Product #

Register #

product

Users #

Technically fluent readers running KOReader on an e-ink device with an existing ATProto (Bluesky) account. They visit infrequently — once to set up credentials, occasionally to verify a sync or tweak settings. The interface should respect their time: clear structure, no ceremony.

Product Purpose #

headway.page is a thin OAuth bridge between KOReader's KOSync protocol and the ATProto PDS. It receives reading progress from KOReader and writes it as Popfeed records to the user's own data repository. Success means the user gets their credentials, KOReader connects, and progress flows without them needing to think about it again.

Brand Personality #

Dry, typographic, minimal. The tone is matter-of-fact — no cheerful onboarding copy, no encouragement. The product does a specific technical job and the interface reflects that without apology.

Anti-references #

• Magazine layout: no editorial grid drama, no oversized pull quotes, no large decorative images
• SaaS dashboard chrome: no sidebar nav, no metric cards, no status widgets that exist to look like software
• Social app warmth: no avatars, no activity feeds styled as timelines, nothing that evokes a social network UI
• Terminal cosplay: not dark-mode-because-it-is-a-tool; not monospace-everywhere

Design Principles #

1. Structure over decoration. Hierarchy comes from type scale and whitespace, not from color blocks, borders, or cards.
2. In and out. Every screen has a single primary action. Secondary paths exist but do not compete for attention.
3. Earned color. Color appears only where it carries meaning (status, error, confirmation) — not for visual interest.
4. Book-register legibility. Line lengths, weights, and spacing should feel comfortable for a reader, not optimized for scan-and-click.

Accessibility & Inclusion #

WCAG 2.1 AA as a reasonable default. Support reduced-motion preferences. Sufficient contrast on all text. No reliance on color alone to convey meaning.