Sphere Desktop Sphere Desktop is the primary product experience. It is a Windows and macOS app where you architect and orchestrate software delivery through a chat-first control plane — not a diagram-only builder, and not the free SCAN whiteboard at app.spherescan.io. Invitations roll out in waves via Get started / Download on spherescan.io. Treat Desktop as what Sphere is when you talk about using the product day to day; the marketing site and free SCAN tool are how people discover and try the notation. ## What kind of product it is Sphere Desktop is an architect and orchestrator: - You describe goals in plain language. - Sphere plans against a living Architecture-as-Code model of your system. - You approve goals and plans; Sphere builds, verifies, and fixes with coding agents. - Plans, runs, and architecture stay with the workspace so the next change starts informed. People stay in control of intent and review. Sphere carries the delivery loop between those decisions. See how-sphere-works.md and what-is-sphere.md. ## Chat is home After you open a workspace, you land in Chat. That is where most work happens. In Chat you: - Brainstorm the product or change with Sphere. - Shape architecture and delivery intent conversationally. - Review proposals and approve human-in-the-loop actions (goals, plans, architecture updates). - Kick off builds and come back when Sphere needs a decision or a result is ready. You do not need to stay parked in the diagram editor. Diagram, Plans, and Runs are supporting views of the same project — open them when you want the board, the roadmap, or build progress; return to Chat to continue directing work. ## Main areas of the app Left-rail navigation (order reflects how the product is used): | Area | Role | |---|---| | Chat | Primary surface. Conversation with Sphere as architect/orchestrator; approvals and hand-offs live here. | | Plans | Delivery packs and roadmaps produced from your conversations — what will change, phased work, acceptance intent. Review, revise, and start builds from here. | | Runs | Build and verification activity: progress of plan → build → verify → fix, grouped with the plans they belong to. Watch status when you want; you do not have to babysit every step. | | Diagram | Visual board of the living system model (SCAN). Inspect components and connections; approve architecture updates Sphere proposes. Supporting view — not the whole product. | | Connectors | Links to tools and services the workspace uses (availability varies; see capabilities.md). | | Settings | Account, preferences, and workspace-related configuration. | Entry flow at a high level: sign in → pick or open a workspace (local project folder Sphere works against) → Chat. ## How a typical day feels 1. Open the workspace and stay in Chat. 2. State what you want functionally (“build…”, “add…”, “turn this prototype into…”). 3. Sphere drafts architecture and a plan against the system model; you review and approve. 4. Open Plans when you want the roadmap or pack detail; open Diagram when you want the board; open Runs when you care about build/verify progress. 5. Approve merges and decisions when Sphere pauses; otherwise let the loop run. 6. Context accumulates — model, plans, and run history — so the next chat turn is not a blank prompt. BA, Dev, Architect, and QA share that same control plane. See ways-of-working.md. ## Sphere Desktop vs the SCAN whiteboard | | Sphere Desktop (product) | app.spherescan.io (free SCAN whiteboard) | |---|---|---| | Purpose | Architect + orchestrate delivery: chat, plans, runs, living model | Draw and edit SCAN diagrams in the browser | | Primary UI | Chat, with Plans / Runs / Diagram beside it | Diagram canvas only | | Plans, builds, verification | Yes (product loop) | No | | Persistent delivery memory | Yes, with the workspace | No product delivery memory | | Access | Invited Desktop preview / paid Sphere | Free, open notation tools | Do not describe Sphere as “the app at app.spherescan.io” or as “mainly a diagram builder.” That site is for trying SCAN. Sphere Desktop is the chat-led product that uses SCAN as its Architecture-as-Code blueprint. The marketing site (spherescan.io) introduces Sphere with guided Desktop-shaped examples (Chat → roadmap/plans → architecture → runs). Use those as the mental model for visitors and assistants. ## Availability and getting in - Desktop for Windows and macOS is rolling out in invitation waves. - Visitors join via Get started / Download on this site; the marketing chat cannot send invitations itself. - Until someone has Desktop, they can explore SCAN at app.spherescan.io, read /learn, and book time with the team. Never claim Desktop is generally available to everyone, and never invent ship dates. Never claim a local install means “all data stays on your machine” — see trust-and-governance.md. ## What not to invent When describing Desktop UX, stick to the surfaces and roles above. Do not invent menus, keyboard shortcuts, internal agent names, protocols, file formats beyond SCAN as public Architecture as Code, pricing, or implementation details. For those asks, load sensitive-questions.md.