Step 0 Research

Step 0 · Research

/research investigates the problem space before requirements are written. Use it when the domain, precedent, options, or constraints are not yet clear.

Field	Value
Command	/research [topic]
Habit	H5 Seek First to Understand
Previous	None
Next	Step 1 · Requirements

Use This When

• The user request is vague or unfamiliar.
• You need prior art, constraints, standards, or trade-offs.
• A bug or incident has unclear causes and needs investigation before planning.

Skip When

• The change is obvious and local.
• Requirements are already clear and current.
• The task is pure formatting or mechanical cleanup.

Output

• Research question and scope.
• Findings with source quality noted.
• Open questions and risks.
• Recommendation for whether to continue to /requirements, /diagnose, or another skill.

Handoff

/requirements should receive the problem statement, constraints, evidence, unresolved questions, and any recommended boundaries.

See Also

• Workflow Overview
• Skills Reference
• Habits Reference
• Source skill