Research Methodology

Purpose

This document defines the default methodology for Specus Village deep research.

The goal is not to collect impressive information. The goal is to produce reliable, useful, decision-ready knowledge.

Standard Research Flow

1. Define the objective.
2. Define research questions.
3. Define geography and scope.
4. Define inclusion and exclusion criteria.
5. Search sources.
6. Screen source quality.
7. Extract data into a structured table.
8. Separate facts from interpretation.
9. Identify risks, limits, and uncertainties.
10. Create synthesis.
11. Integrate findings into project documents.

Inclusion Criteria

Prefer sources that are:

• relevant to the exact question
• recent enough for the topic
• authored by credible people or institutions
• transparent about methods or data
• linked to primary evidence
• specific enough to affect Specus Village decisions

Exclusion Criteria

Exclude or downgrade sources that are:

• outdated for the question
• promotional without evidence
• anonymous or low-authority
• not geographically relevant
• too generic to support a decision
• unsupported by data or examples

Fact / Interpretation / Assumption

Every research synthesis should separate:

• Fact: directly supported by a source.
• Interpretation: a reasoned conclusion based on multiple sources.
• Assumption: useful but not yet verified.

Confidence Levels

Use simple confidence labels:

• High: supported by multiple credible sources or primary data.
• Medium: supported by credible sources but with gaps or indirect relevance.
• Low: plausible but weakly sourced or context-dependent.

Integration Rule

Research is not complete when the result is saved.

It is complete when:

• full result is saved in 04_Results
• short synthesis is saved in 05_Synthesis
• tracker is updated
• durable conclusions are added to strategy, product, operations, content, finance, legal, or locations