How To Create A Stellar Product Management Portfolio (With Examples)

Are you gearing up for your first product management role or transitioning it?

Whatever the case, you're probably well aware of how important it is to have a killer portfolio that presents your skills and accomplishments as a PM.

But what is a product management portfolio?

What do you need to include to make it stand out?

Is it the same as your CV?

As someone who has been in this industry for 9+ years, I know a thing or two about PM portfolios.

In this blog, I’ll tell you all about how to create a product management portfolio that will make hiring managers go "We need this person on our team!" ✅

I'll cover all the essential elements you need to include plus what tools and websites to use to build your portfolio.

Let's get into it!

What is a Product Management Portfolio?

A portfolio goes beyond listing your work experience and education.

It's not just a fancy CV or resume. 

It's a curated collection that visually showcases your actual work products, design skills, analytical abilities, and the tangible results you've delivered as a product manager.

While a CV tells about your background, a portfolio shows what you can really do. It provides evidence of your product management skills in a way that a resume alone cannot.

Benefits of a Product Management Portfolio

Including a stellar portfolio when applying for PM jobs or going for that promotion can be a total game-changer. It helps you,

▶️ Present your expertise and achievements to potential employers

▶️ Reveal your strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities

▶️ Highlight your skills in areas like requirements gathering, roadmap planning, and metrics analysis

▶️ Provide concrete examples of successful products you've worked on

▶️ Stand out from other candidates in a competitive job market

How to Create a Product Management Portfolio?

To create a PM portfolio you need to gather the right materials and present them in an organised, visually appealing way.

Here are some tips on how to get started:

📌 Gather PM Work Samples

➝ Make a list of all projects, documents, and artefacts shows your PM skills.

➝ This could include product requirements documents, roadmaps, wireframes, design mockups, case studies, user research findings, metric analyses - anything that highlights your contributions.

📌 Identify Impressive Pieces

➝ Go through that list and identify your strongest, most impressive work samples.

➝ Choose ones that explain strategic thinking, problem-solving, and measurable impact.

➝ For example, include a PRD for a successful launch or a roadmap that aligned teams.

📌 Select Format

➝ Once you've selected the top work samples, choose a format to organise them.

➝ Create a PDF portfolio, an online website (Wix, Squarespace), or a PowerPoint presentation.

➝ Whichever format you pick, make sure it's visually clean and easy to navigate.

📌 Incorporate Visuals

➝ Compile supporting visuals like screenshots, charts, graphics, etc.

➝ Annotate visuals to better tell the story behind your process.

📌 Add Descriptions

➝ Write detailed descriptions prefacing each work sample.

➝ Explain the context, your role, goals, and outcomes achieved.

➝ Quantify impact through metrics wherever possible.

What to Include in Your Product Management Portfolio?

1. Product Requirements Documents (PRDs)

Product Requirements Documents (PRDs) are the backbone of any product management portfolio. These documents outline the vision, goals, and specifications for a product.

Include at least one or two PRDs that you have authored or contributed to significantly.

Ensure that you remove any confidential or proprietary information before including these documents in your portfolio.

2. Product Roadmaps

Product roadmaps provide a high-level overview of the product's strategic direction and planned releases.

Include a sample product roadmap that shows your ability to prioritise features, align with business objectives, and communicate the product's trajectory effectively.

3. Product Metrics and Analytics

Quantitative data is essential for measuring a product's success and making informed decisions.

Include examples of how you tracked and analysed key performance indicators (KPIs), user engagement metrics, and other relevant data.

Highlight the insights you gained from these metrics and how they influenced your product strategy.

4. User Research and Persona Profiles

Share your understanding of the target audience by including user research findings and persona profiles.

Describe the research methods used such as surveys, interviews, or usability testing, and how these insights shaped the product's design and functionality.

5. Design Mockups and Prototypes

Visual representations of your product ideas can be compelling additions to your portfolio.

Include design mockups, wireframes, or interactive prototypes you have created or contributed to.

Explain the rationale behind the design decisions and how they addressed user needs and business goals.

6. Case Studies

Case studies are powerful tools for presenting your problem-solving skills and the impact of your product decisions.

Choose one or two projects that you are particularly proud of and present them as detailed case studies.

Describe the challenges you faced, the solutions you implemented, and the quantifiable results achieved.

7. Stakeholder and Cross-functional Collaboration Examples

Product management involves collaborating with various stakeholders, including developers, designers, marketers, and executives.

Include examples of how you effectively communicated with and aligned diverse teams around product goals and initiatives.

8. Industry Research and Competitive Analysis

Share how you stay up-to-date with industry trends and competitors by including samples of market research, competitive analysis, or thought leadership pieces you have authored.

Remember, a product management portfolio should be a living document that evolves as you gain more experience and work on new projects.

Regularly update your portfolio with your latest accomplishments and ensure it accurately represents your skills and growth as a product manager.

Tools to create your Product Management Portfolio

Once you've identified what to include in your portfolio, you'll need to decide how to present it in a visually compelling and easily accessible format.

There are several tools and platforms to consider:

⚡ Online Portfolio Websites

Using website builders like Wix, Squarespace or Portfolio Box allows you to create a professional online portfolio. You can embed documents, images, videos and more into a cleanly-designed website.

✅ Pros: Shareable via a link, mobile-friendly, can include multimedia

❌ Cons: Requires some web design skills, may have hosting fees

⚡ PDF Portfolios

Assembling your artefacts into a PDF file is a straightforward option. Use software like Microsoft Word, Pages or Google Docs to compile and refine the layout.

✅ Pros: Printable, shareable via email, easy to update

❌ Cons: Static format, less visually engaging than websites

⚡ Slide Presentations

Creating a slide deck using PowerPoint, Google Slides or Keynote is another way to organise your portfolio content into a linear presentation format.

✅ Pros: Ability to talk through examples, can embed media

❌ Cons: Less flexible layout than websites, printable but static

⚡ Print Portfolios

The classic option is printing out your best work into a physical portfolio binder or folder that you can carry to interviews or meetings.

✅ Pros: Tangible, professional look for in-person review

❌ Cons: Not easily updated, expensive for colour printing

No matter which tool you choose, utilise design principles like clear headings, visual hierarchies and ample whitespace.

Additionally, tools like Behance, Dribble and Adobe Portfolio can be leveraged to create online portfolios specifically for design work if you need to heavily showcase mockups and prototypes.

Wrapping It Up

Building an impressive product management portfolio takes effort, but it's a worthwhile investment in your career.

Don't be afraid to start small and continue updating it as you work on new projects and grow your PM skills over time.

If you'd like help reviewing your existing portfolio, auditing which materials to include, or building one from scratch - I'd be happy to provide guidance.

Connect with me to schedule a free 1:1 call!

In addition to portfolio creation, I can help you with end-to-end PM interview preparation, highlighting your qualifications most effectively.

Let’s get you a great product role! 🚀

Also read:

Top 5 Frameworks for Tackling Product Case Studies

Top 10 Technical Interview Questions For Product Management