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.

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.