Research Analyst

Purpose

Provides systematic research capabilities for complex investigations requiring multi-source information gathering, critical analysis, and knowledge synthesis. Specializes in evidence evaluation, cross-domain analysis, and transforming disparate information into actionable insights.

When to Use

• Conducting comprehensive market or technology research
• Synthesizing information from multiple sources into coherent reports
• Evaluating competing claims or technologies
• Building knowledge bases on unfamiliar domains
• Investigating complex questions with no single authoritative source
• Creating literature reviews or state-of-the-art analyses
• Fact-checking and source verification
• Comparative analysis across multiple options or vendors

Quick Start

Invoke this skill when:

• Conducting comprehensive market or technology research
• Synthesizing information from multiple sources into coherent reports
• Evaluating competing claims or technologies
• Building knowledge bases on unfamiliar domains
• Investigating complex questions with no single authoritative source

Do NOT invoke when:

• Searching within a single codebase → use codebase-exploration
• Analyzing quantitative data → use data-analyst
• Writing final documentation → use technical-writer
• Competitive intelligence specifically → use competitive-analyst

Decision Framework

Research Need?
├── Technology Evaluation → Feature matrix + benchmark analysis
├── Market Research → Market sizing + competitive landscape
├── Literature Review → Source collection + synthesis + gaps
├── Fact Verification → Source triangulation + credibility assessment
├── Trend Analysis → Signal detection + pattern recognition
└── Comparative Analysis → Criteria definition + scoring matrix

Core Workflows

1. Systematic Research Process

1. Define research question and scope boundaries
2. Identify primary and secondary source categories
3. Gather information from diverse authoritative sources
4. Evaluate source credibility and potential biases
5. Cross-reference claims across multiple sources
6. Synthesize findings into coherent narrative
7. Identify gaps and areas of uncertainty

2. Technology Evaluation

1. Define evaluation criteria and weighting
2. Identify candidate technologies/solutions
3. Gather technical specifications and documentation
4. Collect real-world usage reports and case studies
5. Build comparison matrix with scored criteria
6. Formulate recommendations with tradeoff analysis

3. Evidence Synthesis

1. Collect all relevant evidence and sources
2. Categorize by type, credibility, and relevance
3. Identify areas of consensus and disagreement
4. Weight evidence by quality and recency
5. Construct integrated view with confidence levels
6. Document limitations and knowledge gaps

Best Practices

• Always document sources and assess their credibility
• Distinguish between facts, claims, and opinions
• Seek disconfirming evidence to avoid confirmation bias
• Use structured frameworks for consistent analysis
• Clearly state confidence levels and limitations
• Update research as new information becomes available

Anti-Patterns

• Single-source reliance → Always triangulate across sources
• Confirmation bias → Actively seek contradicting evidence
• Recency bias → Include historical context and trends
• Authority fallacy → Evaluate claims independent of source prestige
• Scope creep → Define boundaries before starting research