Hey and welcome back to another week! 👋 

In this issue:

• The Dreaded NDA: Are you holding back showing work in your portfolios because of NDAs? Read this!

• Rithvika’s Portfolio: A masterclass in subtly showing other skills beyond product design such as branding.

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What You Can (and Can’t) Show: Navigating NDAs in Your Portfolio 🔒

If you’ve ever done an internship, freelance project, or full-time job under an NDA, you know the pain. You’ve done real work — maybe your best yet — and you can’t show it. You’ve got experience that could move your career forward, but a legal document stands between you and your next opportunity.

That frustration is universal. And it’s not going away.

But there are clear, practical ways to navigate this without crossing any legal or ethical lines. You don’t have to break your NDA to show what you’re capable of — you just have to know what you’re allowed to do, what’s risky, and how to communicate your work creatively and responsibly.

And as of this year, there’s also a new shortcut to help with that. I’m releasing a free GPT that you can upload your NDA to — it will read it, explain what it actually means in plain English, and tell you what kind of showcasing is allowed (and what’s not). It’s designed specifically for designers dealing with work-related NDAs and portfolio use.

Check your NDA with the free NDA Analyzer GPT

Let’s get into how to make your NDA-protected experience work for you.

Disclaimer

Step One: Actually Understand Your NDA

Before you worry about what you can show, you need to understand what the NDA says — not what you think it says.

Most designers never read these things closely. The language is vague, the formatting looks ancient, and you just sign because HR says it’s standard. But small details in NDAs matter — some only restrict specific data or visuals, while others prohibit any public mention of your work.

Here’s how to break it down:

• Read it carefully. Look for sections on “Confidential Information,” “Permitted Use,” and “Disclosure.”

• Ask AI to translate it. Upload the NDA to the NDA Analyzer GPT and it’ll summarize your permissions, explain the clauses in plain language, and highlight risky areas — like if it forbids even anonymized examples.

• Double-check in real life. If you’re unsure, reach out to your former manager or the legal contact you signed it with. Most will happily clarify what’s fine to share.

Even the strictest NDAs usually leave some room — for private presentations, anonymized summaries, or portfolio password protection.

Ways to Showcase NDA-Protected Work

You probably won’t need every approach below — just pick what fits your situation and the NDA’s level of restriction.

1. Password-Protect Your Case Studies

If your NDA doesn’t allow public sharing, this is the simplest solution.

Create a password-protected page (Framer, Webflow, etc all work fine). Include the password when you apply — either in your cover letter or in the notes section of your application.

This keeps your work accessible to recruiters and hiring managers but invisible to the public web.

Some designers even password-protect their entire portfolio, especially when they’re job hunting while still employed. That’s fine — just make sure the password is easy to find for people who need it.

2. Obfuscate the Brand

If your NDA forbids you from naming or visually referencing the client, you can anonymize.

• Replace the brand name and logo with placeholders.

• Neutralize the color palette and distinct design elements.

• Add a note: “This case study is anonymized due to confidentiality agreements.”

The goal is to preserve the design intent and craft while hiding anything that ties it back to a specific company.

It’s especially effective when you want to show your process, your design system work, or your UX reasoning — none of which are usually confidential in themselves.

3. Use a Placeholder or Summary Case

When the NDA is really strict, build a high-level “summary” version of the project. Talk about your role, the problem, the challenges, and what you learned — without visuals or specific names.

You can include a note like:

Then prepare a password-protected PDF or Framer page for that private walkthrough if someone asks.

4. Showcase Publicly Available Work

If the product is live and accessible to anyone, you can safely refer to those public interfaces — as long as you’re not revealing internal data or confidential research.

Use your own screenshots (not marketing imagery) and talk about your contribution and reasoning behind those parts.

This is a clean, legitimate way to still connect your work to real impact.

5. Focus on Process, Not Pixels

When all else fails, lean on your process.

Most NDAs limit outputs — not thinking. You can often talk in detail about how you approached the problem, how you collaborated, what constraints you worked with, and what decisions you made, without revealing the product itself.

This still shows maturity, critical thinking, and design judgment — the things hiring managers care most about anyway.

Bonus: Handling NDAs in Interviews

If an interviewer asks about a confidential project, stay calm — this is common.

You can always:

• Summarize the context verbally.

• Describe what kind of problem you were solving and your role in it.

• If allowed, show visuals privately during the interview (but never share files or leave them behind).

Good interviewers understand this boundary and will often appreciate that you take confidentiality seriously.

A Few Practical Habits That Help

• Prepare a “safe” version of your portfolio. Keep one public, one private (password-protected).

• Label anonymized work clearly. Transparency builds trust.

• Don’t underestimate storytelling. Great writing can carry a case study even without visuals.

• Always over-communicate permissions. When in doubt, ask and document approvals in writing.

Final Thoughts

NDAs feel limiting, but they don’t have to paralyze you. They’re just boundaries — and within them, there’s still a lot you can show.

Understanding what’s in your NDA is the real unlock. Once you know what you can show, you can use creativity, structure, and a few clever tactics to make your work shine safely.

And if you’re unsure what’s safe?

Use my NDA Analyzer GPT — upload your document, and it’ll instantly tell you what’s off-limits, what’s fine to share, and how to phrase it responsibly in your case studies.

Confidentiality and creativity don’t have to be enemies.

You just need to know where the line is — and how to work beautifully right up to it.

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👀 Portfolio Showcase

Today: Rithvika Reddy

Rithvika Reddy’s portfolio is a thoughtful blend of clarity, craft, and cross-disciplinary range.

Rithvika Reddy is a product designer based in California with a master’s degree in HCI from the California College of the Arts. Her background bridges interaction design, brand experience, and visual craft — and it shows. Across her case studies, she demonstrates not only a strong foundation in product thinking and execution but also a rare ability to weave brand and visual identity into the user experience without losing focus.

What’s immediately striking about Rithvika’s portfolio is its sense of cohesion. It’s one of those rare portfolios where everything — from typography and motion to case-study rhythm — feels considered. Even the smaller interactions have intent. The surface is clean and confident, and once you start reading, you realize the structure underneath is just as deliberate.

For designers who straddle product and brand, this portfolio is an excellent reference on how to communicate range without diluting focus. It’s elegant, clear, and quietly ambitious — a showcase of someone who has both taste and range.

Let’s look at what Rithvika does particularly well — and where tightening things up could take it further.

That’s it for this week—thanks so much for the support! ♥️

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

Keep kicking doors open and see you next week!
- Florian