diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8a6e56846..58059f25d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -21,6 +21,12 @@ or organizational use.
 
 [open core model]: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-core_model)
 
+## Developing Convene
+
+Once you have installed the appropriate `ruby` and `node` and `postgresql` versions run `bin/setup`. See [Convene::Web/README.md "Configuring your Development Machine"] for more information.
+
+[Convene::Web/README.md "Configuring your Development Machine"]:./convene-web/README.md#configuring-your-development-machine
+
 ## Using Convene
 
 Convene is [pre-alpha software], so while we intend to provide interfaces that
diff --git a/bin/run b/bin/run
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..e00bdf0f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/run
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Runs the application locally
+(cd convene-web && bin/run)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/convene-web/README.md b/convene-web/README.md
index 7d34b3bd5..e93b757de 100644
--- a/convene-web/README.md
+++ b/convene-web/README.md
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ First, ensure your development environment has:
 Then, run `bin/setup` to install Ruby and Node dependencies and set up the
 database.
 
+Once you have completed setup; run `bin/run`. You now should be able to open
+http://localhost:3000/workspaces/system-test and see Convene.
+
 Finally, run `bin/test` to ensure that your development environment is
 configured correctly.
 
diff --git a/convene-web/bin/run b/convene-web/bin/run
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..e92ceb73e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/convene-web/bin/run
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+
+# Conditionally assign PORT so that it can be overridden
+# https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2440947/how-to-build-a-conditional-assignment-in-bash
+: ${PORT:=3000}
+echo $PORT
+bin/rails s -p $PORT
\ No newline at end of file