D90 v3 · Research Assistant Simulation · Student

D61 Build a NovaFit research brief from 5 sources

Do not ask AI to write the brief first. Read the sources, build an evidence table, then use AI in a limited way to refine themes, tighten structure, and check gaps.

role_simulation: Research / Market Research Assistant
final_work_object: D61_NovaFit_Research_Brief_Evidence_Pack.md
AI windows: theme extraction / brief compression / final gap check
L4 mapping: input/output definition

Today’s export

D61_NovaFit_Research_Brief_Evidence_Pack.md

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1. Role / Context

You are a junior Research Assistant. The Growth Manager needs a one-page brief on what may be driving low NovaFit D7 retention and what to validate next week.

Manual First Gate

source table first → AI candidate themes → human source verification → brief structure assist → human final draft → AI gap check → human correction log.

Do not:AI writes the final brief first; AI invents sources; AI chooses the strategy; AI certifies the result.

2. Work Order

Use five provided sources: user comments, support categories, activation metrics, competitor notes, and internal meeting quotes.

Boundary: you prepare evidence and validation questions; manager owns product/growth decision.

3. 4-hour Workload Map

TimeWork
20mWork order and output contract
45mRead and label 5 sources
40mBuild evidence table
35mAI candidate theme extraction
45mHuman verification
40mWrite one-page brief
15mAI QA + handoff

4. Source / Input Packet

User comments

"I do not know what to open on day two" / "AI suggestions are too generic" / "I do not know how to fill in goal settings"

Support categories

onboarding confusion 9 / notification annoyance 6 / unclear value proposition 5

Metrics

D7 retention 14%; onboarding complete 48%; first habit plan 33%

Competitor notes

A has 7-day challenge; B calendar; C AI personalization repeats.

Internal quotes

Growth: drops after day two. Support: many ask how to use first week.

5. Skill Level Mapping

original_l4_concept: input/output definition
simulation_action: define manager question, source inputs, evidence table, and one-page brief output contract
student-visible artifact: work order + source table + research brief

6. AI Windows / AI Throttle

Window 1 — candidate theme extraction

max_uses: 1
forbidden: final conclusion / invented sources / ranking without evidence
required_human_verification: accept or reject each theme with source_id

Window 2 — brief structure compression

max_uses: 1
forbidden: add new claims / remove uncertainty / choose strategy

Window 3 — final gap check

max_uses: 1
forbidden: approve truth / certify final work

7. Human Verification

Claim type

Unsupported AI claim

Manager decision

L5 boundary

8. Worked Example

Weak AI-first

“NovaFit should add calendar integration because users need reminders.”

Corrected

“Calendar integration is a validation hypothesis. Evidence: one user asked for schedule integration and Competitor B uses calendar reminders; this does not prove it will fix retention.”

9. Task Cards

Task 1 Work order

Task 2 Evidence row

Task 3 Theme

Task 4 Finding

Task 5 AI log

Task 6 Handoff

10. Quick Checks

11. Guided Practice

Rewrite one AI over-inference as an evidence-backed finding.

AI says: “Calendar integration will fix retention.” Repair: mark it as hypothesis, cite source, add validation question.

12. Independent Practice

13. Common Mistakes

  • AI writes brief before source table.
  • Hypothesis becomes fact.
  • Evidence IDs disappear.
  • Junior makes strategy decision.

14. Rubric / Redlines

PassRedline
source-backed findings + caveats + AI logAI-first final brief / invented source / strategy decision

15. Artifact Builder

Student artifact body: exported Markdown. How this is used in real work: Give the manager one page of research input, without making the strategy decision for them.How this is used in a portfolio: Show source discipline + AI verification.Boundary: The structure check confirms completion only; quality still needs human review.

16. Handoff

D62 will reuse source discipline to synthesize raw user feedback into a theme table.

17. L5 Bridge Marker

This proves bounded junior research readiness under review. It is not job-ready certification or L5 mastery.

Standard export filename: D61_NovaFit_Research_Brief_Evidence_Pack.md

Student progress: Day 61 in the 90-day track. Complete the page, run the structure check, then copy or download the Markdown artifact.