Portfolios are collections of written documents, reflections on the development of those documents, and related materials such as sources, notes, outlines, and brainstorming. They are typically, but not always, distributed via the Web. Widely used digital portfolio tools (often referred to as e-Portfolios) include the Blackboard e-Portfolio tool (available as part of the Blackboard Learn course management system) and the Writing Studio’s free e-Portfolio tool (writing.colostate.edu). Some writers use programs such as PowerPoint or Dreamweaver to create portfolios that can be presented on a flash drive or some other form of offline storage. Still others use free Web tools such as Google Sites (sites.google.com) and Zeeblio (zeeblio.com) to create Web sites to present their portfolios.

Most of these tools allow you to add documents, develop a table of contents, and choose a design template. Some tools, such as Google Sites, Zeeblio, and the Writing Studio’s e-Portfolio tool, allow you to make a wide range of design choices, such as choosing color and font schemes, designing custom page banners, and editing the HTML code on individual pages. As you create a portfolio, you should consider a number of issues that affect design, including your purpose for sharing your work and the expectations of your readers.