Kristin Silm is an active multitasker who does it all, all the time.
Name: Kristin Silm
Position: Student
Relationship to EKA: 2nd year digital product design student, student council member, protolab
assistant
1. What projects are you working on at the moment?
In the autumn semester we are working on a collaboration project with Swedbank, where we aim to
create more valuable experiences for their customers through our digital solutions. Outside of
school, I’m starting an independent project where I’m trying to create a game within a week.
2. What is your favourite stage in the product creation process and what does it look like?
When it comes to creating a product, I like the prototyping and testing phase the most. It’s always
interesting at the beginning of the prototyping phase to think about how some of the more complex
ideas can be tested without having to spend excessive resources on it at the beginning.
What I like about testing is that there is a moment of clarity for me. I can understand more precisely
what part of my idea works and what part doesn’t work.
3. Paper and pen vs digital – which do you prefer?
I have to admit that even though I’m studying digital product design I still prefer to work on paper.
Paper has less distractions for me, so I can only work on a desired subject. Also when I’m sketching
out my initial ideas on paper I don’t get the chance to start chasing pixels.
4. What has been your favourite project while studying at EKA? What did you discover during
that?
For me, my favourite project while studying at EKA was the game project in the spring semester of
2023. We had to create a game for the Museum of Natural History on the topic of “Dangerous
weather phenomenas in Estonia”. I’ve always enjoyed games and creating them, but this project
helped me to confirm that I don’t just want to make games as a hobby, but also professionally.
5. Guilty pleasure or “poor design or a tool for design” that you secretly like?
Paper… It’s not a bad design tool per se, but given that I’m studying digital product design I feel I
rely too much on paper for my notes and idea generation. I do like working with paper, but it has its
drawbacks. Like for example, they can get lost easily and in my case tend to get mixed up.
6. Something you wish you could have been the designer of?
I think the very first Super Mario Bros game is brilliantly designed. Particularly world 1 level 1. There
they have designed the level just so the player can get to know how to play the game without a text
based tutorial. While researching the background of this game, I also learned that they intentionally
made level 1 last with the goal of creating an intuitive introduction to the game for the player.
7. 1 good read that has inspired you professionally?
Katherine Isbister’s “How Games Move Us: Emotion by Design” has been a fascinating read for me.
It highlights how video game design can create strong positive experiences for users. I particularly liked the second chapter, which talks about the impact of multiplayer games and how to design
them.
8. What else fascinates you besides design?
Apart from design and games, I’m also interested in 3D modelling, crafts and giving new life to old
broken equipment. What I mean by giving new life to broken equipment is that I’m using parts of
older equipment to create something new. For example, I’m currently working on a project to turn
the screen of an old laptop into a standalone monitor.
9. What experience has shaped you most as a designer and how?
So far, the Swedbank project has shaped me the most. It gave me a better idea about what kind of
designer I am and want to be, and in what kind of environments I would like to work in in the
future.
10. Portfolio (or similar) – Where can we see more of your work and activities?
At the moment I’m still working on my portfolio, but you can check out my Museum of Natural
History project’s game and other upcoming games here: https://silmamunasupp.itch.io
