01 / Define
Agree the requirement, constraints, output and what would make the research useful.
A clear brief.
An accountable process.
Make the work understandable, the evidence traceable and the next decision explicit.
The purpose of a process is not to make a simple question complicated. It is to prevent a missing requirement or an unsupported assumption from quietly becoming a business decision.
02 / Research
Collect relevant sources and responses. Record where information comes from.
03 / Compare
Assess fit against the same criteria. Keep gaps and limitations visible.
04 / Coordinate and hand over
Prepare focused follow-up questions, organise responses and identify the next action and its owner. Deliver the underlying sources and limitations alongside the comparison.
Evidence is not a single category
- Public information: accessible records or published materials, with source and access date.
- Company-provided information: statements and documents supplied by the business itself.
- Independently checked information: only identified as such where an actual check and its scope can be recorded.
- Unresolved information: absent, inconsistent or awaiting confirmation.
Human judgement stays in the loop
Digital tools may help organise information and prepare drafts. Material claims, recommendations and outward communications require review. A tool-generated suggestion is not supplier verification.
A boundary is part of the deliverable
No research report can eliminate commercial risk. The work should show what it covers, what it does not establish and which further checks belong with a qualified specialist or the client’s own team.