I didn’t have much exposure to Western culture until after the 1990s. Suddenly, cartoons like DuckTales and Chip ‘n Dale started appearing on TV every Sunday morning. To me, they weren’t just entertainment—they were a glimpse into a new world of color, storytelling, and creativity.
But the real turning point came when my family brought home our first PC. My father bought it mainly for typing and printing, but for me, it became a window into technology. The machine ran on DOS, with just a handful of programs. One day, while clicking through menus, I stumbled upon something that changed everything: Paint.
At first, we didn’t even have a mouse. I drew pixel by pixel using only the keyboard arrows, carefully nudging the cursor across the screen. To trace characters, we’d draw them on a piece of clear plastic, tape it to the monitor, and painstakingly replicate the shapes with the arrow keys. It was clumsy, but it taught me patience, problem-solving, and the thrill of creating something new on a screen.
Later, when we finally got a mouse, my world opened up. I could draw more fluidly, experiment, and bring ideas to life faster. What started as playful tinkering was, in fact, the beginning of my journey into design.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but those small experiments were teaching me the foundations of design thinking: how to adapt within constraints, how to break down problems into steps, and how to stay persistent in pursuit of an idea. Limited time on the computer (thanks to strict rules at home) only sharpened that focus—I learned to make the most of every precious minute.
Looking back, I see a clear line between that boy with a plastic sheet taped to a monitor and the designer I became. The curiosity to explore, the drive to create, and the resourcefulness to work with whatever tools I had—those instincts are still what guide me in my work today.
Technology wasn’t just something to consume—it was something to shape, explore, and use as a tool for storytelling. That mindset, born in a tiny apartment with a clunky PC, is still what drives me to build meaningful, human-centered digital experiences now.
About the Author
Hi, I’m Kirill Teterine, a Senior Product Lead with over 15 years of experience helping organizations design better products and services. My background spans UX/UI design, service design research, product strategy, and UX writing, but what really drives me is connecting technology to human needs.
👉 If you’re looking for someone who can bring creativity, strategy, and execution together to deliver impact, let’s connect.
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