Research & summarization

Process documents, extract insights, and create client briefs at speed

From information overload to actionable briefs

Agency work involves processing enormous amounts of information — vendor proposals, competitor analyses, client industry research, SEO audits, analytics reports. Claude can cut the time you spend reading and synthesizing by 80% if you use it deliberately.

The research-to-brief workflow

Stage 1: Intake and extraction

Here is [document/content]. Extract the following:
1. The key claims or findings
2. The supporting evidence for each
3. Anything that seems uncertain, exaggerated, or missing
4. What questions this raises that aren't answered

[paste content]

Stage 2: Synthesis across sources

I have findings from three sources on [topic]. Synthesize them:
- Where do they agree?
- Where do they conflict?
- What's the strongest overall conclusion?
- What remains genuinely uncertain?

SOURCE 1: [paste or summary]
SOURCE 2: [paste or summary]
SOURCE 3: [paste or summary]

Stage 3: Brief creation

Write a 1-page client brief on [topic].

Audience: [describe client]
Purpose: Help them make a decision about [X]
Format:
- Headline finding (1 sentence)
- Context (2-3 sentences)
- Key insights (3 bullets)
- Recommendation (1 paragraph)
- Next step (1 sentence)

The briefing interview

When you need to build a brief but have the knowledge in your head rather than in documents, let Claude interview you:

I need to write a brief about [topic] for a client. I have the knowledge but need help structuring it. Interview me — ask me the 5 most important questions to extract what needs to go in this brief, one at a time. After my last answer, write the brief.