tools-only COMPASS Checklist: Perspective Coverage Audit
A framework for ensuring comprehensive multi-perspective coverage in research.
Overview
COMPASS ensures you've explored all important angles before drawing conclusions.
| Letter | Perspective | Question |
|---|---|---|
| C | Contrast | Have I seen both sides? |
| O | Outlook | Have I covered past, present, and future? |
| M | Modes | Have I checked theory AND practice? |
| P | Perspectives | Have I heard mainstream AND alternative views? |
| A | Arena | Have I considered local AND global contexts? |
| S | Scale | Have I looked at individual, org, and systemic levels? |
| S | Sources | Have I used diverse source types? |
When to use: Phase 3.5: GAP ANALYSIS, after initial retrieval
C - Contrast (Pro/Con Analysis)
Every topic has multiple sides. Verify you've captured:
| Aspect | Description | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Benefits | Advantages, positive outcomes, success stories | [ ] |
| Risks | Downsides, negative outcomes, failure cases | [ ] |
| Trade-offs | What must be sacrificed for gains | [ ] |
| Costs | Financial, time, opportunity costs | [ ] |
Questions to Ask
- "What are the main arguments FOR this?"
- "What are the main arguments AGAINST this?"
- "What do supporters gain? What do critics fear?"
- "What trade-offs does this involve?"
Gap Indicator
If you only have positive OR only negative sources → Critical Gap
O - Outlook (Temporal Coverage)
Understanding requires historical context and future trajectory:
| Timeframe | Focus | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Historical | How did we get here? Origins, evolution | [ ] |
| Current | What's the state of the art? Latest developments | [ ] |
| Future | Where is this heading? Predictions, trends | [ ] |
| Milestones | Key turning points, breakthroughs | [ ] |
Questions to Ask
- "What's the backstory?"
- "What's happening RIGHT NOW (this year)?"
- "What do experts predict for the next 2-5 years?"
- "What changed between then and now?"
Gap Indicator
If all sources are from same year → Temporal Gap
M - Modes (Theory vs Practice)
Academic knowledge often differs from real-world application:
| Mode | Focus | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Theoretical | What research/academics say, ideal models | [ ] |
| Practical | What happens in implementation, real cases | [ ] |
| Gap Analysis | Difference between ideal and reality | [ ] |
| Best Practices | What works in practice, lessons learned | [ ] |
Questions to Ask
- "What does the research say?"
- "What happens when people actually try this?"
- "Why does practice sometimes differ from theory?"
- "What are the proven best practices?"
Gap Indicator
If only academic OR only anecdotal sources → Mode Gap
P - Perspectives (Viewpoint Diversity)
Avoid echo chambers by seeking diverse viewpoints:
| Perspective | Focus | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Mainstream | Conventional wisdom, dominant narrative | [ ] |
| Alternative | Contrarian, minority, emerging views | [ ] |
| Expert | Academic, professional, specialist views | [ ] |
| Popular | Public understanding, common perceptions | [ ] |
| Affected Parties | Those directly impacted | [ ] |
Questions to Ask
- "What's the consensus view?"
- "Who disagrees with the consensus? Why?"
- "What do experts say vs what does the public think?"
- "What do people actually affected by this say?"
Gap Indicator
If all sources agree → Perspective Gap (seek dissent)
A - Arena (Scope Coverage)
Context matters - what's true locally may differ globally:
| Scope | Focus | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Local | Country/region-specific considerations | [ ] |
| Global | International, cross-border patterns | [ ] |
| Industry | Sector-specific variations | [ ] |
| Cultural | Cultural/social context factors | [ ] |
Questions to Ask
- "Is this different in [specific region]?"
- "What are the global patterns?"
- "Does this vary by industry?"
- "What cultural factors might affect this?"
Gap Indicator
If all sources from one country/context → Arena Gap
S - Scale (Impact Levels)
Effects differ at different scales:
| Scale | Focus | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | Personal impact, micro-level effects | [ ] |
| Organizational | Company/team level implications | [ ] |
| Systemic | Industry/society-wide effects | [ ] |
| Cascading | How effects at one level affect others | [ ] |
Questions to Ask
- "How does this affect individuals?"
- "How does this affect organizations?"
- "What are the broader societal implications?"
- "How do effects at different levels interact?"
Gap Indicator
If only one scale covered → Scale Gap
S - Sources (Source Diversity)
Quality research uses diverse source types:
| Source Type | Characteristics | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Original data, official reports, direct sources | [ ] |
| Secondary | Analysis, commentary, synthesis | [ ] |
| Academic | Peer-reviewed, rigorous methodology | [ ] |
| Industry | Practical, current, insider knowledge | [ ] |
| News | Current events, accessible | [ ] |
| User-Generated | Real experiences, ground truth | [ ] |
Questions to Ask
- "Do I have any primary/original sources?"
- "Do I have academic AND practical sources?"
- "Are my sources all from the same type?"
Gap Indicator
If all sources same type → Source Diversity Gap
COMPASS Audit Template
Use after Phase 3: RETRIEVE to assess coverage:
## COMPASS Audit for "[TOPIC]"
### Coverage Assessment
| Category | Fully Covered | Partially Covered | Missing |
|----------|---------------|-------------------|---------|
| **C** - Contrast | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| **O** - Outlook | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| **M** - Modes | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| **P** - Perspectives | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| **A** - Arena | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| **S** - Scale | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| **S** - Sources | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
### Gap Details
**Critical Gaps (Must Address):**
1. [Gap] → Follow-up query: "[query]"
2. [Gap] → Follow-up query: "[query]"
**Minor Gaps (Address if Time Permits):**
1. [Gap] → Follow-up query: "[query]"
### Coverage Score
- Fully Covered: X/7
- Partially Covered: Y/7
- Missing: Z/7
**Recommendation:** [Proceed / Need More Research]
Example: AI Coding Assistants
COMPASS Audit
| Category | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| C - Contrast | Fully | Have benefits AND limitations/risks |
| O - Outlook | Partial | Have current (2025), need history |
| M - Modes | Fully | Have research AND practitioner views |
| P - Perspectives | Partial | Have mainstream, need skeptic view |
| A - Arena | Missing | Only US sources, need global |
| S - Scale | Partial | Have individual, need enterprise |
| S - Sources | Fully | Academic, industry, user reviews |
Priority Gaps
- Historical context → "AI coding assistants history evolution timeline"
- Skeptic perspective → "AI coding criticism skeptic developer"
- Global context → "AI coding adoption Europe Asia"
- Enterprise scale → "AI coding enterprise large team adoption"
Integration with Standard Mode
When: Phase 3.5: GAP ANALYSIS
Process:
- Complete initial RETRIEVE phase
- Run COMPASS audit
- Identify gaps with "Missing" or "Partial" status
- Generate follow-up queries for critical gaps
- Execute follow-up searches
- Re-audit until minimum coverage achieved
Minimum Coverage by Tier:
| Tier | Min "Fully Covered" | Max "Missing" |
|---|---|---|
| Quick | 3/7 | 3/7 |
| Standard | 4/7 | 2/7 |
| Deep | 5/7 | 1/7 |
| Exhaustive | 6/7 | 0/7 |