Sprintfolio's First Public Beta

Reflections and Future Directions

As our first public beta draws to a close, I am filled with gratitude for all the incredible efforts and insights from our community.

Over the last four months, we have achieved incredible milestones:

• We've celebrated TWO designers getting hired and one accepted into a UX master's program. One designer left me a recommendation and said:

  • “Thanks to Kai’s guidance, I secured my first established UX design role. Her unwavering support has been a catalyst in jump starting the next chapter of my professional career. If you’re seeking a reliable mentor who will support you through thick and thin, look no further than Kai. I can't recommend her highly enough.”

• We initiated a record 13 client projects simultaneously.

• We collaborated on our first open-source project, idrinth-api-bench, a tool for developers to monitor and benchmark APIs, showcasing our commitment to bridging design and development.

• We hosted ADPList meetups with over 320 designers combined participation and got a kudos from Felix Lee, founder of ADPList (which of course I e-framed 🤣).

• I was invited to speak at UX Chicago Camp Fall 2024!

• We were able to send our first UX design advocate to the Design Buddies conference, and cover her travel expenses.

Key Lessons Learned:

I saw a post today by a Design Director who asked:

“Why don’t big bootcamps companies ever group up people across courses?

Won’t name names or call anyone out

But if the company offers different tech based courses

Why not bring them together and offer somewhat of a more real world and collaborative experience?

Get students to actual build something during their time as opposed to just pumping out screens and case studies

Anyway just a free idea to anyone that wants it”

If you know me at all, I definitely agree with cross-functional group projects In fact, this was the origin of Sprintfolio, linking up one designer, one developer and one client stakeholder together.

I can tell you exactly why big bootcamp companies don’t do this - it’s not profitable and requires a lot of personalized attention. The equation of connecting real world work, fruitful collaboration and practical skill building is like an advanced physics course with a crash course internship rolled up into one. 😬

My cofounders and I have poured a lot of love, time and energy into Sprintfolio - all while unemployed. Anything we’ve made from Sprintfolio has funneled back into operation costs, AI credits and occasional stipends for our designers. We’ve since been able to find freelance or part-time work, and I was lucky enough to be invited back to be a design contractor again. I do believe our ability to bounce back with our learnings and the skills we’ve gained from building Sprintfolio has been a testament of what project-based learning can help one achieve.

Here are few main themes we learned from our public beta period…

1. Balancing Choice and Momentum

Our designers valued the choice of having multiple projects to cater towards their professional goals, but disliked waiting for the sprint to fill up. We learned that while relevant industry-driven projects appeal to employers when reviewing designer portfolios, maintaining project momentum and ensuring quality collaboration among designers can be challenging.

2. Structure Drives Completion

Balancing Flexibility and Accountability: Clear deadlines and measured pressure are essential. We found that flexible timelines led to lower completion rates compared to our more fast-paced structured closed beta.

3. When the Tech Just Doesn’t Cut it

Despite the initial allure of our AI UX mentor, our platform's technical limitations became a significant pain point – especially after the chatgpt 3.5 update. We learned that consolidating information and communication tools is crucial for smoother user experiences. By the end of the sprint, we relied on discord and email.

4. The Impact of Consistent Leadership

The Role of Design Leads: Introducing team leads for onboarding and research phases was beneficial, but ensuring their involvement throughout the entire project cycle is vital for maintaining motivation.

What have I learned personally?

I am lucky to have a team to lean on, but since graduating from buildspace sf1 and returning back to our dispersed time zones, it can feel like one is floating on a raft alone. Things that have helped:

• having little coffee chats with other founders that understand and have gone through this “pre-market fit” roller coaster phase

• understanding the knowledge I’m sharing is also rewarding me with learning

• remember to touch grass and unlock memorable moments outside of the work, ofc!

I always say that the UX community is one of the coolest and most diverse communities I’ve experienced with so many individuals coming from different background that have this weird holistic drive to understand the world or a specific problem. I am SO grateful for every participant, mentor, and supporter who has been part of this journey!

So… what’s next for us?

• We have another showcase day in September for sprint designers to get another opportunity to present.

• We're testing one-week "mini-sprints" with daily task directions. Participants unlock the next day's task upon completion, encouraging consistent daily progress.

• We have seen the need for the more technical designer to thrive in lean teams and AI advancements in UX. We are revisiting our origin focus on fortifying the bridge between design and development within our curriculum. Check out the first issue of my newsletter on the designer’s perspective of learning how to code: Kai’s Howdy World

Final Reflections

As I reflect on this journey, it's clear that Sprintfolio is more than just a platform (since we literally abandoned it 🤣) – it's a community of learners, innovators, and dreamers. Our beta test has reinforced my belief in the power of project-based learning and the incredible potential that emerges when designers, developers, and clients collaborate in meaningful ways.

The challenges we've faced have become our greatest teachers, pushing us to continuously improve and adapt. From balancing flexibility with structure to embracing the latest technological shifts, each lesson has shaped Sprintfolio into a more robust and effective learning ecosystem.

Looking ahead, we're excited to build on these insights, refine our approach, and continue fostering an environment where creativity thrives and careers flourish. The UX community's diversity and drive to understand and solve complex problems never cease to inspire us, and we're committed to supporting this community's growth and success.

Your involvement, feedback, and ideas are crucial as we move forward. Let's continue to push boundaries, support each other, and create meaningful impact in the world of UX design and beyond.

Feel free to reach out at kai@sprintfolio.com with any suggestions, ideas, or collaboration opportunities for our next phase!