research-investigate

name

research-investigate

description

Investigate a complex, multi-faceted question across multiple source domains and produce a persisted, evidence-rich research document. Selects an investigation methodology by question shape (domain / market / technical / codebase / general), decomposes the question into sub-questions, dispatches the six read-only research children in parallel waves across the hide-the-intent boundary, synthesizes findings once into the methodology's section structure, and persists the document to the thoughts research directory with citations, GitHub permalinks, and honest gap-marking. Mode-aware: interactive confirms the investigation plan and reviews sections at checkpoints; autonomous runs to completion and returns the document path. Emits SCOPE_TOO_LARGE with suggested sub-investigations when a question is too broad for a single coherent document. The workhorse for 'reconstruct everything we know about X', 'industry analysis of Y', 'how should we architect Z'.

Execute workflow by following instructions and producing output Always read COMPLETE files - NEVER use offset/limit when reading any workflow related files Instructions are MANDATORY - either as file path, steps or embedded list in YAML, XML or markdown Execute ALL steps in instructions IN EXACT ORDER Save to template output file after EVERY "template-output" tag NEVER skip a step - YOU are responsible for every step's execution without fail or excuse Steps execute in exact numerical order (1, 2, 3...) unless an explicit goto directs otherwise Optional steps: Ask user unless YOLO mode active Template-output tags: Save content, discuss with the user the section completed, and NEVER proceed until the user indicates to proceed (unless YOLO mode has been activated) For each step in instructions:

  <substep n="1a" title="Track Progress">
    <action if="first iteration">Create todo list from all instruction step titles (TodoWrite)</action>
    <action>Mark current step as in_progress (TodoWrite)</action>
  </substep>

  <substep n="1b" title="Handle Step Attributes">
    <check>If optional="true" and NOT YOLO -> Use Question tool to ask user whether to include (Yes/Skip)</check>
    <check>If if="condition" -> Evaluate condition</check>
    <check>If for-each="item" -> Repeat step for each item</check>
    <check>If repeat="n" -> Repeat step n times</check>
  </substep>

  <substep n="1c" title="Execute Step Content">
    <action>Process step instructions (markdown or XML tags)</action>
    <action>Replace {{variables}} with values (ask user if unknown)</action>
    <execute-tags>
      <tag>action -> Perform the action</tag>
      <tag>action type="script" -> Execute as shell command, capture output</tag>
      <tag>check if="condition" -> Conditional block wrapping actions (requires closing &lt;/check&gt;)</tag>
      <tag>ask -> Prompt user using Question tool and WAIT for response. When options exist, present them as selectable choices. For open-ended questions, provide helpful suggested options with custom input enabled</tag>
      <tag>invoke-skill name="skill-name" -> Execute another skill via OpenCode skill system</tag>
      <tag>invoke-agent name="subagent" prompt="task" -> Delegate to subagent via Task tool</tag>
      <tag>goto step="x" -> Jump to specified step (used for explicit loop-back in Q-R style flows)</tag>
    </execute-tags>
  </substep>

  <substep n="1d" title="Handle template-output Tags">
    <if tag="template-output">
      <mandate>Generate content for this section</mandate>
      <mandate>Save to file (Write first time, Edit subsequent)</mandate>
      <action>Display generated content</action>
      <action>Use Question tool to present checkpoint options. WAIT for response.
        <options>
          <option label="Continue" description="Approve this section and move to the next step" />
          <option label="Advanced Elicitation" description="Explore this section deeper before proceeding" />
          <option label="YOLO" description="Auto-complete the rest of this workflow without stopping" />
        </options>
        <if response="Advanced Elicitation">
          <action>Invoke advanced-elicitation skill</action>
        </if>
        <if response="Continue">
          <action>Continue to next step</action>
        </if>
        <if response="YOLO">
          <action>Enter YOLO mode for the rest of the workflow</action>
        </if>
      </action>
    </if>
  </substep>

  <substep n="1e" title="Step Completion">
    <action>Mark current step as completed (TodoWrite)</action>
    <check>If no special tags and NOT YOLO:</check>
    <action>Use Question tool to ask:
      <options>
        <option label="Continue" description="Proceed to the next step" />
        <option label="Edit" description="Revise this step before moving on" />
      </options>
    </action>
  </substep>
</step>

<step n="2" title="Completion">
  <check>Confirm all instruction steps have been executed</check>
  <output>Workflow complete.</output>
</step>

Full user interaction and confirmation of EVERY step at EVERY template output - NO EXCEPTIONS except YOLO mode Skip all confirmations and elicitation, minimize prompts and try to produce all of the workflow automatically by simulating the remaining discussions with a simulated expert user step n="X" goal="..." - Define step with number and goal substep n="Xa" title="..." - Sub-step within a step phase n="X" - Phase within a substep optional="true" - Step can be skipped if="condition" - Conditional execution for-each="collection" - Iterate over items repeat="n" - Repeat n times action - Required action to perform action type="script" - Execute shell command action if="condition" - Single conditional action (inline, no closing tag needed) check if="condition">...</check> - Conditional block wrapping multiple items (closing tag required) ask - Get user input via Question tool (ALWAYS wait for response before continuing). Present defined options as selectable choices. For open-ended questions, offer helpful suggestions with custom input enabled goto - Jump to another step (explicit loop-back) invoke-skill - Call another skill invoke-agent - Delegate to subagent via Task tool invoke-protocol - Execute a reusable protocol (e.g., discover_inputs) template-output - Save content checkpoint critical - Cannot be skipped example - Show example output note - Informational content output - Display to user without saving halt-conditions - Define conditions that MUST stop execution condition - Single halt condition validation - Pre-condition rules to check - This is the complete workflow execution engine - You MUST follow instructions exactly as written - This workflow uses INTENT-DRIVEN PLANNING - adapt organically to product type and context - YOU ARE FACILITATING A CONVERSATION with a user to produce a final document step by step - The whole process is meant to be collaborative - helping the user flesh out their ideas - Do not rush or optimize and skip any section Investigate a complex question across multiple source domains and produce a persisted research document. Select a methodology by question shape, decompose into sub-questions, dispatch children in parallel waves, synthesize once into the methodology's sections, and persist with citations and honest gaps.

<inputs>
  Interactive (user invokes [CI]):
  - A complex question or topic; mentioned files read fully first;
    investigation plan confirmed before dispatch.

  Autonomous (dispatched from a workflow):
  - research_question (required): the question to investigate
  - scope (optional): directory globs, domains, or boundaries
  - web_search_approved (boolean): required true for methodologies
    that route sub-questions to web-search-researcher
  - output_location (optional): override for the research directory
</inputs>

<outputs>
  A persisted research document at the thoughts research directory,
  structured per the selected methodology, with inline citations and
  an Open Questions section. Autonomous mode returns a structured
  signal carrying the document path (SUCCESS / ERROR /
  CLARIFICATION_NEEDED / SCOPE_TOO_LARGE).
</outputs>

<key-discipline>
  No recursion: dispatch the six children directly in waves. The
  children isolate heavy context; this skill holds only the
  synthesis. When a question is too broad for one coherent document,
  emit SCOPE_TOO_LARGE with suggested sub-investigations rather than
  spawning researcher-within-researcher.

  Single synthesis: children return raw findings; this skill
  synthesizes ONCE into the document. It does not invoke
  research-quick-answer per sub-question (that would double-synthesize).

  Hide-the-intent: every child prompt carries the sub-question
  alone — never the parent task's intent.

  Fresh investigation: run new research. Prior research documents in
  thoughts/ are historical context to supplement, never a substitute
  for live findings.
</key-discipline>

<step n="1" title="Orient">
  <action>Load and execute: references/steps/step-01-orient.xml</action>
</step>

<step n="2" title="Select Methodology and Decompose">
  <action>Load and execute: references/steps/step-02-methodology-decompose.xml</action>
</step>

<step n="3" title="Dispatch Waves">
  <action>Load and execute: references/steps/step-03-dispatch-waves.xml</action>
</step>

<step n="4" title="Synthesize Document">
  <action>Load and execute: references/steps/step-04-synthesize.xml</action>
</step>

<step n="5" title="Persist">
  <action>Load and execute: references/steps/step-05-persist.xml</action>
</step>

<step n="6" title="Return">
  <action>Load and execute: references/steps/step-06-return.xml</action>
</step>

After step 6, the investigation is persisted and the caller has the document path. In interactive mode, offer follow-up research (appended to the same document) or a related investigation.