Research Scaling Protocol
Dynamic scaling adjusts research depth based on market complexity and user preference. Evaluated after intake, before research begins.
Complexity Score
Assess three factors from the intake data:
| Factor | Low (1) | Medium (2) | High (3) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market breadth | Ultra-niche, few players, well-defined segment | Defined market, moderate competition | Broad market, many segments, diverse players |
| Known competitors | 0-2 identified | 3-5 identified | 6+ identified |
| Geographic scope | Single country | Regional (e.g., Europe, North America) | Global or multi-region |
Complexity score = sum of the three factors (range: 3-9)
Research Depth Tiers
| Tier | Score Range | Manual Trigger | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 3-4 | User says "light", "quick", or "fast research" | Quick scan, fewer agents, 2-3 search rounds |
| Standard | 5-7 | Default (no override needed) | Current behavior, balanced depth |
| Deep | 8-9 | User says "deep", "thorough", or "deep research" | More agents, 5-6 search rounds, extra coverage |
Manual override always wins. If the user requests "light" on a score-9 market, use Light. If they request "deep" on a score-3 market, use Deep.
User Communication
After calculating the score, show this to the user:
## Research Depth
Based on your intake, I've assessed the research complexity:
| Factor | Assessment | Score |
|------------------|---------------------|-------|
| Market breadth | {description} | {1-3} |
| Known competitors| {N} identified | {1-3} |
| Geographic scope | {description} | {1-3} |
**Complexity score: {X}/9 — recommended depth: {Light/Standard/Deep}**
You can override this. Here's what each depth means:
| Depth | Agents | Searches per agent | Best for |
|--------------|--------|--------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
| **Light** | {N} | 2-3 rounds | Quick scan, niche markets, time-sensitive decisions |
| **Standard** | {N} | 3-4 rounds | Most cases, balanced depth vs. speed |
| **Deep** | {N} | 5-6 rounds | Crowded markets, high-stakes decisions, thorough due diligence |
→ Type **light**, **deep**, or **ok** to accept the recommendation.The agent counts shown should reflect the actual numbers for this skill (see Wave Configuration below).
Wave Configuration: startup-competitors
Light (3-4 score or user override)
Wave 1: Competitor Profiles + Pricing (1 agent)
- A1: Competitor Profiles & Pricing (merge A1+A2 into one agent, cover profiles and pricing together)
Wave 2: Customer Sentiment (1 agent)
- B1: Review & Community Mining (merge B1+B2 into one agent, cover reviews and forums together)
Wave 3: GTM & Strategic Signals (1 agent)
- C1: GTM & Growth Signals (merge C1+C2 into one agent, cover GTM and strategic signals together)
Total: 3 agents (vs. 6 Standard), 2-3 search rounds per agent
Standard (5-7 score, default)
No changes to current wave structure:
- Wave 1: 2 agents (A1, A2)
- Wave 2: 2 agents (B1, B2)
- Wave 3: 2 agents (C1, C2)
Total: 6 agents, 3-4 search rounds per agent
Deep (8-9 score or user override)
Wave 1: Competitor Profiles + Pricing (3 agents)
- A1: Competitor Deep-Dives (unchanged)
- A2: Pricing Intelligence (unchanged)
- A3: Adjacent Competitor Profiles (NEW: profile 3-5 adjacent/emerging competitors not in the direct set, including recent launches and stealth startups)
Wave 2: Customer Sentiment (3 agents)
- B1: Review Mining (unchanged)
- B2: Forum & Community Mining (unchanged)
- B3: Social Media Sentiment (NEW: mine Twitter/X, LinkedIn, and YouTube for competitor mentions, sentiment patterns, and influencer opinions)
Wave 3: GTM & Strategic Signals (3 agents)
- C1: Go-to-Market Analysis (unchanged)
- C2: Strategic & Growth Signals (unchanged)
- C3: Tech Stack & Product Analysis (NEW: analyze competitors' technology choices, API ecosystems, integration depth, and technical moats)
Total: 9 agents, 5-6 search rounds per agent
PROGRESS.md
Record the selected tier in PROGRESS.md:
- **Research Depth:** {Light/Standard/Deep} (score: {X}/9, {override: user request / auto})