# Market Research Step 4: Customer Decisions and Journey

<purpose>
Conduct customer decision processes analysis identifying decision-making processes, decision factors and criteria, customer journey mapping, touchpoint analysis, information gathering patterns, decision influencers, and purchase decision factors using verified web search data.
</purpose>

<instructions>
1. Execute parallel web searches for customer decision processes, journey mapping, buying criteria, and influencers
2. Analyze and aggregate decision findings
3. Generate decision processes analysis content with eight subsections (Decision Processes, Decision Factors, Customer Journey, Touchpoint Analysis, Information Gathering, Decision Influencers, Purchase Factors, Decision Optimizations)
4. Include source citations for all decision data
5. Write content immediately to document
6. Present [C] continue option after content generation
7. Update frontmatter stepsCompleted to [1, 2, 3, 4] before loading next step
</instructions>

<output>
Customer decision processes analysis sections containing:
- Customer decision-making processes with source citations
- Decision factors and criteria with source citations
- Customer journey mapping across all stages with source citations
- Touchpoint analysis with source citations
- Information gathering patterns with source citations
- Decision influencers identification with source citations
- Purchase decision factors with source citations
- Customer decision optimizations with source citations
- All content appended to research document
</output>

## MANDATORY EXECUTION RULES (READ FIRST):

- 🛑 NEVER generate content without web search verification

- 📖 CRITICAL: ALWAYS read the complete step file before taking any action - partial understanding leads to incomplete decisions
- 🔄 CRITICAL: When loading next step with 'C', ensure the entire file is read and understood before proceeding
- ✅ Search the web to verify and supplement your knowledge with current facts
- 📋 YOU ARE A CUSTOMER DECISION ANALYST, not content generator
- 💬 FOCUS on customer decision processes and journey mapping
- 🔍 WEB SEARCH REQUIRED - verify current facts against live sources
- 📝 WRITE CONTENT IMMEDIATELY TO DOCUMENT
- ✅ YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT In your Agent communication style with the config `{communication_language}`

## EXECUTION PROTOCOLS:

- 🎯 Show web search analysis before presenting findings
- ⚠️ Present [C] continue option after decision processes content generation
- 📝 WRITE CUSTOMER DECISIONS ANALYSIS TO DOCUMENT IMMEDIATELY
- 💾 ONLY proceed when user chooses C (Continue)
- 📖 Update frontmatter `stepsCompleted: [1, 2, 3, 4]` before loading next step
- 🚫 FORBIDDEN to load next step until C is selected

## CONTEXT BOUNDARIES:

- Current document and frontmatter from previous steps are available
- Customer behavior and pain points analysis completed in previous steps
- Focus on customer decision processes and journey mapping
- Web search capabilities with source verification are enabled
- **Research topic = "{{research_topic}}"** - established from initial discussion
- **Research goals = "{{research_goals}}"** - established from initial discussion

## YOUR TASK:

Conduct customer decision processes and journey analysis with emphasis on decision factors and journey mapping.

## CUSTOMER DECISIONS ANALYSIS SEQUENCE:

### 1. Begin Customer Decisions Analysis

**UTILIZE SUBPROCESSES AND SUBAGENTS**: Use research subagents, subprocesses or parallel processing if available to thoroughly analyze different customer decision areas simultaneously and thoroughly.

Start with customer decisions research approach:
"Now I'll conduct **customer decision processes analysis** for **{{research_topic}}** to understand customer decision-making.

**Customer Decisions Focus:**

- Customer decision-making processes
- Decision factors and criteria
- Customer journey mapping
- Purchase decision influencers
- Information gathering patterns

**Let me search for current customer decision insights.**"

### 2. Parallel Decisions Research Execution

**Execute multiple web searches simultaneously:**

Search the web: "{{research_topic}} customer decision process"
Search the web: "{{research_topic}} buying criteria factors"
Search the web: "{{research_topic}} customer journey mapping"
Search the web: "{{research_topic}} decision influencing factors"

**Analysis approach:**

- Look for customer decision research studies
- Search for buying criteria and factor analysis
- Research customer journey mapping methodologies
- Analyze decision influence factors and channels
- Study information gathering and evaluation patterns

### 3. Analyze and Aggregate Results

**Collect and analyze findings from all parallel searches:**

"After executing comprehensive parallel web searches, let me analyze and aggregate customer decision findings:

**Research Coverage:**

- Customer decision-making processes
- Decision factors and criteria
- Customer journey mapping
- Decision influence factors

**Cross-Decisions Analysis:**
[Identify patterns connecting decision factors and journey stages]

**Quality Assessment:**
[Overall confidence levels and research gaps identified]"

### 4. Generate Customer Decisions Content

**WRITE IMMEDIATELY TO DOCUMENT**

Prepare customer decisions analysis with web search citations:

#### Content Structure:

When saving to document, append these Level 2 and Level 3 sections:

```markdown
## Customer Decision Processes and Journey

### Customer Decision-Making Processes

[Decision processes analysis with source citations]
_Decision Stages: [Key stages in customer decision making]_
_Decision Timelines: [Timeframes for different decisions]_
_Complexity Levels: [Decision complexity assessment]_
_Evaluation Methods: [How customers evaluate options]_
_Source: [URL]_

### Decision Factors and Criteria

[Decision factors analysis with source citations]
_Primary Decision Factors: [Most important factors in decisions]_
_Secondary Decision Factors: [Supporting factors influencing decisions]_
_Weighing Analysis: [How different factors are weighed]_
_Evoluton Patterns: [How factors change over time]_
_Source: [URL]_

### Customer Journey Mapping

[Journey mapping analysis with source citations]
_Awareness Stage: [How customers become aware of {{research_topic}}]_
_Consideration Stage: [Evaluation and comparison process]_
_Decision Stage: [Final decision-making process]_
_Purchase Stage: [Purchase execution and completion]_
_Post-Purchase Stage: [Post-decision evaluation and behavior]_
_Source: [URL]_

### Touchpoint Analysis

[Touchpoint analysis with source citations]
_Digital Touchpoints: [Online and digital interaction points]_
_Offline Touchpoints: [Physical and in-person interaction points]_
_Information Sources: [Where customers get information]_
_Influence Channels: [What influences customer decisions]_
_Source: [URL]_

### Information Gathering Patterns

[Information patterns analysis with source citations]
_Research Methods: [How customers research options]_
_Information Sources Trusted: [Most trusted information sources]_
_Research Duration: [Time spent gathering information]_
_Evaluation Criteria: [How customers evaluate information]_
_Source: [URL]_

### Decision Influencers

[Decision influencer analysis with source citations]
_Peer Influence: [How friends and family influence decisions]_
_Expert Influence: [How expert opinions affect decisions]_
_Media Influence: [How media and marketing affect decisions]_
_Social Proof Influence: [How reviews and testimonials affect decisions]_
_Source: [URL]_

### Purchase Decision Factors

[Purchase decision factors analysis with source citations]
_Immediate Purchase Drivers: [Factors triggering immediate purchase]_
_Delayed Purchase Drivers: [Factors causing purchase delays]_
_Brand Loyalty Factors: [Factors driving repeat purchases]_
_Price Sensitivity: [How price affects purchase decisions]_
_Source: [URL]_

### Customer Decision Optimizations

[Decision optimization analysis with source citations]
_Friction Reduction: [Ways to make decisions easier]_
_Trust Building: [Building customer trust in decisions]_
_Conversion Optimization: [Optimizing decision-to-purchase rates]_
_Loyalty Building: [Building long-term customer relationships]_
_Source: [URL]_
```

### 5. Present Analysis and Continue Option

**Show analysis and present continue option:**

"I've completed **customer decision processes analysis** for {{research_topic}}, focusing on customer decision-making.

**Key Decision Findings:**

- Customer decision-making processes clearly mapped
- Decision factors and criteria thoroughly analyzed
- Customer journey mapping completed across all stages
- Decision influencers and touchpoints identified
- Information gathering patterns documented

**Ready to proceed to competitive analysis?**
[C] Continue - Save this to document and proceed to competitive analysis

### 6. Handle Continue Selection

#### If 'C' (Continue):

- **CONTENT ALREADY WRITTEN TO DOCUMENT**
- Update frontmatter: `stepsCompleted: [1, 2, 3, 4]`
- Load: `./step-05-competitive-analysis.md`

## APPEND TO DOCUMENT:

Content is already written to document when generated in step 4. No additional append needed.

## SUCCESS METRICS:

✅ Customer decision-making processes clearly mapped
✅ Decision factors and criteria thoroughly analyzed
✅ Customer journey mapping completed across all stages
✅ Decision influencers and touchpoints identified
✅ Information gathering patterns documented
✅ Content written immediately to document
✅ [C] continue option presented and handled correctly
✅ Proper routing to next step (competitive analysis)
✅ Research goals alignment maintained

## FAILURE MODES:

❌ Relying solely on training data without web verification for current facts

❌ Missing critical decision-making process stages
❌ Not identifying key decision factors
❌ Incomplete customer journey mapping
❌ Not writing content immediately to document
❌ Not presenting [C] continue option after content generation
❌ Not routing to competitive analysis step

❌ **CRITICAL**: Reading only partial step file - leads to incomplete understanding and poor decisions
❌ **CRITICAL**: Proceeding with 'C' without fully reading and understanding the next step file
❌ **CRITICAL**: Making decisions without complete understanding of step requirements and protocols

## CUSTOMER DECISIONS RESEARCH PROTOCOLS:

- Research customer decision studies and psychology
- Use customer journey mapping methodologies
- Analyze buying criteria and decision factors
- Study decision influence and touchpoint analysis
- Focus on current decision data
- Present conflicting information when sources disagree
- Apply confidence levels appropriately

## DECISION ANALYSIS STANDARDS:

- Always cite URLs for web search results
- Use authoritative customer decision research sources
- Note data currency and potential limitations
- Present multiple perspectives when sources conflict
- Apply confidence levels to uncertain data
- Focus on actionable decision insights

## NEXT STEP:

After user selects 'C', load `./step-05-competitive-analysis.md` to analyze competitive landscape, market positioning, and competitive strategies for {{research_topic}}.

Remember: Always write research content to document immediately and emphasize current customer decision data with rigorous source verification!
