Research and Q’s computer

Start with a concrete deliverable

Research works with public sources. Computer tasks can create files and run code in Q’s workspace. Signing Q into your private accounts or asking it to take actions in those accounts is not supported.

1. Ask for an outcome, such as a comparison with sources or an interactive report. Include the audience and the information Q should use.
2. Review Q’s proposed task, or use Create a task to draft one yourself.
3. Check the task description and explicitly start it. If a limit or unavailable service prevents the task from starting, use the displayed explanation before retrying.
4. Open Workspace to inspect progress, results and files. Screenshots show computer actions; they are not a continuous remote desktop feed.

Inspect the result and the save state

1. Read the output and check its sources or assumptions. Generated work may need correction.
2. Open or download the files you need. A visible preview does not by itself mean the workspace has finished saving.
3. Wait for saved-work confirmation before treating the files as a durable starting point. If saving needs attention, use the available retry control.
4. Use the task’s cancel control if you want to stop it. Closing the room tab is not a cancellation method; accepted work can continue in the background.

Continue without starting from scratch

Your personal saved work belongs to your account. Other room members do not automatically receive your computer, files or earlier private tasks.

1. Return with the same signed-in account and open the room’s saved workspace.
2. Use History to inspect a saved version, or Continue from saved work when that control is available.
3. State what should change and explicitly start the follow-up task. Saved files can be restored onto a fresh computer.
4. Review the new output before replacing a shared copy. Selecting a historical version does not automatically publish it to the room.

Awaiting release: a broader Tasks view

A new room Tasks view and saved activity replay are implemented but not yet in the public release. They organize your active, attention-needed and recent tasks and let you inspect earlier work without running it again. Do not look for those new controls in the current public room. They do not introduce an automatic backlog or concurrent execution of multiple sample-data tasks.