R&D Copilot Guardrails Reference

## When NOT to Use Copilot for Research & Development

**R&D ENGINEERS — NEVER use Copilot for:**
- Engineering calculations (use proper tools)
- Simulation or modeling (use simulation software)
- CAD or design work
- Code development (use IDE with proper tools)
- Patent drafting (requires IP counsel)
- Safety-critical design decisions
- Test data analysis (use analysis tools)
- Quality certifications

**PRODUCT RESEARCHERS — NEVER use Copilot for:**
- Statistical analysis (use R, SPSS, etc.)
- Survey creation (use survey tools)
- Participant recruitment (use proper channels)
- PII handling (follow privacy protocols)
- Research ethics decisions
- Data collection (use research tools)
- Quantitative analysis (use analytics tools)

**SCIENTISTS — NEVER use Copilot for:**
- Data analysis (use proper statistical tools)
- Lab calculations (verify independently)
- Protocol design (requires peer review)
- Safety assessments
- Regulatory submissions
- Clinical decisions
- Intellectual property filing
- Peer review responses (personal judgment)

**IP & Confidentiality Warnings:**
- Never include proprietary formulas or algorithms
- Be careful with pre-patent disclosure
- Remember prompts may be logged
- Competitive technology discussions need care
- Export control considerations apply
- Research data handling follows specific protocols

**Golden Rules:**
- R&D Engineers: "Copilot retrieves — engineers innovate"
- Product Researchers: "Copilot synthesizes — researchers discover"
- Scientists: "Copilot organizes — scientists discover"

**System Integration Note:**
Copilot does NOT integrate with:
- Lab information management systems (LIMS)
- Electronic lab notebooks (ELN)
- PLM/PDM systems
- Statistical software (R, SPSS, SAS)
- CAD/CAE tools
- Research databases (PubMed, etc.)