I have a lot of friends who are programmers, and they often lament how hard it is to show their work to clients and prospective employers. They write code, and it’s not sexy. They contributed to a site’s functionality, but it’s hard to illustrate with static pictures. As a web app developer, I’ve often found I need to be in the room showing a demo to impress people with what I can do. A static, online portfolio of screenshots won’t cut it.
So what about using video? I haven’t seen anyone doing this, but I expect it will catch on. We’re all getting used to video online, and it’s easier than ever. Grab Jing, walk me through a code sample, or a few pages of the web app you built, and put that on your site. Host it on YouTube if you have to. A screencast could be as good as being in the room. It shows the depth of your work, and also shows your audience that you’ve got communication skills.
Coming soon, the video portfolio!