Case Study

From Code to Product: Why I Killed My "Cool" Portfolio

Taninwat Kaewpankan
2025-12-02
6 min read

In product management, we often talk about "Product-Market Fit." But we rarely apply that same rigorous lens to our own careers.

Here is how I treated my portfolio as a product, identified a churn problem, and pivoted for better conversion.

The "Genesis Block" Problem

My previous portfolio was technically impressive. It featured 3D interactive elements using Three.js, a horizontal scroll system inspired by blockchain ledgers, and a heavy "Bitcoin" aesthetic. It was cool. It was unique.

But it had a fatal UX flaw: It prioritized "novelty" over "clarity."

When I analyzed the user journey of a recruiter or a hiring manager, I realized they aren't looking for hidden easter eggs. They have about 30 seconds to answer three questions:

  1. Can this person build scalable software?
  2. Do they understand business value?
  3. Are they professional enough to put in front of stakeholders?

My old portfolio screamed "Hobbyist." I needed one that screamed "Professional."

The Pivot: FinTech Minimalism

I decided to refactor my personal brand. I moved away from the "Bitcoin Enthusiast" vibe toward a "Product Engineer" aesthetic—clean, typographic, and data-driven. Think Stripe, Vercel, or Linear.

"Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent. I wanted my portfolio to get out of the way and let the work speak for itself."

Technical Decisions & Trade-offs

Migrating from a client-side Vite app to Next.js 14 wasn't just a trend-chasing move; it was a performance optimization strategy.

  • SEO & Discovery: Moving to Server Side Rendering (SSR) ensures that search crawlers can index my case studies effectively.
  • Accessibility (a11y): I replaced the custom horizontal scroll hijacking with standard vertical scrolling. This respects user agency and native browser behaviors.
  • Performance: By removing heavy 3D libraries, I reduced the First Contentful Paint (FCP) significantly, respecting the user's data and battery life.

Conclusion

This redesign represents who I am today: A developer who can write complex code, but a Product Manager who knows when not to.

Welcome to v2.0. Let's build something that matters.