deep-research_skill

Overview

This skill performs structured deep research to produce traceable conclusions and actionable recommendations for complex decisions. It guides the process from clarifying the question and assumptions, through multi-source retrieval and cross-validation, to evidence-backed decision options. Outputs emphasize provenance, confidence levels, and next-step validation plans.

How this skill works

The skill rewrites the problem and success criteria in 2–3 sentences, enumerates existing hypotheses and unknowns, and builds a time-boxed research plan listing source types and query terms. It records every search (keywords, operators, timestamps), captures minimal notes for promising leads, evaluates source credibility and bias, and cross-checks findings across independent sources. For conflicts or high-risk assumptions it proposes minimal validation experiments or data checks. Final deliverables are structured summaries linking each conclusion to evidence, confidence, risks, and concrete actions.

When to use it

• When you must make a high-stakes or complex decision that needs documented evidence and traceability.
• When information is scattered across papers, docs, standards, forums, and data and needs consolidation.
• When you need to resolve conflicting claims or assess whether existing assumptions hold.
• When you need a reproducible research trail for audits, stakeholders, or cross-team handoff.

Best practices

• Start with a tight problem statement and explicit success criteria to limit scope and bias.
• Time-box search rounds and set termination rules (e.g., N independent sources or convergence).
• Prioritize primary and recent sources; flag marketing, outdated, or region-specific bias.
• Log queries and findings immediately to avoid duplicated work and allow reproducibility.
• Differentiate facts, assumptions, and risks; attach confidence levels and citation details.

Example use cases

• Assessing vendor claims vs. independent benchmarks before procurement.
• Evaluating regulatory compliance requirements across jurisdictions for a product launch.
• Comparing competing research results and identifying why outcomes diverge.
• Preparing an evidence-backed briefing for executives with clear recommended actions.
• Designing a minimal POC to validate a critical technical or business assumption.