Ensō Design Constraints

This note is #fleeting and very much a work-in-progress!

In short: Kind software

Less is more, more or less

Longer version:

  1. One click, and you should be ready to start writing.
    • That click should be on the app icon.
  2. Private by default (How I Use Analytics With My Indie Projects, Defaults Matter, Don't Assume Consent).
  3. UX stays out of the user's way, updates should make Ensō feel smaller/dumber (MISS – Make It Stupid, Simple).
  4. Encourage personalisation (related: Reactive Hole).
    • Avoid cognitive overload, analysis paralysis, or decision fatigue.
  5. It should feel a bit like a toy (still looking for the right word here)

Alternative take:

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a giant foot-shaped snail with a house on its back. the house is still in construction, with a big crane towering above it The image is a stylized black-and-white illustration. In the lower left corner, there is a small, cozy-looking house with smoke rising from its chimney. The smoke, however, does not dissipate into the air but instead forms a dark, looming cloud. Within the cloud, the silhouette of a large, menacing face is visible, with its eyes and nose peeking through the darkness. The creature, perhaps a cat, appears to be watching over the house ominously, creating a sense of foreboding or unease.