[StonyRhetoric]

Speaking from the other side, my advice is to over-communicate, especially if you haven't built up a deep trust and reputation with your team and your manager.

Here's what your manager is worried about:

  1. Will the job be done well?
  2. How long will this take?
  3. Are you on-task, or are you stuck, overwhelmed, going rogue?

You can help your manager answer these questions by communicating these things:

  1. I have a plan, and here is the plan.
  2. Here is my progress in executing this plan.
  3. I have made these findings so far. I anticipate 
  these difficulties and challenges.

How this is communicated to the team, and your manager, depends on your team culture and workflow. But something typical might be:

  1. Two sentences in standup. Think through what you are 
  going to say, read a prepared statement from a sticky 
  note if necessary.
  2. A short email (<100 words) answering any questions 
  people have regarding your research. Use your own 
  judgment as to audience size and email frequency.
  3. A document or wiki page that is the final work 
  product of your research.

[pbh101]

This is a wonderfully concise summary of the situation with concrete and helpful advice! This advice applies not only to research but equally to any longer-running project or task status update as well.

As someone who has felt frustrated in the past in both roles at play here, I expect I will find myself sharing this comment with others soon and often. Thank you!