Table of Contents
- Trapped behind NDAs: A UX portfolio escape plan
- Understanding design NDA in UX
- 1. What is NDA?
- 2. Why does NDA matter in design?
- Product protection
- Client trust
- Industry standards
- What if UX designers break the rules?
- 1. Immediate consequences
- 2. Long-term impact
- NDA breaches in UX portfolio
- The golden rule of UX portfolio building: Get permission first
- 1. Read the NDA terms
- 2. Reach out to your employer or client
- 3. Request written permission
- Four strategic approaches to presenting NDA design work
- 1. The generalization method
- 2. Strategic content masking
- 3. Design recreation
- 4 Secure portfolio access
- Alternative ways to show your value
- 1. Side projects
- 2. Writing and speaking
- Checklist Dos and Don'ts
- You are more than just an NDA
- TL;DR
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Trapped behind NDAs: A UX portfolio escape plan
Hi Chris, almost ALL my work is under NDA. How I can showcase it on my UX portfolio?
This message landed in my inbox last week. Honestly, I felt resonated.
As a Senior Design who's worked with many companies, I've done this NDA dance more times than I care to count. The frustration is real—you've done amazing work, but you can't show it.
But here's the thing: NDA doesn't have to be your career setback. Let's dive into how you can showcase your work while keeping both professional integrity and portfolio impact.
Understanding design NDA in UX
NDAs are common in the design world, but many UX designers don’t fully understand their implications.
Are they just a formality, or do they carry real legal weight? More importantly, how do they impact your ability to showcase work in your portfolio?
Let’s break it down:
1. What is NDA?
A Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) is a legally binding contract between you and a company that restricts what information you can share publicly.
For UX designers, this typically covers:
- Client information
- User research data
- Business metrics and KPIs
- Internal processes and tools
- Project details and outcomes
- Design solutions and iterations
2. Why does NDA matter in design?
NDAs aren't just legal formalities—they serve crucial business purposes:
Product protection
- Safeguards market advantages
- Protects innovative design solutions
- Prevents competitors from copying unreleased features
Client trust
- Protects sensitive user data
- Maintains business relationships
- Preserves competitive advantages
Industry standards
- Builds credibility
- Demonstrates reliability
- Shows professional maturity
Respect the NDA, because once trust is broken, it’s not as simple as just fixing a UI.
What if UX designers break the rules?
Let's get serious for a moment. Throughout my career, I've witnessed the fallout from broken NDA, and it's never pretty. Here's what's really at stake:
1. Immediate consequences
- Immediate termination of current employment
- Requirement to remove and destroy all related work
- Legal action from the company (yes, they will pursue it!)
- Financial penalties that can run into thousands or even millions
2. Long-term impact
- Loss of professional references
- Potential impact on future security clearances
- Difficulty finding new employment in the industry
- Damaged professional reputation in the design community
NDA breaches in UX portfolio
Here's the thing about NDA breaches in UX portfolio: they rarely happen because someone deliberately decides to leak confidential info.
Instead, they often occur in the portfolio pressure: the need to show your best work during job hunting can lead to overlooking confidentiality.
The portfolio problem goes beyond just showing designs; it often involves unintentional data exposure:
- Revealing strategic decision-making processes
- Including specific conversion metrics or ROI data
- Describing proprietary design methodologies or frameworks
- Sharing detailed user research insights without proper anonymization
Example: A product designer created a detailed case study about improving a fintech app's investment flow.
In their before & after comparison, they included specific metrics: "Increased conversion by 47% by redesigning the risk assessment flow" and showed the exact step-by-step process of how risk profiles were calculated.
While intending to demonstrate impact, they accidentally revealed both proprietary conversion metrics and the company's risk assessment methodology to competitors.
Your full guide to creating an outstanding portfolio and getting noticed.
The golden rule of UX portfolio building: Get permission first
When building your UX portfolio, always remember the golden rule: Ask first.
Using work you did for a previous employer or client could be risky, especially if you're bound by an NDA. Here's how to do it:
1. Read the NDA terms
Before showing any work, understand your NDA. Look for:
- Scope: What is confidential?
- Duration: How long does it last?
- Intellectual property: Does the company own the designs?
This ensures you're not accidentally violating terms.
2. Reach out to your employer or client
Once you've reviewed the NDA, contact the company to ask for permission.
Be clear about which work you want to showcase and why. Offer to credit them and explain that you're only sharing non-sensitive parts of the project.
3. Request written permission
Get written permission. Verbal agreements won’t protect you if issues arise later.
Have a formal email or letter confirming the details of what you can showcase and any restrictions.
Why it matters?
Not asking for permission can lead to:
- Job loss: A breach could result in termination.
- Legal consequences: You might face lawsuits for breaking confidentiality.
- Reputation damage: Word travels fast, and your career could suffer.
Pro tip: It's always better to be overly cautious than to risk your career.
If you're ever unsure about sharing something, assume it's covered by the NDA until you get explicit permission stating otherwise.
Four strategic approaches to presenting NDA design work
When you’re bound by an NDA but need to showcase your design work, these four strategies help you present your skills while protecting sensitive information:
1. The generalization method
This is your "broad strokes" approach. Instead of showing specific designs, focus on:
- Your role and responsibilities
- The problem-solving process
- General outcomes (without specific metrics)
- Key challenges and how you approached them
Example:
- Led the redesign of a major fintech app's onboarding flow, resulting in significant improvement in completion rates.
- Key challenges included regulatory compliance and reducing user friction points.
2. Strategic content masking
Think of this as the witness protection program for your designs. You can show your work by:
- Blurring sensitive information
- Using placeholder text and data
- Replacing actual content with dummy content
- Focusing on the design system rather than specific screens
Example:
- Blur sensitive info: Hide product logos, user data, or proprietary features.
- Obscure details: The financial summary has been redacted for confidentiality.
- Mask company names: Replace real names with placeholders like “Client A” or “User X.
3. Design recreation
Sometimes, the best approach is to recreate your work with fictional data. This means:
- Creating similar but different designs
- Showing your process with alternate examples
- Using made-up scenarios that demonstrate the same problems
Pro tip: Always get written permission before showing any work, even if it's modified.
A quick email approval from your previous employer can save you from major headaches later.
4 Secure portfolio access
Password-protect your portfolio to control access to sensitive work.
Pro tip:
- Password-protect case studies: Only give access to trusted people, like employers or clients.
- Change passwords frequently: Update passwords regularly to limit access.
- Limit access to specific parties: Please contact me for a password to view the full case study.
Your full guide to creating an outstanding portfolio and getting noticed.
Alternative ways to show your value
NDAs can limit the types of work you can showcase, but there are many creative ways to demonstrate your skills.
Here are several strategies for building a strong UX portfolio while respecting confidentiality agreements.
1. Side projects
Side projects allow you to showcase your design skills without restrictions. These can be small but effective demonstrations of your thinking and problem-solving abilities.
- Redesign existing apps: Pick a familiar app and redesign it to improve the user experience i.e. redesign a social media app’s sign-up flow to reduce friction and boost completion rates.
- Open source contributions: Contribute to open-source design projects i.e. join open-source design initiatives on platforms like GitHub or Figma community files. This demonstrates your ability to collaborate, iterate, and work with developers.
- Personal projects: Build your own app or website to demonstrate your full process from ideation to implementation i.e. design a budgeting app for freelancers that makes tracking income and expenses effortless.
2. Writing and speaking
Sharing your knowledge is an excellent way to build credibility and establish yourself as a thought leader without revealing sensitive work.
- Write articles: Share insights on design practices or industry trends on platforms like Medium or LinkedIn i.e. an article on improving user flows in e-commerce.
- Public speaking: Present at design meetups, webinars, or conferences to showcase your expertise i.e. hosting a webinar on accessibility in design.
- Podcasts/YouTube: Start a podcast or YouTube channel to discuss UX topics and interview experts.
These additional strategies help you build a comprehensive portfolio that reflects your skills and approach to UX design, while still respecting NDA terms and client confidentiality.
Checklist Dos and Don'ts
DO
Read and fully understand the NDA before sharing any work.
Identify confidential aspects like client information, metrics, and proprietary methodologies.
Check the duration of the NDA to know when (if ever) you can share details.
Always request written permission before showcasing any NDA-protected work.
Clearly explain what you intend to share and how it benefits both parties.
Keep records of approvals for future reference.
DON'T
Never assume it’s okay to share work just because time has passed.
Don’t include specific business metrics, proprietary methodologies, or user data in your portfolio.
Avoid referencing confidential client names unless explicitly permitted.
Don’t show confidential work just to land a job—it’s not worth legal trouble.
Avoid posting NDA-covered work on public platforms like Behance or Dribble.
Don’t trust verbal approvals—get everything in writing.
Remember: your reputation is just as important as your portfolio.
Handling NDA work professionally shows integrity and builds trust with future employers. Always prioritize ethics over exposure.
You are more than just an NDA
NDAs are a reality in our industry, but they don't have to be a career roadblock.
In my experience, most employers care more about understanding your thinking process and problem-solving abilities than seeing the specific pixels you push.
The key is finding creative ways to demonstrate your value while respecting confidentiality. Remember, how you handle NDA work says a lot about your professionalism and integrity.
All the best, guys 🖤
TL;DR
NDAs are common in UX design but don’t have to hinder your portfolio.
First rule: always get permission before showcasing work covered by an NDA.
If you can't show specific designs, use those 4 strategies:
- Generalizing your process
- Masking sensitive content
- Recreating similar designs
- Securing portfolio access.
You can also demonstrate value through side projects, writing, and public speaking. The key is to showcase your skills while respecting confidentiality, which will boost your professionalism and credibility.
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