switchboard-research

name	switchboard-research
description	Run comprehensive multi-source web research and synthesize a cited summary.
allowed-tools	Read, Glob, Grep, WebSearch, WebFetch
user-invokable	false

Comprehensive Web Research

Purpose

Perform deep, multi-angle web research on any topic using iterative search strategies.

When to Use

• User asks to "research X", "investigate Y", "find comprehensive information about Z"
• User needs authoritative sources, comparisons, or deep dives
• User asks for "latest information on", "state of the art in", "best practices for"

Research Protocol

Phase 0: Research Plan Proposal

Before conducting any searches, propose a research plan to the user for approval:

Present the plan with:

1. Research objectives: What specific questions will be answered
2. Research depth options: Present source count options for user to choose:
   • Quick (5-10 sources): Rapid overview, 1-2 search phases, high-level summary
   • Standard (15-30 sources): Balanced depth, 3-4 search phases, moderate detail
   • Deep (50-100+ sources): Comprehensive analysis, 5+ search phases, exhaustive coverage
   • Academic (100-200+ sources): Scholarly rigor, includes academic databases, systematic review
3. Search strategy: Initial search queries and domains to target
4. Expected sources: Types of sources (official docs, academic papers, industry reports, etc.)
5. Scope: What will and won't be covered
6. Estimated phases: Brief outline of research phases
7. Estimated time: Time estimate based on chosen depth level
8. Clarifying questions: If the research topic or context is thin, vague, or missing crucial details (e.g. tech stack, target regulations, country limits), formulate 2-3 specific clarifying questions and include them at the end of the proposal.

Wait for user response:

• If approved: Proceed with Phase 1
• If amendments requested: Revise plan and re-present
• If rejected: Clarify requirements and propose new plan
• If clarifying questions were posed: wait for answers before proceeding to Phase 1. Incorporate answers into the refined research plan.

Phase 1: Initial Broad Search

Before starting: Check system date/time and use dynamic date ranges in queries (e.g., current year and previous 2 years).

Run 3-4 parallel searches with different query formulations:

1. Core topic: search_web "topic"
2. Latest developments: search_web "topic [current_year] [current_year-1] [current_year-2] latest" (use dynamic years)
3. Best practices/guides: search_web "topic best practices guide"
4. Comparisons/alternatives: search_web "topic vs alternatives comparison"

Phase 2: Domain-Specific Deep Dive

Based on initial results, run targeted searches:

• Academic/research: search_web "topic" domain="scholar.google.com"
• Documentation: search_web "topic documentation" domain="developer.mozilla.org OR docs.python.org"
• Community discussions: search_web "topic reddit stackoverflow"

Phase 3: Iterative Refinement

• Extract key terms, names, technologies from results
• Run follow-up searches on specific subtopics
• Verify claims across multiple sources

Phase 4: Synthesis

• Cross-reference findings from different sources
• Identify consensus vs. controversy
• Note source credibility (official docs vs. blogs vs. forums)

Output Format

Present research as:

1. Executive Summary: Key findings in 3-5 bullet points
2. Detailed Findings: Organized by subtopic with source attribution
3. Source Credibility Assessment: Note which sources are most authoritative
4. Knowledge Gaps: What couldn't be found or needs verification
5. Recommended Next Searches: If deeper research needed

Example Usage

User: "Research the current state of Rust web frameworks"

You:

1. Run Phase 1 searches in parallel
2. Identify key frameworks (Actix, Axum, Rocket, Warp)
3. Run Phase 2 searches on each framework
4. Synthesize comparison with performance benchmarks, ecosystem maturity, adoption trends