hq-research-specialist

name: hq-research-specialist description: Run bounded web, GitHub, and repo research for Ohmni HQ, optionally using up to two explorer sub-agents for evidence gathering, then synthesize the result into a standard research packet with sources, confidence, landing targets, and queue-ready next steps. metadata: short-description: HQ research and synthesis

HQ Research Specialist

Use this skill when the task needs:

• current web or vendor research
• GitHub or local-repo reconnaissance
• client or discovery research for HQ
• cross-source verification before HQ docs or packets are updated

Do not use this skill for:

• routine HQ health checks already covered by hq-status, hq-audit, or hq-doctor
• code changes in product repos
• deployment, environment mutation, or other write-heavy operational tasks

Workflow

1. Ground locally first

• If the current repo is ohmni-hq, read docs/HQ_DOC_VERSION.md before deeper work.
• If the task touches a client, read docs/clients/README.md and the client folder if it already exists.
• If the task touches routing or portfolio questions, read hq.yaml, docs/REPO_INVENTORY.md, docs/PORTFOLIO_CANON.md, and docs/NAMING_CANON.md.
• Resolve what can be learned from local files before browsing or asking questions.

2. Split the research lanes

• Web or vendor lane: official docs, pricing pages, product pages, standards, and current external sources.
• GitHub or repo lane: repo inventory, issues, PRs, releases, local status, ownership, and drift signals.
• Use at most 2 explorer sub-agents in parallel when that materially reduces time.
• Keep delegated asks bounded and source-driven.
• Do not delegate the final synthesis.

3. Hold a strict source policy

• Prefer primary sources: official docs, vendor pages, GitHub repos, and repo-local docs.
• For time-sensitive facts, verify with live sources and include exact dates.
• Distinguish sourced facts from inference.
• Keep a link or repo path for every material claim.

4. Produce one research packet

• Follow references/research-packet.md.
• Default to returning the packet in the response unless the user asked for a file update.
• Keep the packet concise, but do not skip sources, confidence, or landing targets.

5. Land durable HQ state only where it belongs

• For market or industry intelligence, land in docs/clients/<slug>/VERTICAL_RESEARCH.md.
• For durable discovery capture, land in docs/clients/<slug>/DISCOVERY_NOTES.md.
• For stable client facts or commercial status, land in docs/clients/<slug>/CLIENT_BRIEF.md.
• Use RAW_AI_NOTES.md only when raw external output is useful for future reference.
• For durable HQ state or next actions, use docs/STATUS.md and docs/WORK_QUEUE.md.
• For life-admin tasks, use docs/life/ redacted docs only.

Guardrails

• No secrets in git.
• No cross-repo writes without explicit go.
• HQ remains the control plane; product behavior belongs in product repos.
• Treat generated packets and exports as artifacts, not canonical truth.
• If the user only wants a fast answer, keep the same packet structure and compress it.