Research program template.
A reusable template that forces scope, artifacts, and deterministic gates before decisions are made.
State the outcome in one sentence. If you can’t, the program is not scoped.
List non-negotiables: time, budget, tools, compliance, evaluation criteria, and what is out of scope.
Enumerate the sources you will use (docs, datasets, interviews) and their freshness. Missing inputs should be explicit.
Describe the approach and the decision rules for choosing between options. Deterministic rules beat vague preferences.
Define the outputs as artifacts a reviewer can approve: spec, table, checklist, diagram, or test plan.
Add deterministic review checkpoints: what must be true to move forward (required fields, acceptance tests, approvals).
Name likely failure modes and how you will detect them. If detection is subjective, add a measurable proxy.