Introduction
Research is a strong first Hermes use case because the work can be divided into visible stages: define the question, find sources, extract evidence, compare claims, and write a deliverable. The final result remains reviewable by a person.
Examples
You might ask Hermes to compare software vendors, summarize recent regulatory changes, prepare background for an interview, or build a reading list for a technical decision.
A well-bounded prompt looks like this:
Research how three European hosting providers handle encrypted backups. Use primary documentation published or updated within the last 18 months. Produce a table covering retention, encryption, restore process, and price. Link every factual claim. Put uncertain or missing information in a separate section. Stop after writing
hosting-comparison.md; do not contact vendors.
In-depth guide
1. Define acceptance criteria
Specify the geography, date range, source quality, fields to compare, output format, and prohibited actions. If freshness matters, require publication or update dates. If primary sources matter, say whether third-party summaries may be used only for discovery.
2. Ask for a research plan
Before tool use begins, ask Hermes to list likely source types and the evidence needed for each conclusion. Review the plan and remove irrelevant branches. This reduces wasted model credit and makes the final result easier to audit.
3. Separate evidence from interpretation
Ask Hermes to keep a source ledger with page title, URL, access date, quoted evidence, and the claim it supports. Require explicit labels for inference and uncertainty. A polished sentence without a supporting source should not be treated as established fact.
4. Produce a reviewable artifact
Markdown works well because it supports headings, tables, links, and version control. Ask for a short executive summary followed by detailed evidence. Keep raw notes in a separate file if you may need to revisit them.
5. Verify a sample
Open several links and compare the cited text with the brief. Check the claims that would most affect a decision, not only the easiest facts. If one citation is weak, ask Hermes to repair that claim and then check similar claims.
6. Improve the workflow
Once the output is consistently useful, save the prompt as a template or ask Hermes to create a skill. Keep variables such as subject, date range, comparison fields, and destination file explicit so that future runs remain predictable.