LESSON 3
The Research Skill
Stop asking vague questions and hoping for useful answers. The Research Skill gives AI a structured investigation pattern: clarify the goal, propose a plan, execute step-by-step with sources, and deliver a focused summary with risks and next actions.
THE PATTERN
From Vague Questions to Structured Research
The Research Skill turns any AI tool into a mini research analyst. Instead of a wall of text, you get a scoped plan, step-by-step findings, and a decision-ready summary.
🔬 The 4-Step Research Pattern
- Step 1: Clarifying questions: goal, audience, depth, time horizon
- Step 2: Propose a research plan as bullet points
- Step 3: Execute step-by-step, showing sources and reasoning
- Step 4: Deliver: 200-300 word summary + 3 risks + 3 actions
📊 The Output Format
- Summary: 200-300 words — concise, decision-ready, jargon-free
- 3 Risks: Key unknowns or dangers you need to watch
- 3 Actions: Concrete next steps you can take immediately
- Sources: Named references so you can verify and dig deeper
USE CASES
Where the Research Skill Shines
Competitive analysis, vendor comparison, market trends, legal summaries, technology evaluation, hiring decisions — any time you need to understand something well enough to explain it or act on it.
4
steps transform a vague question into actionable intelligence
Source: Research Pattern
3+3
risks and actions ensure every research ends with a decision point
Source: Output Format
10
minutes for research that used to take 2 hours of Googling
Source: User Testing
