Case Study — Portfolio Website
KC Maritime Consultancy
A single-page WordPress portfolio for a maritime professional — custom Illustrator icons to visualise achievements, Adobe XD mockups, and a targeted SEO strategy to build visibility for a specialist career portfolio.
Role
Web Designer & Developer
Client
KC Maritime
Stack
WordPress · Adobe XD · Illustrator
Services
Web Design · Dev · Custom Icons · SEO
Project Gallery
Overview
About the project
KC Maritime is a single-page portfolio for a maritime professional, designed to showcase her CV and career accomplishments online. The client wanted her achievements displayed as relevant icons — making specialist credentials immediately legible to potential employers. Sourcing appropriate copyright-free maritime imagery was an additional challenge alongside the design and development work. A post-launch SEO strategy was developed to improve visibility given the smaller site scope.
Web Design · WordPress · Adobe XD · Custom Illustrator Icons · SEO Strategy
Challenge & Approach
A portfolio that speaks to industry insiders.
The Challenge
CV as design challenge
Presenting a professional CV and career accomplishments in a visually engaging, icon-driven format — making specialist maritime expertise immediately legible to both industry insiders and potential employers unfamiliar with the sector. Sourcing copyright-free maritime imagery that met client approval added an additional constraint to the project.
The Approach
Icons over text
Custom Illustrator icons were created to visualise each of the client’s achievements — translating industry-specific accomplishments into accessible, recognisable graphics. Adobe XD mockups provided clear visual direction before development, ensuring the single-page layout flowed logically and showcased credentials without clutter.
Tech & Build
Single-page WordPress build
✦ WordPress single-page design & development
✦ Adobe XD wireframes & high-fidelity mockups
✦ Custom Illustrator icons for achievements
✦ SEO strategy for portfolio visibility
✦ Responsive, mobile-optimised layout
Key Findings
What worked, what I’d change.
What Worked Well
The custom icon set effectively translated specialist maritime achievements into a format immediately understood by non-industry audiences — making the portfolio accessible to a broad range of potential employers while retaining credibility with those already working in the sector.
What I’d Do Differently
Tackling the SEO strategy in parallel with the build rather than as a post-launch effort would have improved early visibility. A smaller site scope means organic search needs more time to take effect — starting the SEO work sooner would have made a meaningful difference in the months after launch.
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