Research

Auto review

Gather context, explore prior art, and understand the problem space

Hats
2
Review
Auto
Unit Types
Research
Inputs
None

Hat Sequence

1

Analyst

Focus: Evaluate the researcher's findings, identify patterns, surface actionable insights, and assess gaps in coverage. Transform raw research into structured understanding.

Produces: Structured analysis with pattern identification, gap assessment, and prioritized insights.

Reads: Researcher's findings from the unit's ## References section.

Anti-patterns:

  • Over-analyzing without synthesizing into actionable takeaways
  • Ignoring contradictory evidence that doesn't fit the emerging narrative
  • Treating all findings as equally important
  • Not identifying what's still unknown or uncertain
2

Researcher

Focus: Explore sources, gather data, and synthesize findings across the problem space. Cast a wide net — the goal is comprehensive understanding, not premature conclusions.

Produces: Raw research notes with source annotations, organized by theme or question.

Reads: Intent problem statement, any existing project knowledge.

Anti-patterns:

  • Diving into creation before research is complete
  • Relying on a single source or perspective
  • Not documenting where information came from
  • Summarizing without preserving source detail
  • Stopping research after finding the first plausible answer

Research

Criteria Guidance

Good criteria examples:

  • "Research brief covers at least 3 competing approaches with pros/cons for each"
  • "All claims cite a specific source with retrieval date"
  • "Gap analysis identifies at least 2 areas requiring further investigation"

Bad criteria examples:

  • "Research is thorough"
  • "Sources are included"
  • "Analysis is complete"

Completion Signal

Research brief exists with synthesized findings organized by theme. All claims are sourced. Analyst has identified key patterns, ranked insights by relevance, and documented knowledge gaps with recommended next steps.