/research-summary

/design-ops:research-summary

Synthesize research into actionable insights. Analyzes multiple sources and produces executive summaries with recommendations.

Trigger

User invokes /design-ops:research-summary when they need to:

• Synthesize findings from multiple sources
• Create executive summaries from research
• Extract patterns and recommendations
• Document research for stakeholders

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Workflow

Step 1: Research Input

"What research do you want to synthesize?"

Input types:

• Topic — I'll research and synthesize (e.g., "dark mode implementation patterns")
• URLs — Provide 2-10 sources to analyze
• Files — Point to local research documents
• Notes — Paste raw research notes

Step 2: Output Format

"How should I present the findings?"

Options:

• Executive summary — High-level findings for stakeholders
• Technical brief — Detailed implementation guidance
• Comparison matrix — Side-by-side analysis
• Decision doc — Recommendation with trade-offs
• Full report — Comprehensive documentation

Step 3: Audience Clarification

"Who will read this?"

Options:

• Technical team (engineers, designers)
• Leadership (executives, managers)
• Cross-functional (mixed audience)
• External (clients, partners)

Step 4: Research & Synthesis

If researching topic:

1. Search for authoritative sources
2. Analyze top 5-10 results
3. Extract key findings
4. Identify patterns and contradictions
5. Formulate recommendations

If analyzing provided sources:

1. Read/fetch each source
2. Extract key points
3. Cross-reference findings
4. Note agreements and contradictions
5. Synthesize into cohesive summary

Step 5: Generate Summary

## Research Summary: {Topic}

**Date:** {Current date}
**Researcher:** {If applicable}
**Audience:** {Target audience}

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### Executive Summary

{2-3 paragraph overview of findings and recommendations}

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### Sources Analyzed

| Source | Type | Key Contribution |
|--------|------|------------------|
| {Source 1} | {Article/Doc/Site} | {What it provided} |
| {Source 2} | {Article/Doc/Site} | {What it provided} |
| {Source 3} | {Article/Doc/Site} | {What it provided} |

---

### Key Findings

**Finding 1: {Title}**
- What we learned: {Summary}
- Evidence: {Supporting data/sources}
- Confidence: {High/Medium/Low}
- Implications: {What this means}

**Finding 2: {Title}**
- What we learned: {Summary}
- Evidence: {Supporting data/sources}
- Confidence: {High/Medium/Low}
- Implications: {What this means}

**Finding 3: {Title}**
- What we learned: {Summary}
- Evidence: {Supporting data/sources}
- Confidence: {High/Medium/Low}
- Implications: {What this means}

---

### Patterns Observed

**Pattern 1: {Name}**
- Observed in: {X} of {Y} sources
- Description: {What the pattern is}
- Relevance: {Why it matters to us}

**Pattern 2: {Name}**
- Observed in: {X} of {Y} sources
- Description: {What the pattern is}
- Relevance: {Why it matters to us}

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### Contradictions & Open Questions

| Topic | Source A Says | Source B Says | Our Take |
|-------|---------------|---------------|----------|
| {Topic 1} | {Position} | {Position} | {Resolution} |
| {Topic 2} | {Position} | {Position} | {Resolution} |

**Unresolved questions:**
- {Question 1} — needs further research
- {Question 2} — may require testing

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### Recommendations

**Recommendation 1: {Action}**
- Priority: {High/Medium/Low}
- Effort: {Low/Medium/High}
- Rationale: {Why this is recommended}
- Trade-offs: {What we give up}

**Recommendation 2: {Action}**
- Priority: {High/Medium/Low}
- Effort: {Low/Medium/High}
- Rationale: {Why this is recommended}
- Trade-offs: {What we give up}

**Recommendation 3: {Action}**
- Priority: {High/Medium/Low}
- Effort: {Low/Medium/High}
- Rationale: {Why this is recommended}
- Trade-offs: {What we give up}

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### Actionable Next Steps

1. **Immediate:** {What to do this week}
2. **Short-term:** {What to do this month}
3. **Long-term:** {What to plan for}

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### Appendix: Detailed Notes

{Optional section for raw data, extended quotes, etc.}

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### References

1. {Full citation 1}
2. {Full citation 2}
3. {Full citation 3}

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Output Format Templates

Technical Brief Format

## Technical Brief: {Topic}

### Overview
{Problem statement and scope}

### Technical Analysis

**Approach A: {Name}**
- How it works: {Technical explanation}
- Pros: {List}
- Cons: {List}
- Example implementation: {Code or reference}

**Approach B: {Name}**
- How it works: {Technical explanation}
- Pros: {List}
- Cons: {List}
- Example implementation: {Code or reference}

### Recommendation
{Which approach and why}

### Implementation Notes
- Dependencies: {What's needed}
- Estimated effort: {Time/complexity}
- Risks: {Potential issues}

Comparison Matrix Format

## Comparison: {Topic}

| Criteria | Option A | Option B | Option C |
|----------|----------|----------|----------|
| {Criterion 1} | {Rating/Value} | {Rating/Value} | {Rating/Value} |
| {Criterion 2} | {Rating/Value} | {Rating/Value} | {Rating/Value} |
| {Criterion 3} | {Rating/Value} | {Rating/Value} | {Rating/Value} |
| **Score** | {Total} | {Total} | {Total} |

### Analysis
{Interpretation of the comparison}

### Recommendation
{Which option and why}

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Integration Points

Website Intelligence

Uses website-intelligence for:

• Deep site analysis
• Pattern extraction
• Content summarization

Firecrawl Tools

Uses firecrawl for:

• Multi-source research
• Content extraction
• Structured data gathering

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Example Session

User: /design-ops:research-summary

Claude: "What research do you want to synthesize?"

User: "Dark mode implementation patterns"

Claude: "How should I present the findings?"

User: "Technical brief for the engineering team"

Claude: Researches topic, analyzes sources

## Research Summary: Dark Mode Implementation Patterns

**Audience:** Engineering team
**Sources:** 12 competitor apps, 3 design system docs, 5 a11y guidelines

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### Key Findings

**Pattern 1: System Preference Detection**
- 11/12 competitors auto-detect OS preference
- All provide manual toggle
- Best practice: Default to system, persist user choice

**Pattern 2: Color Token Strategy**
- Semantic tokens (--bg-primary) vs mode-specific (--bg-dark)
- 8/12 use semantic approach
- Recommendation: Semantic tokens reduce maintenance

**Pattern 3: Transition Handling**
- Instant switch: 7 apps
- Animated transition: 5 apps
- User preference data is split
- Recommendation: Subtle 200ms fade, no flash

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### Actionable Next Steps

1. Add `prefers-color-scheme` media query detection
2. Create semantic color token layer
3. Implement localStorage preference persistence
4. Test transitions for WCAG motion preferences

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Error Handling

Error	Response
No sources found	"Couldn't find enough sources on this topic. Can you provide specific URLs?"
Sources inaccessible	"Can't access {source}. Continuing with available sources."
Conflicting research	"Found significant contradictions. Highlighting these in the summary."
Topic too broad	"This is a broad topic. Can you narrow it down?"

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Version: 1.0