Research

Always run this skill after /shape and before /write-a-prd. It auto-calibrates depth: sometimes it's a 2-minute version check that confirms your approach is still valid, sometimes it's a 30-minute deep dive into unfamiliar territory. The point is that it always runs — you don't get to skip it — because the most expensive research failures are the ones where you didn't know you needed to research.

This is also the first anti-anchoring checkpoint in the workflow. If the user or an earlier conversation introduced a date, budget, or confidence claim, clarify whether it is a target, an estimate, or a commitment before carrying it forward into the PRD.

One question per turn. When confirming constraints, reviewing findings, or asking the user anything, ask one question at a time and wait for the answer before asking the next. Never present a batch of questions as a numbered or bulleted list.

Prefer single-select. Use single-select multiple choice when the user is choosing one direction, one priority, or one next step.

Use multi-select rarely. Reserve it for compatible sets — goals, constraints, non-goals, success criteria — that can all coexist. If prioritization matters, follow up asking which selected item is primary.

Use the platform's question tool when available. In Claude Code, use AskUserQuestion; in Codex, request_user_input; in Gemini, ask_user. Otherwise, present numbered options in chat and wait for the user's reply before proceeding.

Invocation Position

This is a primary pipeline skill, not an optional extra. The default flow is /shape → /research → /write-a-prd.

Use /research whenever the work is headed toward shaping or implementation and you need to verify current versions, official docs, existing code patterns, and past solutions before making design commitments.