# UAI Totem - MichaelKappel.com

version: 9.0.15
last_reviewed_utc: 2026-06-09T22:45:00Z
source_status: generated-needs-review
symbol_source_status: user-confirmed
approval_state: pending-explicit-user-decision
review_owner: Mike Kappel

## User-confirmed symbol anchor

Mike supplied the canonical personal symbol and directed that it belongs at the top-left identity point of the webpage. The site must not use a visible text-only `MK` badge when this approved symbol asset exists.

Canonical package assets:

- `assets/img/michael-kappel-symbol-source.png`
- `assets/img/michael-kappel-symbol.png`

Active header requirement:

- The top-left brand link renders the user-supplied symbol image.
- The visible text-only `MK` badge is prohibited while the approved symbol exists.
- If the symbol path changes, update this file, `header.php`, favicon/site-icon assets, and image assets together.

Source hashes:

- uploaded source PNG/GIF container sha256: `5371dae1fc3c050cfd26aa3efdcf97d7320b797a5e802f2e1ae5a997615e914c`
- normalized package PNG sha256: `c8021031f8c1e75cf1acb2474ce2e649d4eca4090fe3996e29ef13a7b245084e`

## Primary site identity

Michael Kappel — Enterprise Software Architect / Senior Software Engineer.

## Primary technical header

AI / .NET / SQL / TypeScript.

## Visual direction

Dense Corporate Command Layout — compact, usable, low-whitespace, recruiter-readable, technical, and symbol-led.

## Design character

Practical enterprise portfolio, compact sticky top navigation, smaller typography, denser cards, controlled page width, strong contrast, and reduced vertical whitespace. Do not revive the rejected v9.0.14 side-rail / huge heading / gray-card / whitespace-heavy implementation.

## Content posture

Recruiter-readable first, technical-reviewer useful second, AI-readable and public-safe throughout.

## Claim posture

Evidence-bound, conservative, no fabricated authority, no identity collision with unrelated Mike Kappel profiles.

## Core objective

Maintain MikeKappel.com as a recruiter-readable, technically credible portfolio for Michael Kappel, centered on AI / .NET / SQL / TypeScript, confirmed Angular experience, SQL/.NET modernization depth, practical AI-assisted engineering, photography as creative context only, and machine-readable evidence boundaries.

## v9.0.15 density correction

Mike explicitly rejected the v9.0.14 render as too much whitespace, fonts that were too large, and a basic/unusable menu. The active layout must not waste desktop space. Use the approved symbol in a compact top-left brand area, keep navigation usable, keep type smaller and readable, and avoid the rejected large left rail / oversized hero / wide whitespace presentation.

## Review status

Mike supplied exact symbol direction. This file remains `generated-needs-review` for the broader totem policy until Mike explicitly says to mark the complete totem as `user-confirmed`.