Choose the case that helps someone decide

The best case study for a proposal is not always your most recent work. It is the one that helps a client understand how you might approach their project. It may share the same problem, a similar scale or a relevant way of collaborating.

Select for relevance to the engagement

Look for a connection you can explain in one sentence. If you are proposing to organise a complex offer, a case about structuring information may be more useful than a striking visual project unrelated to that challenge.

• Which part of the problem is similar?
• What kind of work or deliverable does it demonstrate?
• What exactly were you responsible for?
• Do you have permission to share the material?

A case study does not have to come from the same industry to be relevant. Explain the connection rather than assuming the client will see it without help.

Put context alongside the image

Briefly describe the situation, the work performed and the delivery. If you contributed as part of a team, define your contribution. Avoid presenting the whole project as yours when your role covered one part.

The image shows; the text helps someone interpret. A screenshot can demonstrate visual quality, while a sentence explains the design or structural decision that addressed the problem.

Describe outcomes you can support

If you did not measure a commercial effect, do not invent one. You can describe what you delivered, how you organised the work or an observable improvement in the result. Keep client opinions, verified figures and your professional explanation distinct.

The same applies to testimonials: use real words with the appropriate attribution and permission. Fictional examples from a demo should not become social proof in a proposal.

Check before sharing

• The case has a clear connection to the engagement.
• The title and image work on a phone.
• The description explains your role and the delivered work.
• Links point to the right material.
• Figures, quotations and permissions have been checked.

A focused selection leaves room for the project you are proposing. Use case studies to support the conversation while keeping the scope, plan and this client's needs at the centre.