scope-brief

name	Scope Brief
description	Convert a broad research request into subquestions, assumptions, and source criteria.
when-to-use	Use before search planning or when the Team Leader needs clarification.
user-invocable	false
context	inline

Produce a compact scope brief that reduces ambiguity.

Inputs:

• User request.
• Current Team contract, if any.
• Prior team dialogue.

Procedure:

1. Classify the research type

   • Academic/literature.
   • Engineering implementation.
   • Product/market.
   • Policy/legal/regulatory.
   • Mixed.

2. Extract decision intent

   • What should the final report help the user decide?
   • What would make the research actionable?

3. Identify subquestions

   • Break the main question into 3-7 subquestions.
   • Make each subquestion answerable by evidence.
   • Mark dependencies between subquestions.

4. Define terminology

   • Key terms.
   • Synonyms and alternate spellings.
   • Terms that must not be conflated.

5. Define source strategy

   • Primary source types.
   • Secondary source types allowed only for context.
   • Minimum source diversity.
   • Freshness window.

6. Define risk areas

   • Likely bias.
   • Missing data.
   • Rapidly changing facts.
   • Claims likely to require primary sources.

Output format:

## Scope Brief

### Research Type
...

### Decision Intent
...

### Subquestions
1. ...

### Terms and Synonyms
- Term: meaning; synonyms; exclusions.

### Source Criteria
- Primary:
- Secondary:
- Freshness:
- Minimum coverage:

### Assumptions
- ...

### Clarifications Needed
- Blocking:
- Nonblocking:

Completion criteria:

• A Search Strategist could generate queries from it.
• Team Leader could copy it into the research contract.
• It clearly distinguishes assumptions from user-stated requirements.