Ankurjain1121 Research Workflow for Technology Decisions
This skill standardizes how the Framework Developer Orchestrator researches technology options before making recommendations.
Research Principles
- Never Assume - Always verify with official sources
- Cite Everything - Every claim needs a URL
- Present Options - Give user choices, don't dictate
- Stay Current - Prefer recent sources (within 2 years)
- Consider Context - Match recommendations to project needs
Research Workflow
Step 1: Identify the Question
**Research Topic:** [e.g., "Database selection for task management app"]
**Key Criteria:**
- [ ] Relational vs document data model
- [ ] Scale requirements
- [ ] Team familiarity
- [ ] Cost constraints
- [ ] Hosting options
Step 2: Gather Options
For each technology category:
**Options to Research:**
1. [Option A] - [Brief description]
2. [Option B] - [Brief description]
3. [Option C] - [Brief description]
Step 3: Research Each Option
### Research: [Option Name]
**Official Sources:**
- Documentation: [URL]
- Getting Started: [URL]
- Use Cases: [URL]
**Key Facts:**
- Latest stable version: [version]
- License: [license]
- Pricing: [pricing model]
**Claimed Strengths:**
- [Strength 1] (Source: [URL])
- [Strength 2] (Source: [URL])
**Known Limitations:**
- [Limitation 1] (Source: [URL])
- [Limitation 2] (Source: [URL])
**Fit for Our Project:**
- [Analysis of how it fits our needs]
Step 4: Compare Options
## Comparison Matrix
| Criteria | Option A | Option B | Option C |
|----------|----------|----------|----------|
| [Criterion 1] | ✅ Excellent | ⚠️ Good | ❌ Poor |
| [Criterion 2] | ⚠️ Good | ✅ Excellent | ⚠️ Good |
| [Criterion 3] | ✅ Excellent | ✅ Excellent | ⚠️ Good |
| **Overall Fit** | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Step 5: Make Recommendation
## Recommendation
**Recommended:** [Option]
**Rationale:**
Based on our project requirements:
1. [Reason 1 with source]
2. [Reason 2 with source]
3. [Reason 3 with source]
**Trade-offs Accepted:**
- [What we give up by choosing this]
**Alternative for Consideration:**
If [condition], consider [alternative] instead because [reason].
Source Quality Criteria
Tier 1: Most Reliable
| Source Type | Example | Trust Level |
|---|---|---|
| Official docs | postgresql.org/docs | Highest |
| Official blog | blog.react.dev | High |
| Official benchmarks | [vendor benchmarks] | High* |
*Note: Vendor benchmarks may be biased
Tier 2: Generally Reliable
| Source Type | Example | Trust Level |
|---|---|---|
| Established tech blogs | martinfowler.com | High |
| Conference talks | Strange Loop, QCon | High |
| Peer-reviewed comparisons | VLDB, SIGMOD papers | High |
Tier 3: Use with Caution
| Source Type | Example | Trust Level |
|---|---|---|
| Medium articles | medium.com/@author | Medium |
| Stack Overflow | stackoverflow.com | Medium |
| Dev.to | dev.to | Medium |
| r/programming | Low-Medium |
Avoid
- Anonymous blog posts
- Outdated content (>2 years for fast-moving tech)
- Clearly sponsored content without disclosure
- Sources without dates
Research Templates
Database Selection
## Database Research: [Database Name]
**Category:** Relational | Document | Graph | Time-series | Key-Value
**Official Resources:**
- Documentation: [URL]
- Use Cases: [URL]
**Technical Specs:**
- Query Language: [SQL/NoSQL/Custom]
- ACID Compliance: Full | Document-level | None
- Scaling: Vertical | Horizontal | Both
- Max Connections: [number]
- Storage Engine: [engine]
**Performance (from official benchmarks):**
- Read throughput: [ops/sec]
- Write throughput: [ops/sec]
- Latency: [p99 latency]
**Deployment Options:**
- Self-hosted: [Yes/No]
- Managed: [List providers]
- Serverless: [Yes/No]
**Pricing:**
- Open Source: [Yes/No]
- Managed pricing: [Starting from $X/month]
**Team Familiarity:**
- Ask user: "What's your experience with [database]?"
Framework Selection
## Framework Research: [Framework Name]
**Category:** Backend | Frontend | Full-stack
**Official Resources:**
- Documentation: [URL]
- Tutorial: [URL]
- Examples: [URL]
**Technical Specs:**
- Language: [Language]
- Latest Version: [version]
- Release Date: [date]
- License: [license]
**Features:**
- [Feature 1]
- [Feature 2]
- [Feature 3]
**Ecosystem:**
- Package Manager: [npm/pip/etc]
- Number of packages: [count]
- Community size: [GitHub stars, npm downloads]
**Learning Curve:**
- Beginner-friendly: [Yes/No]
- Documentation quality: [Excellent/Good/Fair/Poor]
- Community support: [Active/Moderate/Limited]
Search Strategies
For Official Information
site:postgresql.org performance benchmarks
site:react.dev hooks best practices
For Comparisons
"PostgreSQL vs MongoDB" site:*.org OR site:*.edu
"React vs Vue 2024" comparison
For Real-World Usage
"we chose PostgreSQL because" site:github.com
"migrated from MongoDB to" case study
Presenting Research to User
## Research Results: [Topic]
I've researched [topic] using official documentation and reliable sources.
### Summary
| Option | Best For | Source |
|--------|----------|--------|
| [A] | [Use case] | [URL] |
| [B] | [Use case] | [URL] |
| [C] | [Use case] | [URL] |
### My Recommendation
Based on your project requirements:
- [Requirement 1]
- [Requirement 2]
I recommend **[Option]** because:
1. [Reason with source]
2. [Reason with source]
### Questions for You
1. [Clarifying question about requirements]
2. [Question about team experience]
What are your thoughts?
Updating Stale Research
If research is more than 6 months old:
- Re-check official sources for version updates
- Look for any major changes or deprecations
- Verify pricing is current
- Update comparison matrix
Integration with Framework Developer
Use this workflow in:
- Phase 1: Technology stack decisions
- Phase 2: Architecture pattern selection
- Phase 3: API framework choices
- Phase 4: LLM capability research
Always:
- Research before recommending
- Cite all sources
- Present options to user
- Get user approval before proceeding