A good case study is not a project recap. It is proof that the work was shaped on purpose.
The shape I use
I keep the structure simple:
| Section | Job |
|---|---|
| Context | Explain where the work started |
| Problem | Name the real friction |
| Constraints | Show what could not change |
| Process | Show how decisions were made |
| Solution | Show what was built |
| Result | Show what changed |
What belongs in the middle
The middle of the page is where judgment lives. This is where I want to see:
- Tradeoffs
- Rejected paths
- Why one route was better than another
- What stayed manual on purpose
A case study should make the next project easier to trust.
What not to do
- Do not turn every section into marketing copy.
- Do not hide constraints.
- Do not write around the decision-making.
- Do not use one project to pretend you solved five different problems.
A useful test
If someone reads the page and cannot tell what you personally did, the page is too vague. If they can tell exactly what you built but not why it mattered, the page is too shallow.
That middle ground is the whole job.