Research Prompts

10+ ready-to-use prompts for web research and information synthesis

Competitive Analysis Prompts

1. Basic Competitive Research

Research the top 5 competitors in [industry/market].

For each competitor:
- Company name and website
- Brief description (1-2 sentences)
- Key products/services
- Target market
- Pricing (if public)
- Key differentiators

Create comparison table.
Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/competitive-analysis.md

2. Detailed Competitor Profile

Create a detailed profile for [Company Name].

Research:
1. Company Overview
   - Founded, headquarters, size
   - Mission/Vision
   - Key leadership

2. Products/Services
   - Main offerings
   - Pricing structure
   - Target customers

3. Market Position
   - Market share (if available)
   - Key partnerships
   - Recent news/announcements

4. Strengths and Weaknesses
   - Based on reviews and public info

5. Competitive Implications
   - How they compare to us
   - Threats and opportunities

Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/[company]-profile.docx

3. Pricing Research

Research pricing for [product/service category].

Compile data on:
- Vendor/Product name
- Pricing tiers
- Features per tier
- Free trial/Freemium options
- Contract requirements
- Notable terms

Create comparison matrix in Excel.
Include pricing trend observations.
Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/pricing-research.xlsx

Topic Research Prompts

4. General Topic Research

Research [topic] and create a comprehensive overview.

Include:
1. Topic Overview
   - Definition and scope
   - Why it matters

2. Key Concepts
   - Main ideas and terminology
   - How they relate

3. Current State
   - Latest developments
   - Key players/contributors

4. Best Practices
   - Industry standards
   - Common approaches

5. Resources
   - Recommended reading
   - Tools/Platforms
   - Communities

Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/[topic]-research.md

5. Technology/Tool Evaluation

Evaluate [technology/tool type] options for [use case].

Research criteria:
- Core features
- Ease of use
- Integration capabilities
- Pricing
- Community/Support
- Maturity/Stability
- Pros and Cons

Evaluate top 5 options.
Provide recommendation with rationale.
Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/[technology]-evaluation.md

6. Trend Analysis

Research trends in [industry/topic] for [year/period].

Cover:
1. Current Trends
   - What's growing
   - What's declining

2. Driving Forces
   - Technology changes
   - Market shifts
   - Regulatory factors

3. Key Statistics
   - Market size
   - Growth rates
   - Adoption metrics

4. Predictions
   - Expert opinions
   - Market forecasts

5. Implications
   - What this means for [our business/project]

Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/trend-analysis.md

Market Research Prompts

7. Market Overview

Create a market overview for [market/industry].

Research:
1. Market Definition
   - Scope and segments
   - Key products/services

2. Market Size
   - Current value
   - Growth rate
   - Projections

3. Key Players
   - Major companies
   - Market share distribution

4. Customer Segments
   - Who buys
   - What they value

5. Distribution Channels
   - How products reach customers

6. Barriers to Entry
   - What makes this market challenging

Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/market-overview.docx

8. Customer Research Summary

Research customer perspectives on [product/service/topic].

Sources to explore:
- Review sites
- Forums and communities
- Social media discussions
- Industry publications

Compile:
1. Common Pain Points
2. Desired Features
3. Satisfaction Drivers
4. Complaints/Frustrations
5. Comparison Factors
6. Decision Criteria

Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/customer-research.md

Professional Research Prompts

9. Person/Speaker Research

Research [Person Name] for [meeting/event] preparation.

Find:
- Current role and company
- Professional background
- Recent talks/publications
- Areas of expertise
- Notable quotes/positions
- Social media presence
- Common talking points

Create briefing document.
Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/[name]-profile.md

10. Event/Conference Research

Research [Event/Conference Name].

Compile:
- Event dates and location
- Theme/Focus areas
- Key speakers
- Session highlights
- Attendance info
- Past event insights
- Networking opportunities
- Relevant hashtags

Create event brief.
Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/[event]-research.md

Synthesis Prompts

11. Literature Review

Create a literature review from documents in ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/papers/
and supplementary web research on [topic].

Structure:
1. Introduction
   - Topic scope
   - Research questions

2. Methodology
   - Sources used
   - Selection criteria

3. Findings by Theme
   - Theme 1: [findings]
   - Theme 2: [findings]
   - Theme 3: [findings]

4. Gaps and Opportunities
   - What's missing
   - Future research areas

5. Conclusions

6. References

Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/literature-review.docx

12. Research Synthesis

Synthesize research from:
- ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/research-docs/
- Web research on [topic]

Create unified report covering:
1. Key Findings (consolidated)
2. Consensus Points (agreement across sources)
3. Contradictions (disagreements)
4. Evidence Quality (strong vs weak support)
5. Recommendations (based on evidence)
6. Source Assessment (reliability)

Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/research-synthesis.md

Quick Research Prompts

13. Quick Facts

Research quick facts about [company/product/topic].

Provide:
- 10 key facts
- 5 recent news items
- 3 notable statistics
- Key dates/milestones

Format: Bullet points
Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/quick-facts.md

14. FAQ Research

Research common questions about [topic].

Find and answer:
- Top 10 frequently asked questions
- Include brief, accurate answers
- Cite sources where possible

Format as FAQ document.
Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/faq.md

Power User: Content Analysis Workflows

Real-world examples from professional users:

15. Podcast/Interview Analysis

From a newsletter creator’s workflow analyzing podcast transcripts:

CONTEXT: I have podcast transcript(s) in ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/podcasts/
These are long-form interviews with industry experts.

TASK: Create a comprehensive analysis document.

OUTPUT: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/podcast-analysis.docx

STRUCTURE:
1. Episode Overview
   - Guest, topic, date, duration

2. Key Insights (5-10 bullets)
   - Actionable takeaways
   - Quotable moments

3. Mental Models & Frameworks
   - Any frameworks mentioned
   - Decision-making approaches

4. Practical Tactics
   - Specific how-to advice
   - Tools/resources mentioned

5. Contrarian/Surprising Points
   - What goes against conventional wisdom

6. Questions Raised
   - Follow-up topics to explore

CONSTRAINTS:
- Use direct quotes with timestamps when available
- Flag any claims that need fact-checking
- Note recurring themes across episodes

16. Multi-Source Research Synthesis

For comprehensive analysis combining local docs with web research:

CONTEXT:
- Local documents in ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/research/
- Need supplementary web research on [topic]

TASK: Create a unified research brief combining all sources.

OUTPUT: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/research-brief.md

STRUCTURE:
1. Research Question
2. Sources Used (local + web)
3. Key Findings (consolidated)
4. Consensus Points (agreement across sources)
5. Contradictions (where sources disagree)
6. Evidence Quality Assessment
7. Gaps (what's missing)
8. Recommendations
9. Full Source List with notes

CONSTRAINTS:
- Clearly attribute each finding to its source
- Rate evidence strength (strong/moderate/weak)
- Distinguish fact from opinion
- Flag outdated information

17. Market Research to PRD

For product managers converting research into specifications:

CONTEXT: Market research notes in ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/market-research/
Include: competitor analysis, user interviews, industry reports.

TASK: Transform into a Product Requirements Document outline.

OUTPUT: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/prd-draft.docx

SECTIONS:
1. Market Opportunity Summary
2. Target User Personas (from interview data)
3. Competitive Landscape
4. Feature Requirements (prioritized)
5. Success Metrics
6. Risks and Mitigations
7. Open Questions

CONSTRAINTS:
- Link each requirement to supporting research
- Use MoSCoW prioritization (Must/Should/Could/Won't)
- Include counter-arguments where relevant
- Note confidence level for each insight

Customization Notes

Research depth:

“Quick overview (15 minutes research)”
“Standard depth (30-60 minutes)”
“Comprehensive (thorough analysis)”

Source preferences:

“Focus on official sources”
“Include industry publications”
“Prioritize recent sources (last 12 months)”

Format preferences:

“Executive brief (1 page max)”
“Detailed report (no length limit)”
“Comparison matrix format”

Quality controls:

“Include source URLs”
“Note information date/freshness”
“Flag uncertain information”

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