diff --git a/card.go b/card.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7cbff20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/card.go
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+
+	bolt "go.etcd.io/bbolt"
+)
+
+// Card represents a card on a Kanban board.
+type Card struct {
+	ID      int
+	Title   string
+	Content string
+}
+
+// TODO: this function needs to be unit tested and documented.
+func createCard(db *bolt.DB, title, content string) error {
+	// first ensure that there is a status list in the database
+	statusList, err := loadAllStatuses(db)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if len(statusList) == 0 {
+		return errors.New("the status list cannot be empty")
+	}
+
+	card := Card{
+		ID:      -1,
+		Title:   title,
+		Content: content,
+	}
+
+	cardID, err := saveCard(db, card)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	cardIDs := statusList[0].CardIds
+
+	cardIDs = append(cardIDs, cardID)
+
+	statusList[0].CardIds = cardIDs
+
+	// TODO: change the below to save a single status
+	if err := saveStatuses(db, statusList); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// readCard returns a Card value from the database.
+func readCard(db *bolt.DB, id int) (Card, error) {
+	return loadCard(db, id)
+}
+
+// TODO: unit test and document this function.
+func updateCard(db *bolt.DB, id int, title, content string) error {
+	card, err := loadCard(db, id)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	card.Title = title
+	card.Content = content
+
+	if _, err := saveCard(db, card); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// TODO: finish implementation
+func moveCard(db *bolt.DB, fromStatusID, toStatusID int) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+// TODO: finish implementation
+func deleteCard(db *bolt.DB, id int) error {
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 8245989..de79f56 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ module forge.dananglin.me.uk/code/dananglin/pelican
 go 1.16
 
 require (
+	github.com/eiannone/keyboard v0.0.0-20200508000154-caf4b762e807
 	github.com/magefile/mage v1.11.0
 	go.etcd.io/bbolt v1.3.6
 )
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 6fef076..c09086e 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+github.com/eiannone/keyboard v0.0.0-20200508000154-caf4b762e807 h1:jdjd5e68T4R/j4PWxfZqcKY8KtT9oo8IPNVuV4bSXDQ=
+github.com/eiannone/keyboard v0.0.0-20200508000154-caf4b762e807/go.mod h1:Xoiu5VdKMvbRgHuY7+z64lhu/7lvax/22nzASF6GrO8=
 github.com/magefile/mage v1.11.0 h1:C/55Ywp9BpgVVclD3lRnSYCwXTYxmSppIgLeDYlNuls=
 github.com/magefile/mage v1.11.0/go.mod h1:z5UZb/iS3GoOSn0JgWuiw7dxlurVYTu+/jHXqQg881A=
 go.etcd.io/bbolt v1.3.6 h1:/ecaJf0sk1l4l6V4awd65v2C3ILy7MSj+s/x1ADCIMU=
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index da29a2c..040a1f1 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -1,4 +1,53 @@
 package main
 
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+)
+
 func main() {
+	path, err := dbPath("")
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("Error: Unable to get the database path, %s", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	db, err := openDatabase(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("Error: Unable to open the database, %s", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	defer db.Close()
+
+	if err := ensureBuckets(db); err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("Error: Unable to ensure buckets exist, %s", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	var statusList []Status
+
+	statusList, err = readStatuses(db)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("Error: Unable to get status list, %s", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	if len(statusList) == 0 {
+		newStatusList := newDefaultStatusList()
+		if err := saveStatuses(db, newStatusList); err != nil {
+			fmt.Printf("Error: Unable to save the default status list to the database, %s", err)
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+
+		_, err = readStatuses(db)
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Printf("Error: Unable to get status list, %s", err)
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if err := badUI(db); err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("Error: %s", err)
+	}
 }
diff --git a/kanban.go b/status.go
similarity index 55%
rename from kanban.go
rename to status.go
index 37ccb8e..4b65367 100644
--- a/kanban.go
+++ b/status.go
@@ -7,13 +7,6 @@ import (
 	bolt "go.etcd.io/bbolt"
 )
 
-// Card represents a card on a Kanban board.
-type Card struct {
-	ID      int
-	Title   string
-	Content string
-}
-
 // Status represents the status of the Kanban board.
 type Status struct {
 	ID      int
@@ -37,9 +30,7 @@ func (s ByStatusOrder) Less(i, j int) bool {
 	return s[i].Order < s[j].Order
 }
 
-// readStatuses reads all statuses from the database. If there are no statuses in the database then the default
-// status list is created and stored in the database. Before returning the status list, the list is ordered based
-// on the status' 'Order' field.
+// readStatuses returns an ordered list of statuses from the database.
 // TODO: function needs to be unit tested.
 func readStatuses(db *bolt.DB) ([]Status, error) {
 	statuses, err := loadAllStatuses(db)
@@ -47,34 +38,45 @@ func readStatuses(db *bolt.DB) ([]Status, error) {
 		return statuses, fmt.Errorf("unable to read statuses, %w", err)
 	}
 
-	if len(statuses) == 0 {
-		if err := createDefaultStatusList(db); err != nil {
-			return statuses, fmt.Errorf("unable to create the default statuses, %w", err)
-		}
-		readStatuses(db)
-	}
-
 	sort.Sort(ByStatusOrder(statuses))
 
 	return statuses, nil
 }
 
-// createDefaultStatusList creates the default list of statuses and saves the statuses to the database.
-func createDefaultStatusList(db *bolt.DB) error {
-	s := []Status{
+func readStatus(db *bolt.DB) (Status, error) {
+	return Status{}, nil
+}
+
+func createStatus(db *bolt.DB) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func updateStatus(db *bolt.DB) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func deleteStatus(db *bolt.DB) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+// newDefaultStatusList creates the default list of statuses and saves the statuses to the database.
+// TODO: function needs to be unit tested.
+func newDefaultStatusList() []Status {
+	return []Status{
 		{
+			ID:    -1,
 			Name:  "To Do",
 			Order: 1,
 		},
 		{
+			ID:    -1,
 			Name:  "Doing",
 			Order: 2,
 		},
 		{
+			ID:    -1,
 			Name:  "Done",
 			Order: 3,
 		},
 	}
-
-	return saveStatuses(db, s)
 }
diff --git a/ui.go b/ui.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c5fe31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui.go
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+// Right now this will be a very simple, scuffed interface.
+package main
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	bolt "go.etcd.io/bbolt"
+	"github.com/eiannone/keyboard"
+)
+
+func badUI(db *bolt.DB) error {
+	keysEvents, err := keyboard.GetKeys(10)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("unable to create the keysEvent channel, %w", err)
+	}
+
+	defer func() {
+		_ = keyboard.Close()
+	}()
+
+	// infinite loop
+	fmt.Println(uiUsage())
+
+	app:
+	for {
+		event := <-keysEvents
+		if event.Err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("keys event error: %w", event.Err)
+		}
+
+		switch event.Rune {
+		case 'q':
+			break app
+		case 'r':
+			if err := uiRefreshScuffedBoard(db); err != nil {
+				fmt.Printf("Error: Unable to refresh board, %s\n", err)
+			}
+		case 'a':
+			if err := uiCreateCard(db); err != nil {
+				fmt.Printf("Error: Unable to add a card, %s\n", err)
+			}
+		case 'v':
+			if err := uiViewCard(db, 1); err != nil {
+				fmt.Printf("Error: Unable to view card, %s\n", err)
+			}
+		default:
+			fmt.Println("Error: Unknown key event.")
+		}
+	}
+
+	// wait for a keyboard press
+	// take action
+	// a to add a card
+	// u to update a card
+	return nil
+}
+
+func uiRefreshScuffedBoard(db *bolt.DB) error {
+	statusList, err := readStatuses(db)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	fmt.Printf("--------------------\n")
+	for _, s := range statusList{
+		fmt.Printf("Status ID: %d\nStatus Name: \"%s\"\nCard IDs: %v\n\n", s.ID, s.Name, s.CardIds)
+	}
+	fmt.Printf("--------------------\n\n\n")
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func uiCreateCard(db *bolt.DB) error {
+	title := "A card title"
+
+	content := "As a user, this is a ticket for me.\nAs a user, I want to close it."
+
+	if err := createCard(db, title, content); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	fmt.Println("Sample card created successfully.")
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func uiViewCard(db *bolt.DB, id int) error {
+	card, err := readCard(db, id)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+
+	fmt.Printf("====================\n")
+	fmt.Printf("[%d] %s\n", card.ID, card.Title)
+	fmt.Printf("--------------------\n")
+	fmt.Println(card.Content)
+	fmt.Printf("====================\n")
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func uiUsage() string {
+	usage := `
+Press 'q' to quit
+Press 'r' to refresh the board
+Press 'a' to add a sample card
+Press 'v' to view the first sample card
+
+`
+
+    return usage
+}