Organization Research Guide

Purpose: Comprehensive guide for researching and documenting an organization
Created: 2025-08-08

Overview

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for conducting thorough organization research after setup. Follow these phases in order to build a complete knowledge base.

Phase 1: Document Analysis

Objective

Extract all relevant information from uploaded documents in docs/local/

Steps

1. Review Document Index

   • Start with docs/local/index.md to see all converted documents
   • Note document categories and types

2. Extract Key Information
   From each document, identify:

   • Company name and legal structure
   • Mission, vision, and values
   • Products and services descriptions
   • Key personnel and organizational structure
   • Important dates and milestones
   • Financial information (if available)
   • Client/customer references
   • Partner relationships
   • Industry-specific terminology

3. Document Patterns
   Look for recurring themes:

   • Core competencies
   • Unique selling propositions
   • Company culture indicators
   • Strategic priorities
   • Risk factors or challenges

4. Create Initial Notes
   Compile findings in structured format for later synthesis

Phase 2: Web Research

Objective

Supplement document analysis with current online information

Research Areas

1. Company Website

   • Homepage messaging and positioning
   • Product/service details
   • Team bios and backgrounds
   • News and press releases
   • Case studies and testimonials
   • Blog posts and thought leadership

2. Social Media Presence

   • LinkedIn company page and employee profiles
   • Twitter/X activity and engagement
   • Other relevant platforms

3. Industry Analysis

   • Market size and growth trends
   • Key competitors and their positioning
   • Industry challenges and opportunities
   • Regulatory environment
   • Technology trends affecting the industry

4. News and Media

   • Recent press coverage
   • Industry publications mentions
   • Awards and recognition
   • Partnerships announcements
   • Product launches

5. Financial Information (if applicable)

   • Revenue estimates
   • Funding history
   • Growth metrics
   • Market share

Phase 3: Knowledge Base Creation

Objective

Create comprehensive, structured documentation in docs/organization/

Required Documents

1. company-overview.md

# Company Overview

## Executive Summary
[Brief description of the company]

## Mission & Vision
- **Mission**: [Company mission statement]
- **Vision**: [Company vision statement]
- **Values**: [Core values]

## History
[Key milestones and founding story]

## Business Model
[How the company creates and delivers value]

## Competitive Advantages
[What sets the company apart]

2. team-structure.md

# Team & Organizational Structure

## Leadership Team
[Key executives with titles and backgrounds]

## Organizational Structure
[Departments and reporting structure]

## Key Personnel
[Notable employees and their expertise]

## Board of Directors/Advisors
[If applicable]

3. products-services.md

# Products & Services

## Core Offerings
[Primary products/services with descriptions]

## Target Markets
[Customer segments served]

## Pricing Strategy
[If available]

## Product Roadmap
[Future developments if known]

4. market-analysis.md

# Market Analysis

## Industry Overview
[Market size, growth, trends]

## Competitive Landscape
[Key competitors and positioning]

## Market Position
[Company's place in the market]

## Opportunities & Threats
[SWOT analysis elements]

5. customer-ecosystem.md

# Customer & Partner Ecosystem

## Key Customers
[Notable clients or customer segments]

## Success Stories
[Case studies and testimonials]

## Strategic Partners
[Key partnerships and alliances]

## Distribution Channels
[How products/services reach customers]

Phase 4: Synthesis & Insights

Objective

Generate actionable insights from research

Deliverables

1. Executive Brief

   • 1-page summary of key findings
   • Strategic recommendations
   • Identified opportunities

2. Knowledge Gaps

   • Information that couldn't be found
   • Areas requiring further research
   • Questions for stakeholders

3. Action Items

   • Immediate opportunities
   • Suggested next steps
   • Areas for deeper investigation

Best Practices

Research Quality

• Verify Information: Cross-reference multiple sources
• Use Recent Data: Prioritize information from last 12 months
• Cite Sources: Include links and references
• Be Objective: Present facts without bias
• Note Uncertainty: Flag unverified information

Documentation Standards

• Clear Structure: Use consistent formatting
• Concise Writing: Be thorough but not verbose
• Visual Aids: Include diagrams where helpful
• Regular Updates: Plan for periodic refreshes
• Version Control: Date all documents

Privacy & Security

• Respect Confidentiality: Don't include sensitive information in public docs
• Internal vs External: Clearly separate public and private information
• Compliance: Follow any industry-specific regulations
• Data Protection: Handle personal information appropriately

Research Tools & Commands

Document Search

# Search across all local documents
grep -r "search term" docs/local/

# Find specific document types
find docs/local -name "*.md" -type f

Web Research

# Use web search for current information
search: "[company name] news 2024-2025"
search: "[company name] competitors analysis"
search: "[industry] market trends 2025"

Information Extraction

# Extract key sections from documents
- Company descriptions
- Product features
- Team information
- Client testimonials

Success Criteria

Research is complete when:

• All uploaded documents have been analyzed
• Web research covers all major areas
• Core knowledge documents are created
• Information is cross-referenced and verified
• Knowledge gaps are documented
• Insights and recommendations are provided

Continuous Improvement

This knowledge base should be:

• Living Documentation: Updated regularly
• Collaborative: Enhanced by team input
• Actionable: Driving business decisions
• Accessible: Easy to navigate and search
• Comprehensive: Covering all key areas

Next Steps

After completing initial research:

1. Review findings with stakeholders
2. Identify priority areas for deeper research
3. Set up regular update schedule
4. Create specialized documents as needed
5. Build on foundation with ongoing learning