Build a Design Practice
14 weeks · 3 milestones
Complete 5 client projects and publish a case-study portfolio.
Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Complete 3 real design engagements for paying clients — at least 2 of which are for clients you did not already know personally before the engagement. Each engagement must have: a written brief (even a one-page email thread counts if it documents the client's problem and your proposed scope), a delivered artifact (a logo, a brand identity, a website, a UI redesign — any real deliverable), and a client sign-off or payment receipt confirming the work was accepted. At least 1 engagement must result in documented feedback from the client on what they were trying to achieve and how well the work served it.
Proof required
Submit a portfolio page, PDF, or Notion link showing all 3 engagements: the brief or scope document for each, the delivered artifact for each (or a link to the live work), and the client sign-off or payment receipt for each. Include the documented feedback from at least 1 client (written, voice note transcript, or video). Submit a 100-word summary of the most difficult brief and the primary design decision it required.
What gets checked
- At least 2 clients are not prior personal contacts — a portfolio of 3 friends' logos does not constitute a client practice; the brief-to-delivery cycle for a stranger is substantially different and must be demonstrated
- Client sign-off or payment receipt confirms the work was accepted — a completed design that the client declined is valuable learning but does not count toward the 3 engagements
- Brief documents the client's problem — 'they wanted a logo' is not a brief; 'they run a craft bakery targeting professional women 35–55 who want a premium gifting option; they wanted a wordmark that felt artisanal but not folksy' is