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name, description, category, tags, disable-model-invocation
name description category tags disable-model-invocation
research Deep Research Methodology (8-Step Method) with two execution modes: - Mode A (Initial Research): Assess acceptance criteria, then research problem and produce solution draft - Mode B (Solution Assessment): Assess existing solution draft for weak points and produce revised draft Supports project mode (_docs/ structure) and standalone mode (@file.md). Auto-detects research mode based on existing solution_draft files. Trigger phrases: - "research", "deep research", "deep dive", "in-depth analysis" - "research this", "investigate", "look into" - "assess solution", "review solution draft" - "comparative analysis", "concept comparison", "technical comparison" build
research
analysis
solution-design
comparison
decision-support
true

Deep Research (8-Step Method)

Transform vague topics raised by users into high-quality, deliverable research reports through a systematic methodology. Operates in two modes: Initial Research (produce new solution draft) and Solution Assessment (assess and revise existing draft).

Core Principles

  • Conclusions come from mechanism comparison, not "gut feelings"
  • Pin down the facts first, then reason
  • Prioritize authoritative sources: L1 > L2 > L3 > L4
  • Intermediate results must be saved for traceability and reuse
  • Ask, don't assume — when any aspect of the problem, criteria, or restrictions is unclear, STOP and ask the user before proceeding
  • Internet-first investigation — do not rely on training data for factual claims; search the web extensively for every sub-question, rephrase queries when results are thin, and keep searching until you have converging evidence from multiple independent sources
  • Multi-perspective analysis — examine every problem from at least 3 different viewpoints (e.g., end-user, implementer, business decision-maker, contrarian, domain expert, field practitioner); each perspective should generate its own search queries
  • Question multiplication — for each sub-question, generate multiple reformulated search queries (synonyms, related terms, negations, "what can go wrong" variants, practitioner-focused variants) to maximize coverage and uncover blind spots

Context Resolution

Determine the operating mode based on invocation before any other logic runs.

Project mode (no explicit input file provided):

  • INPUT_DIR: _docs/00_problem/
  • OUTPUT_DIR: _docs/01_solution/
  • RESEARCH_DIR: _docs/00_research/
  • All existing guardrails, mode detection, and draft numbering apply as-is.

Standalone mode (explicit input file provided, e.g. /research @some_doc.md):

  • INPUT_FILE: the provided file (treated as problem description)
  • BASE_DIR: if specified by the caller, use it; otherwise default to _standalone/
  • OUTPUT_DIR: BASE_DIR/01_solution/
  • RESEARCH_DIR: BASE_DIR/00_research/
  • Guardrails relaxed: only INPUT_FILE must exist and be non-empty
  • restrictions.md and acceptance_criteria.md are optional — warn if absent, proceed if user confirms
  • Mode detection uses OUTPUT_DIR for solution_draft*.md scanning
  • Draft numbering works the same, scoped to OUTPUT_DIR
  • Final step: after all research is complete, move INPUT_FILE into BASE_DIR

Announce the detected mode and resolved paths to the user before proceeding.

Project Integration

Read and follow steps/00_project-integration.md for prerequisite guardrails, mode detection, draft numbering, working directory setup, save timing, and output file inventory.

Execution Flow

Mode A: Initial Research

Read and follow steps/01_mode-a-initial-research.md.

Phases: AC Assessment (BLOCKING) → Problem Research → Tech Stack (optional) → Security (optional).


Mode B: Solution Assessment

Read and follow steps/02_mode-b-solution-assessment.md.


Research Engine (8-Step Method)

The 8-step method is the core research engine used by both modes. Steps 0-1 and Step 8 have mode-specific behavior; Steps 2-7 are identical regardless of mode.

Investigation phase (Steps 03.5): Read and follow steps/03_engine-investigation.md. Covers: question classification, novelty sensitivity, question decomposition, perspective rotation, exhaustive web search, fact extraction, iterative deepening.

Analysis phase (Steps 48): Read and follow steps/04_engine-analysis.md. Covers: comparison framework, baseline alignment, reasoning chain, use-case validation, deliverable formatting.

Solution Draft Output Templates

  • Mode A: templates/solution_draft_mode_a.md
  • Mode B: templates/solution_draft_mode_b.md

Escalation Rules

Situation Action
Unclear problem boundaries ASK user
Ambiguous acceptance criteria values ASK user
Missing context files (security_approach.md, input_data/) ASK user what they have
Conflicting restrictions ASK user which takes priority
Technology choice with multiple valid options ASK user
Contradictions between input files ASK user
Missing acceptance criteria or restrictions files WARN user, ask whether to proceed
File naming within research artifacts PROCEED
Source tier classification PROCEED

Trigger Conditions

When the user wants to:

  • Deeply understand a concept/technology/phenomenon
  • Compare similarities and differences between two or more things
  • Gather information and evidence for a decision
  • Assess or improve an existing solution draft

Differentiation from other Skills:

  • Needs a visual knowledge graph → use research-to-diagram
  • Needs written output (articles/tutorials) → use wsy-writer
  • Needs material organization → use material-to-markdown
  • Needs research + solution draft → use this Skill

Stakeholder Perspectives

Adjust content depth based on audience:

Audience Focus Detail Level
Decision-makers Conclusions, risks, recommendations Concise, emphasize actionability
Implementers Specific mechanisms, how-to Detailed, emphasize how to do it
Technical experts Details, boundary conditions, limitations In-depth, emphasize accuracy

Source Verifiability Requirements

Every cited piece of external information must be directly verifiable by the user. All links must be publicly accessible (annotate [login required] if not), citations must include exact section/page/timestamp, and unverifiable information must be annotated [limited source]. Full checklist in references/quality-checklists.md.

Quality Checklist

Before completing the solution draft, run through the checklists in references/quality-checklists.md. This covers:

  • General quality (L1/L2 support, verifiability, actionability)
  • Mode A specific (AC assessment, competitor analysis, component tables, tech stack)
  • Mode B specific (findings table, self-contained draft, performance column)
  • Timeliness check for high-sensitivity domains (version annotations, cross-validation, community mining)
  • Target audience consistency (boundary definition, source matching, fact card audience)

Final Reply Guidelines

When replying to the user after research is complete:

Should include:

  • Active mode used (A or B) and which optional phases were executed
  • One-sentence core conclusion
  • Key findings summary (3-5 points)
  • Path to the solution draft: OUTPUT_DIR/solution_draft##.md
  • Paths to optional artifacts if produced: tech_stack.md, security_analysis.md
  • If there are significant uncertainties, annotate points requiring further verification

Must not include:

  • Process file listings (e.g., 00_question_decomposition.md, 01_source_registry.md, etc.)
  • Detailed research step descriptions
  • Working directory structure display

Reason: Process files are for retrospective review, not for the user. The user cares about conclusions, not the process.