diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 73626c80..47a17f98 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,20 +1,32 @@
 # Semantic Workbench
 
-Semantic Workbench is a versatile tool designed to help prototype intelligent assistants quickly. It supports the creation of new assistants or the integration of existing ones, all within a cohesive interface. The workbench provides a user-friendly UI for creating conversations with one or more assistants, configuring settings, and exposing various behaviors.
+Semantic Workbench is a versatile tool designed to help prototype intelligent assistants quickly.
+It supports the creation of new assistants or the integration of existing ones, all within a
+cohesive interface. The workbench provides a user-friendly UI for creating conversations with one
+or more assistants, configuring settings, and exposing various behaviors.
 
 The Semantic Workbench is composed of three main components:
 
-1.	[Workbench Service](semantic-workbench/v1/service/README.md) (Python): The backend service that handles core functionalities.
-2.	[Workbench App](semantic-workbench/v1/app/README.md) (React/Typescript): The frontend web user interface for interacting with workbench and assistants.
-3.	Assistant Services: any number of assistant services that implement the service protocols/APIs, developed using any framework and programming language of your choice.
+1. [Workbench Service](semantic-workbench/v1/service/README.md) (Python): The backend service that
+   handles core functionalities.
+2. [Workbench App](semantic-workbench/v1/app/README.md) (React/Typescript): The frontend web user
+   interface for interacting with workbench and assistants.
+3. Assistant Services: any number of assistant services that implement the service protocols/APIs,
+   developed using any framework and programming language of your choice.
 
-Designed to be agnostic of any agent framework, language, or platform, the Semantic Workbench facilitates experimentation, development, testing, and measurement of agent behaviors and workflows. Agents integrate with the workbench via a RESTful API, allowing for flexibility and broad applicability in various development environments.
+Designed to be agnostic of any agent framework, language, or platform, the Semantic Workbench
+facilitates experimentation, development, testing, and measurement of agent behaviors and workflows.
+Agents integrate with the workbench via a RESTful API, allowing for flexibility and broad applicability
+in various development environments.
+
+![Semantic Workbench architecture](docs/architecture-animation.gif)
 
 # Quick start
 
-* Start the backend service, see [here for instructions](semantic-workbench/v1/service/README.md).
-* Start the frontend app, see [here for instructions](semantic-workbench/v1/app/README.md).
-* Start the canonical assistant, see [here for instructions](semantic-workbench/v1/service/semantic-workbench-assistant/README.md).
+- Start the backend service, see [here for instructions](semantic-workbench/v1/service/README.md).
+- Start the frontend app, see [here for instructions](semantic-workbench/v1/app/README.md).
+- Start the canonical assistant (see [here for instructions](semantic-workbench/v1/service/semantic-workbench-assistant/README.md))
+  or one of the [examples](examples).
 
 ![image](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/semanticworkbench/main/docs/readme1.png)
 
@@ -26,7 +38,12 @@ Designed to be agnostic of any agent framework, language, or platform, the Seman
 
 To develop new agents and connect existing ones, see the [Assistant Development Guide](docs/ASSISTANT_DEVELOPMENT_GUIDE.md)
 
-The repository contains a [Python Canonical Assistant](semantic-workbench/v1/service/semantic-workbench-assistant/semantic_workbench_assistant/canonical.py) and some [.NET Agent Examples](examples) that can be used as starting points to create custom agents.
+The repository contains a few examples that can be used to create custom agents:
+
+- [Python Canonical Assistant](semantic-workbench/v1/service/semantic-workbench-assistant/semantic_workbench_assistant/canonical.py)
+- [Python example 1](examples/python-example01/README.md): a simple assistant echoing text back.
+- [.NET example 1](examples/dotnet-example01/README.md): a simple agent with echo and support for a basic `/say` command.
+- [.NET example 2](examples/dotnet-example02/README.md): a simple agents showcasing Azure AI Content Safety integration and some workbench features like Mermaid graphs.
 
 ![Mermaid graph example](examples/dotnet-example02/docs/mermaid.png)
 ![ABC music example](examples/dotnet-example02/docs/abc.png)
@@ -40,10 +57,10 @@ The repository contains a [Python Canonical Assistant](semantic-workbench/v1/ser
 
 Enable long file paths on Windows.
 
-   1. Run `regedit`.
-   2. Navigate to `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem`.
-   3. Find the `LongPathsEnabled` key. If it doesn’t exist, right-click on the `FileSystem` key, select `New > DWORD (32-bit) Value`, and name it `LongPathsEnabled`.
-   4. Double-click on `LongPathsEnabled`, set its value to `1`, and click OK.
+1.  Run `regedit`.
+2.  Navigate to `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem`.
+3.  Find the `LongPathsEnabled` key. If it doesn’t exist, right-click on the `FileSystem` key, select `New > DWORD (32-bit) Value`, and name it `LongPathsEnabled`.
+4.  Double-click on `LongPathsEnabled`, set its value to `1`, and click OK.
 
 ## Open the Workbench and create an assistant instance
 
diff --git a/docs/architecture-animation.gif b/docs/architecture-animation.gif
new file mode 100644
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Binary files /dev/null and b/docs/architecture-animation.gif differ
diff --git a/examples/python-example01/README.md b/examples/python-example01/README.md
index 03fb47e8..37200caa 100644
--- a/examples/python-example01/README.md
+++ b/examples/python-example01/README.md
@@ -15,3 +15,16 @@ A python chat assistant example that echos the user's input.
 - Return to the workbench app to interact with the assistant
 - Add a new assistant from the main menu of the app, choose `Python Example 01 Assistant`
 - Click the newly created assistant to configure and interact with it
+
+## Starting the example from CLI
+
+If you're not using VS Code and/or Codespaces, you can also work from the
+command line, using `poetry`:
+
+```
+cd examples/python-example01
+
+poetry install
+
+poetry run start-semantic-workbench-assistant assistant.chat:app
+```
diff --git a/tools/run-dotnet-example1.sh b/tools/run-dotnet-example1.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..0710250f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/run-dotnet-example1.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -e
+ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]:-$0}")" && cd .. && pwd)"
+cd $ROOT
+# ================================================================
+
+cd examples/dotnet-example01
+dotnet build
+dotnet run
diff --git a/tools/run-dotnet-example2.sh b/tools/run-dotnet-example2.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..f1bcb0be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/run-dotnet-example2.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -e
+ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]:-$0}")" && cd .. && pwd)"
+cd $ROOT
+# ================================================================
+
+cd examples/dotnet-example02
+dotnet build
+dotnet run
diff --git a/tools/run-python-example1.sh b/tools/run-python-example1.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..e08bd99b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/run-python-example1.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -e
+ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]:-$0}")" && cd .. && pwd)"
+cd $ROOT
+# ================================================================
+
+cd examples/python-example01
+poetry install
+poetry run start-semantic-workbench-assistant assistant.chat:app