Desk Research

Execute this workflow for any desk-research request.

0) Load methodology checklist (first)

Read references/methodology.md, references/deep-writing-patterns.md, and references/quality-checklist.md and apply all as guardrails.

1) Define the research brief

Write 4 lines before searching: - Research question (1 sentence) - Scope (time, geography, industry) - Must-answer sub-questions (3-6 bullets) - Output format needed by user

If the question is vague, propose assumptions explicitly and continue.

2) Build a source plan

Collect evidence in this priority order: 1. Primary/official sources (government, regulator, company filings, product docs) 2. Reputable secondary analysis (major research firms, established media) 3. Community signals (forums/social) only as supporting evidence

Require at least 2 independent sources for every key claim.

3) Gather evidence fast

For each sub-question: - Find 3-8 candidate sources - Keep the highest-signal sources - Extract only claim + evidence + date + link

Reject sources that are undated, anonymous, or purely opinionated unless the user asked for sentiment.

4) Score source reliability

Tag each source: - A = official primary source - B = credible secondary source - C = weak/indicative source

When claims conflict, prefer newer A/B sources and explicitly note uncertainty.

5) Synthesize insights

Convert notes into: - Facts (well-supported) - Interpretations (reasoned but inferential) - Unknowns (gaps needing validation)

Never present interpretation as fact.

5.5) Deepening loop (mandatory)

Before final delivery, run at least 2 rounds of self-questioning:

Round A — Coverage challenge - What did I miss by source type, time window, or geography? - Which category/conclusion is over-dependent on one source? - What contradicts my current conclusion?

Round B — Decision challenge - If this conclusion is wrong, what evidence would prove it wrong? - Which part is descriptive but not decision-useful? - What next data pull would most change the recommendation?

After each round, update findings and confidence.

6) Deliver in concise structure

Use this exact section order: 1. Core Questions (2 questions) 2. One-sentence Verdict 3. Executive Summary (5-8 bullets) 4. Key Findings by sub-question (with metric anchors) 5. Evidence Table (claim | source | date | reliability) 6. Confidence tags (High/Medium/Low per major claim) 7. Risks / Uncertainty 8. What would falsify this conclusion 9. Next Verification Steps / Todo

For output shape and compact template, use references/output-template.md.

7) Quality bar before sending

Check all items: - Every major claim has source/date - No single-source critical claim - Time/geography scope matches user ask - Clear separation of fact vs interpretation - Actionable takeaway included - Each promising case uses the full 9-part deep case framework - Each promising case includes one final case-summary paragraph: what it does / who pays / business model / why pay - Each key section ends with decision implication (so-what)

8) Case-depth hard rule (for startup/case research)

When the task is startup/use-case research, apply these hard requirements: - For each promising case, collect at least 3 website evidence snippets (feature/pricing/use-flow) - Add at least 1 metric anchor from trusted dataset (revenue/MRR/growth) - Include at least 1 risk point and 1 falsification condition - Do not submit if any case is only descriptive without judgment