10 Common pitfalls in data portfolios

This week I launched prtfol.com: a tool that lets data professionals build a strong portfolio in minutes, no code required.

You can check what Janina made with it!

Working on this made me browse hundreds of homepages. Whether you have one or are planning to build one, here are the most common pitfalls:

1. Don't be too verbose

Visitors will probably spend less than a minute on your homepage.
Paragraphs longer than three sentences likely won't be read!

Keep only what's essential — otherwise, people won't read anything at all.

2. Use hierarchy

Let's say you have 10 projects to display. Writing 4 sentences for each is already way too much!

Instead, show a nice image and summarize each project in one sentence.

Then add a "more" button that opens a dialog or modal for the full story.

This keeps your homepage clean, while still allowing deeper dives.

3. Show testimonials

You probably have some! Ask colleagues, supervisors, or friends — anyone who can vouch for your work.
Social proof goes a long way in building trust.

4. Respect basic design principles

This could be a full newsletter issue on its own. But here are a few rules of thumb:

• Max 75 characters per line
• Not too many distinct colors
• No font smaller than ~14–16px
• Lots of spacing — let your website breathe
• Everything must be aligned with something

Note: I've made a game about design that can help.

5. Don't reinvent the wheel

Dealing with design is hard. Unless you really know what you're doing, don't build your homepage from scratch.

You'll waste time and likely end up with something that doesn't feel polished.

Instead, find a portfolio you like — and borrow its structure or template!

6. Mind your time

A good homepage is a big advantage, but it shouldn't eat your weekends. Spend time creating good projects, not building a complex site to showcase them.

Don't waste time on a logo — nobody cares.
Don't tweak little animations no one will notice.

Keep it simple, but clean and professional.

7. Split concerns

Your homepage is just an entry point — what people see when they Google you.

They should quickly understand who you are and what you do. Then redirect them:

• For writing, I suggest starting a newsletter instead of a blog — easier setup, plus audience-building tools.
• For projects, host them externally: GitHub for code, Tableau Public for dashboards, etc.

Keep your homepage lightweight. Don't host projects directly on it. Here is an organisation I like:

8. Select your best work

Don't show everything you've ever done.
Visitors will only spend a few seconds anyway — so highlight only the essential, the projects you're proudest of.

9. Focus on the "why"

When describing projects, emphasize impact, not just tools.

"134 people use my Shiny app daily to guide business decisions"

is far more compelling than

"I built a dashboard using Tidyverse, Docker, and HTML widgets."

10. Make it personal

Use your screenshots, not random web images.
Add small personal touches — unique formatting, widgets, or interactive bits that show both personality and expertise.

For instance, I used a circle pack to show skills for prtfol.com:

That's it!

Hope this helps.

As an example, here's my portfolio. It helped me get so many job offers and consulting gigs.

If you like it, you can make the same for you with this tool!

PS: Know any stunning portfolios? Send them my way — drop me an email, I'd love to see them!
PPS: Have a dream feature you'd like to see in prtfol.com? I'll implement it!

See you next week,
Yan