Technical Research

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

1. Objective - Clear questions to answer 2. Timebox - Fixed investigation period 3. Options - Multiple approaches explored 4. POC - Working code for each option 5. Comparison - Weighted criteria matrix 6. 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

Technical Spike: {{SPIKE_TITLE}}

Ticket: {{TICKET_ID}} Date: {{YYYY-MM-DD}} Engineer: {{NAME}} Timebox: {{HOURS}} hours

---

Objective

{{WHAT_ARE_WE_TRYING_TO_LEARN}}

Questions to Answer

1. {{QUESTION_1}} 2. {{QUESTION_2}} 3. {{QUESTION_3}}

Success Criteria

• [ ] {{CRITERION_1}}
• [ ] {{CRITERION_2}}
• [ ] {{CRITERION_3}}

---

Background

Context

{{WHY_IS_THIS_SPIKE_NEEDED}}

Constraints

• {{CONSTRAINT_1}}
• {{CONSTRAINT_2}}

Assumptions

• {{ASSUMPTION_1}}
• {{ASSUMPTION_2}}

---

Options Explored

Option 1: {{OPTION_NAME}}

Description: {{BRIEF_DESCRIPTION}}

Proof of Concept:

```{{LANGUAGE}} {{CODE_SAMPLE}}

**Findings:**

- {{FINDING_1}}
- {{FINDING_2}}

**Pros:**

- {{PRO_1}}
- {{PRO_2}}

**Cons:**

- {{CON_1}}
- {{CON_2}}

**Effort Estimate:** {{LOW/MEDIUM/HIGH}}

---

### Option 2: {{OPTION_NAME}}

**Description:** {{BRIEF_DESCRIPTION}}

**Proof of Concept:**

{{CODE_SAMPLE}}

**Findings:**

- {{FINDING_1}}

**Pros:**

- {{PRO_1}}

**Cons:**

- {{CON_1}}

**Effort Estimate:** {{LOW/MEDIUM/HIGH}}

---

### Option 3: {{OPTION_NAME}}

**Description:** {{BRIEF_DESCRIPTION}}

**Findings:**

- {{FINDING_1}}

**Verdict:** {{VIABLE/NOT_VIABLE}}

---

## Comparison Matrix

| Criteria | Weight | Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 |
|----------|--------|----------|----------|----------|
| {{CRITERIA_1}} | {{1-5}} | {{SCORE}} | {{SCORE}} | {{SCORE}} |
| {{CRITERIA_2}} | {{1-5}} | {{SCORE}} | {{SCORE}} | {{SCORE}} |
| {{CRITERIA_3}} | {{1-5}} | {{SCORE}} | {{SCORE}} | {{SCORE}} |
| **Weighted Total** | - | {{TOTAL}} | {{TOTAL}} | {{TOTAL}} |

---

## Recommendation

**Recommended Option:** {{OPTION_NAME}}

### Rationale

{{WHY_THIS_OPTION}}

### Risks

| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|------|------------|--------|------------|
| {{RISK_1}} | {{H/M/L}} | {{H/M/L}} | {{STRATEGY}} |
| {{RISK_2}} | {{H/M/L}} | {{H/M/L}} | {{STRATEGY}} |

### Dependencies

- {{DEPENDENCY_1}}
- {{DEPENDENCY_2}}

---

## Implementation Path

### Phase 1: {{PHASE_NAME}}

- {{TASK_1}}
- {{TASK_2}}

### Phase 2: {{PHASE_NAME}}

- {{TASK_1}}
- {{TASK_2}}

### Estimated Effort

| Component | Estimate |
|-----------|----------|
| {{COMPONENT_1}} | {{POINTS/DAYS}} |
| {{COMPONENT_2}} | {{POINTS/DAYS}} |
| **Total** | {{TOTAL}} |

---

## Open Questions

1. {{UNANSWERED_QUESTION_1}}
2. {{UNANSWERED_QUESTION_2}}

---

## References

- [{{DOC_1}}]({{URL}})
- [{{DOC_2}}]({{URL}})

### Code Artifacts

- Branch: `spike/{{BRANCH_NAME}}`
- POC Location: `{{PATH}}`

---

## Answers to Original Questions

| Question | Answer |
|----------|--------|
| {{QUESTION_1}} | {{ANSWER}} |
| {{QUESTION_2}} | {{ANSWER}} |
| {{QUESTION_3}} | {{ANSWER}} |

---

## Quality Checklist

- [ ] All original questions answered
- [ ] Multiple options explored
- [ ] POC code tested
- [ ] Recommendation justified
- [ ] Risks identified
- [ ] Implementation path clear
- [ ] Timeboxed appropriately