Technical Research Skill

Structured approach to technical spikes, proof of concepts, and technology evaluations.

What This Skill Does

• Conducts timeboxed technical investigations

• Creates proof of concept implementations

• Compares technical options objectively

• Documents findings and recommendations

• Identifies risks and dependencies

• Provides implementation paths

When to Use

• Technology selection decisions

• Architecture exploration

• Feasibility studies

• Performance investigations

• Library/framework evaluation

Reference Files

• references/TECHNICAL_SPIKE.template.md
• Structured spike investigation format

Spike Structure

• Objective - Clear questions to answer

• Timebox - Fixed investigation period

• Options - Multiple approaches explored

• POC - Working code for each option

• Comparison - Weighted criteria matrix

• Recommendation - Justified decision

Best Practices

• Define success criteria upfront

• Explore at least 2-3 options

• Create runnable POC code

• Document trade-offs honestly

• Track unanswered questions

• Stay within timebox