Getting Started with Xpec

Welcome to Xpec! This guide will walk you through your first steps on the platform and help you create your first specification in minutes.

What You'll Learn

By the end of this guide, you'll know how to:

Navigate the Xpec interface
Create your first workspace and product
Generate your first AI-powered specification
Understand the basic workflow for product development

Creating Your Account

Visit the Xpec sign-in page
Sign in with Google or create an account with email
Verify your email address if required

Setting Up Your First Workspace

When you first sign in, Xpec will guide you through creating your workspace:

Choose a workspace name - This could be your company name, team name, or project name
Add a description (optional) - Briefly describe what your workspace is for
Invite team members (optional) - You can skip this and add members later

Your workspace is your team's home base where all your products, specifications, and personas will live.

Step 2: Understanding the Dashboard

The dashboard is your command center. Here's what you'll see:

Dashboard - Overview of your recent activity
Specifications - All your feature specifications
Products - Your products and projects
Personas - User personas across all products
Insights - Key findings from persona research
Interviews - AI-powered persona conversations
Settings - Workspace and integration settings

Quick Stats

The dashboard shows:

Recent specifications you've worked on
Upcoming tasks or reminders
Team activity (if you have team members)

Step 3: Create Your First Product (Optional but Recommended)

Products help organize your specifications and personas. While you can create standalone specifications, organizing them under products makes everything cleaner.

Click "Products" in the navigation
Click "New Product"
Fill out the product details:
- Name - What are you building? (e.g., "TaskFlow App", "E-commerce Platform")
- Description - Brief overview of the product
Click "Create Product"

Step 4: Create Your First Specification

Now for the exciting part - creating your first AI-powered specification!

Option A: Start from a Template (Recommended for Beginners)

Click "Specifications" in the navigation
Click "New Specification"
If you have products, select which product this spec belongs to
Choose "Quick Start Templates"
Browse the templates and select one that matches what you want to build:
- 🔐 User Authentication System - Login, registration, password reset
- 🛒 E-commerce Checkout Flow - Shopping cart and payment processing
- 📊 Analytics Dashboard - Data visualization and metrics
- 💬 Real-time Chat System - Instant messaging features
- 📋 Task Management Board - Kanban-style project management
Click "Use This Template"
Customize the prompt if needed
Click "Generate Specification"

Option B: Start from Scratch

Click "New Specification"
Choose "Custom Description"

Describe what you want to build in plain English. For example:

I want to build a mobile app that helps people track their daily water intake.
Users should be able to set daily goals, log water consumption throughout the day,
get reminders to drink water, and see their progress over time with charts.

Click "Generate Specification"

What Happens Next

Xpec's AI will:

Analyze your description or template
Generate a comprehensive specification (this takes 30-60 seconds)
Create sections for features, requirements, user stories, and more
Provide a professional document you can share with your team

Step 5: Review and Refine Your Specification

Once generated, you can:

Navigate the Specification

Scroll through sections - AI creates logical sections like Overview, Features, Requirements
Use the chat - Ask questions or request changes in the chat panel
Edit directly - Click anywhere in the document to edit text

"Add more detail about user authentication"
"Include mobile-specific considerations"
"Add acceptance criteria for each feature"
"Explain the database schema needed"

Specifications auto-save as you work
Use the Share button to create public links for stakeholders
Export to PDF or other formats for offline sharing

Step 6: Next Steps - Adding User Research

To make your specifications even better, consider adding user research:

Create Personas - Go to your product and add user personas
Conduct Interviews - Use AI to interview your personas
Extract Insights - Find patterns and key learnings
Apply to Specs - Use insights to improve your specifications

Understanding Specification Status

Your specifications can have different statuses:

Draft - Work in progress
Ready - Ready for review or development
In Progress - Currently being implemented
Completed - Implementation finished

Use the status system to track progress and communicate with your team.

Tips for Your First Specification

Do This ✅

Be specific - "User login system" is better than "authentication stuff"
Include context - Mention your target audience and platform
Use the chat - Ask AI to expand on any section that needs more detail
Iterate - Specifications improve with multiple rounds of refinement

Avoid This ❌

Being too vague - "Build a good app" won't generate useful specifications
Trying to be perfect - Start simple and refine iteratively
Ignoring user needs - Consider who will use what you're building
Skipping review - Always review AI output before sharing

Common Questions

How long does specification generation take?

Typically 30-60 seconds for initial generation. Refinements are usually faster.

Can I edit the AI-generated content?

Yes! You can edit any part of the specification. Click anywhere in the document to start editing.

What if I don't like what the AI generated?

Use the chat to request changes, or click "Regenerate" to start over with a refined prompt.

Can I collaborate with team members?

Yes! Invite team members to your workspace and they can view, edit, and comment on specifications.

Use the Share button to create public links that don't require an Xpec account to view.

Getting Help

In-App Support

Chat with AI - Use the chat in any specification for immediate help
Tooltips - Hover over interface elements for quick explanations
Help Center - Access additional resources from the user menu

Best Practices

Start with templates when learning
Create products to organize your work
Use personas to understand your users
Iterate frequently rather than trying to be perfect
Share early and get feedback

What's Next?

Now that you've created your first specification, explore these advanced features:

Specifications Guide - Master all specification features
Personas Guide - Create detailed user personas
Insights Guide - Extract actionable insights
Workspace Settings - Manage team and settings
Integrations - Connect with v0 and other tools

Success Checklist

After completing this guide, you should have:

✅ Set up your workspace
✅ Created your first product (optional)
✅ Generated your first specification
✅ Understood how to refine specifications with chat
✅ Learned about specification status management
✅ Explored sharing options

Congratulations! You're now ready to use Xpec to turn your ideas into professional specifications. The more you use the platform, the better your specifications will become.

Ready to dive deeper? Check out the Specifications Guide next, or explore any other feature that interests you!

Getting Started