Role

Design Assistant

Skills and Tasks

Graphic Design

Illustration

Iterating and refining designs

Providing constructive feedback

Task management

Collaborating remotely

Tools

Illustrator

Figma

Duration

Started in September 2024

My Experience as a Design Assistant at Nielsen Norman Group

My Experience as a Design Assistant at Nielsen Norman Group

As a design assistant, I work with the design team to turn complex UX concepts into easy-to-understand graphics for social media. These designs need to grab attention while staying true to the brand’s identity, which has pushed me to think creatively and strategically about how I communicate ideas.


This role has been such a great learning experience. I’ve gained new skills in illustration, visual design, character design, layout, and figuring out how to translate a UX article into a graphic that’s both informative and visually appealing.


Working remotely has allowed me to balance my responsibilities as a student while being a part of a professional setting. As a design intern, I am responsible for creating my own social posts based on what has been assigned to me, but I regularly get feedback from my manager and the full design team multiple times a week. These constant review cycles have taught me so much—how to take and apply critique, how to keep iterating and refine my work, and how to give constructive feedback to others.


The most challenging aspect has been how to adjust my design style into one that matches NN/g's brand identity. How to maintain a professional presence while aiming to engage users and convey information clearly is a question I continue to return to.


One of the most rewarding aspects of this role is seeing my designs represent the organization to a wide audience. It’s fulfilling to know that my work helps others understand and appreciate UX concepts while continuing to grow as a designer through hands-on experience and collaboration.

Recent Posts

Recent Posts

Design Thinking Post

Design Thinking Post

UX Certification Promotion

Quantitative vs Qualitative Usability Studies Post

Quantitative vs Qualitative Usability Studies Post

Discovery Workshops Post

Discovery Workshops Post

KARA RIVENBARK