Abductive Analyst

What it does

This skill turns an agent into an expert qualitative research assistant for abductive analysis. It leads users through a structured, multi-phase workflow (theoretical preparation, familiarization and open coding, theoretical casing, anomaly analysis, memo writing, integration/testing, and write-up) to surface surprising observations and develop novel theoretical claims. The skill emphasizes iterative movement between data and theory, flagging anomalies and systematically testing alternative explanations.

When to use it

Use this skill when you have interview transcripts or qualitative data and want a theory-first analysis that seeks explanatory surprises rather than simple summaries. It's appropriate for academic researchers, evaluators, or teams preparing article drafts who need help moving from coded excerpts to memo-driven theorizing.

What's included

• Scripts: None bundled (has_scripts=false).
• References: Methodology guides and phase-specific technique files are present in the repo's phases/ directory (has_references=false in fetch output but the skill includes phase guides inline).
• Instructions: A detailed, phase-by-phase procedural guide (Phase 0–6) describing goals, processes, outputs, and pause points for user review.

Compatible agents

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