copy is doing most of the work here, and doing it well.

The Potential

Cut the Case Study Count — Less Is More

VJ currently showcases six case studies (plus two playful side projects clearly marked as such). And while it’s great to see range, having this many full case studies can dilute the overall impression — especially since not all projects are equally strong.

Some of the older academic projects, while well-executed, don’t feel on par with her more recent work. And one of the case studies is a standalone heuristics evaluation — which, while useful as a skill, doesn’t demonstrate full product thinking in the way Tiyaro or her newer work does.

Cutting back to just 3–4 of her strongest, most recent pieces would give those projects more breathing room and help frame her as a confident, focused designer. The “coming soon” case study teaser doesn’t add much in its current form either — better to drop it in when it’s ready to shine.

Refine The Intro to Highlight What Matters Most

VJ’s introduction is close — but there’s an opportunity here to frame her positioning even more clearly.

Right now, the big headline reads:

“I speak both design and code, so great ideas don’t get lost in translation.”

This is catchy — but it doesn’t carry as much weight as the smaller intro beneath it, which actually tells us who she is and what she’s done:

“Hi, I’m VJ, a product designer and UX engineer with 3+ years of experience across enterprise AI, B2B SaaS, and consumer products…”

This second paragraph is strong. It speaks to her experience, industry range, and current role. If anything, it could be even more specific — for example, trimming “enterprise AI” if it’s not clearly represented in her case studies. And that great “design + code” line? Keep it — but weave it into the main intro instead of giving it top billing. The result would be a more grounded, confident first impression that aligns with the quality of her actual work.

VJ’s portfolio is a great case study in translating cross-disciplinary experience into real product impact.

She’s got the storytelling chops, the structure, and the clarity — all wrapped in a simple format that gets the job done. With a bit more focus in what she shows, and a more balanced intro, she could take this from strong to seriously standout.

If you’re wondering how to tell a compelling story as someone moving from engineering into product design — VJ’s work is a masterclass in doing it with confidence and clarity.

This portfolio was made 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.

VJ used Framer for her portfolio too — even though she could have coded it from scratch, thanks to her engineering background. That’s how good it is.

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.

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