# Research mode (Deep research) - Docs

**Research mode is in closed beta**

Research mode is currently in closed beta. Results may not be accurate or complete. If you find issues or have suggestions, please [reach out to us](https://us.posthog.com/project/2/settings/#panel=support%3Asupport%3A%3A%3Afalse) to help us improve PostHog AI.

Research mode is a powerful workflow for in-depth data analysis. It uses Claude Opus 4.5 with extended thinking capabilities to tackle complex, multi-faceted research projects that require deep investigation and synthesis.

## What is research mode?

Research mode is designed for complex questions that require:

-   Systematic investigation across multiple data sources
-   Correlation of different metrics and patterns
-   Deep reasoning about cause and effect
-   Synthesis of findings into actionable recommendations

Unlike regular chat, research mode takes more time but produces comprehensive research reports with thorough analysis.

## When to use research mode

Research mode is ideal for:

-   **Root cause analysis** - "What's causing our churn increase this quarter?"
-   **Cross-metric investigation** - "How does our onboarding flow impact long-term retention?"
-   **Strategic analysis** - "What are the biggest opportunities to improve our conversion funnel?"
-   **Comprehensive audits** - "Analyze our entire user journey from signup to first purchase"

For quick questions or simple analyses, regular chat mode is faster and more efficient.

## How research mode works

Research mode operates in two distinct phases:

### Phase 1: Planning

When you start a research project, the agent enters a planning phase:

1.  **Clarification** - The agent asks questions to understand your research objectives, scope, and what success looks like
2.  **Plan creation** - The agent creates a research plan notebook outlining:
    -   Research questions to answer
    -   Data sources to investigate
    -   Metrics and analyses to perform
    -   Expected deliverables
3.  **Review** - You review and approve the plan before research begins

### Phase 2: Research execution

Once you approve the plan, the agent switches to research mode:

1.  **Task decomposition** - The plan is broken into atomic research tasks
2.  **Parallel execution** - Independent tasks run concurrently for efficiency
3.  **Data gathering** - The agent queries your data using all available [modes](/docs/posthog-ai/modes.md)
4.  **Iterative refinement** - Draft findings are refined as new data is gathered
5.  **Report synthesis** - A final polished report is produced summarizing findings and recommendations

## Starting research mode

You can start research mode by selecting **Research** in the mode selector above the chat interface.

You can only select research mode from a new conversation.

## Research mode capabilities

Research mode has access to:

-   **Extended thinking** - More sophisticated reasoning for complex analysis
-   **All analysis modes** - Can switch between product analytics, SQL, session replay, and error tracking as needed
-   **Parallel task execution** - Run multiple analyses concurrently
-   **Notebook creation** - Create draft and final research report notebooks
-   **Iterative refinement** - Revise findings as new information is discovered

## Research mode vs regular chat

| Aspect | Regular chat | Research mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Best for | Quick questions, simple tasks | Deep investigations, multi-faceted analysis |
| Model | Claude Sonnet | Claude Opus 4.5 with extended thinking |
| Planning | Optional | Required (plan approval before research) |
| Duration | Seconds to minutes | Up to 60 minutes for complex research |
| Output | Direct answers, insights | Comprehensive research report notebook |
| Approach | Immediate response | Systematic investigation with synthesis |

## Tips for effective research

1.  **Be specific about your goals** - "Why are users churning?" is good, but "Why are enterprise users churning within 30 days of signup?" is better
2.  **Define success criteria** - Tell the agent what a useful answer looks like
3.  **Set scope boundaries** - Specify time periods, user segments, or product areas to focus on
4.  **Review the plan carefully** - The planning phase is your chance to ensure the research will answer your actual questions

## Example research projects

-   [`Investigate why our trial-to-paid conversion rate dropped 15% last month. Focus on the enterprise segment and compare behavior patterns between converters and non-converters.`](https://app.posthog.com/#panel=max:mode=research:Investigate%20why%20our%20trial-to-paid%20conversion%20rate%20dropped%2015%25%20last%20month.%20Focus%20on%20the%20enterprise%20segment%20and%20compare%20behavior%20patterns%20between%20converters%20and%20non-converters.)

-   [`Research how our new onboarding flow impacts 30-day retention. Compare users who completed onboarding vs those who dropped off at each step.`](https://app.posthog.com/#panel=max:mode=research:Research%20how%20our%20new%20onboarding%20flow%20impacts%2030-day%20retention.%20Compare%20users%20who%20completed%20onboarding%20vs%20those%20who%20dropped%20off%20at%20each%20step.)

-   [`Analyze error patterns in our checkout flow. Identify which errors have the highest impact on conversion and what user behaviors lead to those errors.`](https://app.posthog.com/#panel=max:mode=research:Analyze%20error%20patterns%20in%20our%20checkout%20flow.%20Identify%20which%20errors%20have%20the%20highest%20impact%20on%20conversion%20and%20what%20user%20behaviors%20lead%20to%20those%20errors.)

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