Design Researcher Intern Role Overview We are looking for a curious and design-minded Design Researcher Intern who enjoys observing, analysing and understanding why certain designs work better than others. The ideal candidate should be able to look at a website, mobile application, brochure or social media creative and explain its design approach, layout structure, visual hierarchy and areas of improvement. This role is an chance to learn how design research works in a professional creative environment and contribute to building reusable design guidelines for different industries. Job Title: Design Researcher Intern

Experience:
Fresher / 0–6 months Employment Type: Internship

Location:
Bangalore Works With: UI/UX Designers, Graphic Designers, Developers and Account Managers

About the Role
This internship sits at the intersection of design thinking, research and visual communication. You will not be expected to spend most of your time creating designs. Instead, you will learn to observe, study, analyse and explain design decisions. We are looking for someone who genuinely enjoys talking about design and understanding how it works. For example, when shown a brochure, website or mobile application, you should be interested in understanding:
• Layout structure: Understand how grids, columns, spacing, alignment, typography and visual hierarchy are used.
• Visual communication: Understand how colours, images, typography and content work together to communicate a message.
• Industry relevance: Understand why a particular design approach works for its industry and target audience.
• Room for improvement: Identify design inconsistencies, usability issues and opportunities to improve the overall experience. You will work alongside experienced designers and gradually learn to convert your research observations into practical design references and layout guidelines.

Key Responsibilities
1. Observe, Analyse and Explain Design
• Study different types of designs, including websites, mobile applications, brochures, advertisements and social media creatives.
• Identify what makes a design visually effective or ineffective.
• Explain design decisions, layout structures and visual approaches in simple language.
• Participate in internal design discussions and review sessions.
• Prepare short design analysis documents explaining strengths and areas of improvement. 2. Understand Different Types of Design
• Learn to identify the differences between UI design, UX design and graphic design.
• Understand when a project requires UI, UX, graphic design or a combination.
• Study how design approaches change depending on the medium and communication objective.
• Analyse how users interact with digital interfaces and respond to visual communication. 3. Learn and Analyse Layout Systems
• Research fundamental grid systems, including 12-column grids, modular grids and baseline grids.




• Understand spacing systems, alignment, white space and visual hierarchy.
• Study typography, font combinations, type scales and readability.
• Understand visual reading patterns such as F-pattern and Z-pattern.
• Analyse how content, images and CTAs are positioned across different layouts.
• Assist in documenting reusable layout references and design patterns. 4. Research Industry-Specific Design
• Research how different industries approach their visual communication and digital experiences.
• Study competitor websites, brochures, advertisements and social media designs.
• Collect references from leading brands, design studios and award-winning projects.
• Understand the expectations and information needs of different target audiences.
• Create industry-specific mood boards, reference collections and design inspiration libraries.
• Assist in identifying design trends and patterns across different industries. 5. Support the Design Team
• Assist UI/UX and graphic designers with research before the design process begins.
• Prepare reference boards, competitor analysis and visual inspiration collections.
• Help create basic wireframes and layout structures under designer guidance.
• Participate in brainstorming sessions and design reviews.
• Document research findings and present observations to the design team.
• Continuously explore new design tools, platforms and visual trends. Verticals and Design Work You Will Explore You will get exposure to multiple industry verticals and learn how design approaches differ depending on the audience, business objectives and communication requirements. Graphic Design
• What You Will Research: Brochures, print advertisements, hoardings, social media creatives, campaign visuals and brand collateral.
• What You Will Learn: Visual hierarchy, typography, colour combinations, image-to-text balance and brand consistency. Web Design
• What You Will Research: Websites, landing pages, microsites, listing pages and product pages.
• What You Will Learn: Grid systems, section structures, content flow, CTA placement and responsive layouts. UI/UX Design
• What You Will Research: Mobile applications, dashboards, forms, booking flows, enquiry journeys and checkout experiences.
• What You Will Learn: Navigation, information architecture, usability, interaction patterns and user experience. Required Skills and Qualifications
• Currently pursuing or recently completed a degree or diploma in Design, Visual Communication, UI/UX Design, Fine Arts,



Architecture or a related field.
• Strong interest in understanding design principles and visual communication.
• Ability to observe a design and communicate what works and what can be improved.
• Basic understanding of UI design, UX design and graphic design.
• Familiarity with fundamental design concepts such as grids, spacing, typography, alignment and visual hierarchy.
• Basic knowledge of Figma is preferred.
• Familiarity with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign is an advantage.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Willingness to research, learn, explore and discuss different design approaches.
• A portfolio, academic project or personal case study demonstrating design thinking is preferred. Nice to Have
• Personal design projects, redesign concepts or visual research work.
• Experience creating mood boards, reference boards or competitor analysis.
• Basic understanding of responsive web design and design systems.
• Familiarity with platforms such as Behance, Dribbble, Awwwards and Pinterest for design research.
• Knowledge of tools such as Notion, Google Sheets or Miro for organising research.
• Curiosity about emerging design trends, AI design tools and creative technologies. What You Will Learn
• How to critically analyse professional designs across different industries.
• How to identify and understand different layout systems.
• How to conduct competitor and visual design research.
• How to translate research findings into practical design guidelines.
• How professional UI/UX and graphic design teams approach projects.
• How to present and communicate design decisions with confidence.
• How to build structured design reference libraries and research documentation. Hiring Process and

How to Apply
1. Portfolio / Work Review Share your portfolio, academic projects or personal design explorations. We are more interested in your thinking and observations than polished final designs. 2. Design Talk-Through (20–30 Minutes) We will show you two designs from different industries, one website and one print design. You will be asked to:
• Identify the type of design.
• Explain the layout and visual hierarchy.
• Identify what works well and what could be improved.
• Share your observations and suggestions. 3. Research Assignment You will be given a website from an industry vertical and asked to prepare a simple design analysis covering:
• Overall layout and grid structure.
• Typography and visual hierarchy.
• Section arrangement and content flow.
• CTA and enquiry-form placement.
• Three suggestions for improvement. 4. Final Conversation An interaction with the Design Lead to understand your interests, learning approach, communication skills and enthusiasm for design research. To Apply Send your CV and portfolio link (if available)

📌 Design Researcher Intern (Bengaluru)
🏢 BrandStory Digital
📍 Bengaluru