Researcher Skill — Development skill for Claude Code

Researcher

A single standalone research skill for Claude Code / Codex.

One self-contained skill file built around a single research spine.

VERTICAL history + HORIZONTAL comparison -> CROSS-AXIS judgment

English | [中文](README.zh-CN.md)

What This Skill Does

`researcher` is for research tasks that are:

• open-ended
• multi-source
• judgment-heavy
• vulnerable to hype, weak summaries, or one-sided narratives

It is designed for work like:

• mapping a new industry or field
• investigating a company or product
• validating a claim or narrative
• comparing paths and making decisions
• finding real opportunities vs loud narratives
• understanding practitioner reality and hidden friction
• reviewing academic literature and state of the art

Architecture

One consolidated research skill:

researcher/
└── skills.md                         ← horizontal-vertical research method

**skills.md** contains the full method: preparation, information collection, vertical history, horizontal comparison, cross-axis insight, object-type adaptation, evidence and citation rules, output structure, writing standards, and a final quality checklist.

The skill body is written in Chinese for readability. The YAML metadata keeps English trigger terms so English research prompts can still route to it.

Core Design

1. One Core Method

The skill is not a pile of research tactics. Every investigation follows one structure:

• Vertical axis: how the object became what it is.
• Horizontal axis: where it stands now among peers, substitutes, users, and incentives.
• Cross-axis judgment: what the combination reveals.

2. Evidence Supports the Axes

Evidence work is organized around the two axes instead of accumulated for its own sake. The skill still distinguishes official, behavioral, operator, lived experience, adversarial, market proxy, and artifact sources.

3. Challenge Before Judgment

Every strong thesis must be attacked before synthesis: cri