Asking questions is an essential practice in every area and level of the workforce. In interviews, management, project settings, and more, questions help you get the answers you need to make proper decisions or produce high-quality work. The better your questions, the better the responses are likely to be, so it’s important to know what makes a good question. In this article, we explain the importance of asking good questions, look at the characteristics of good questions, and provide tips for devising and asking good questions.
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Why is it important to ask good questions?
Questions are an integral component of communication, and asking good, thoughtful questions can help people communicate more effectively. A speaker can provide you with all the information they think you need, but there may be areas of ambiguity or confusion. Questions signal to the speaker that you need more information, specify the areas in need of clarification, and help to meet expectations.
For example, a diner at a restaurant might want a steak but be uncertain about what kind of steak they want. The server can help guide the diner’s choice by asking how large of a meal they’d like, what fat content they’d prefer, and how they usually like their steak cooked. Based on the answers, the server can then recommend specific cuts available on the menu. These questions can help the diner get exactly what they want.
What makes a good question?
The quality of a question often depends on the context in which it’s asked. For example, a teacher might ask a high-quality question to help their students (the respondents) learn something, whereas a job candidate in an interview might ask a question to gain information for themselves.
No matter who asks the question or in what context, there are some common characteristics of good questions:
Purpose
A good question is one that you have a good reason for asking, and the information expected from the answer should guide you in the effort you’re trying to accomplish. For example, if you’re conducting qualitative market research to determine what features consumers most want in kitchen appliances, you would benefit from asking questions about what appliances consumers most use and why, whereas questions about frequency or location of use might not serve your purpose.
Clarity
Good questions require no questions to understand. They should be self-evident rather than ambiguous and open to interpretations. For example, at the end of an interview, a candidate might ask the interviewer, “When do you usually finish work?” This question lacks clarity because the candidate doesn’t clarify what they mean by “you,” and even “finish with work” is open to a couple of interpretations. A clearer version of the question might be, “When would the workday typically end for this position?”
Simplicity
Good questions are often simple—not in that they’re easy to answer, but that they ask the respondent to focus on only one topic at a time. Often, asking a multifaceted question is asking too much of the respondent since you’re demanding they not only answer multiple questions at once but also keep track of the other facets of the question as they attempt to answer it. If you have a multifaceted question, it’s a good idea to break it apart into multiple questions, addressing each one in depth.
Concision
Concision relates to clarity. It allows for an accurate understanding of a question by removing details that might be unnecessary. Imagine you’re working on a slideshow for a group presentation and want to know how the speaker would like the slides sequenced for optimal flow. It’s likely best to avoid references to specific sections or slides. Rather, ask, “How should I order the sections so that everything flows together smoothly?” Then you can ask follow-up questions to clarify.
Open-ended nature
Good questions are often open-ended, meaning they defy yes-or-no responses and encourage long, free-form answers. Open-ended questions usually result in expansive discussions that address not only the topic but also tangential issues. However, keep in mind that closed-ended questions are useful for establishing or confirming facts, so it’s a good idea to include them in your questioning.
Relevance and good timing
A good question should not seem random. Rather, it should be apparent to the respondent why you’re asking the question. For instance, if the current topic of discussion is a specific deliverable to reach a milestone in a project, it would seem irrelevant to discuss an entirely separate deliverable for another part of the project. Try to remain on topic. If it’s necessary to change subjects, consider signaling the change by announcing that you’d like to discuss a separate matter.
Neutrality
Good questions are free of bias, allowing the respondent to answer without suggestion or guidance from the asker. Neutral questions are more likely to produce honest answers rather than conclusions that the asker wants to hear. Often, biased questions begin with phrases such as “Do you think it’s true” or “Would you agree,” which suggests to the respondent how they should answer. Good questions usually avoid that kind of language and seek the respondent’s true opinion.
Insight and engagement
Good questions can inspire great answers because they often encourage the respondent to consider a topic more deeply. Such questions often ask why something is or how it works, forcing the respondent to think critically and analyze possibilities rather than repeat facts. Insightful questioning can also help you professionally. In an interview, for example, asking questions that stimulate deep thought can help you be more memorable to the interviewer and thus improve your chances of landing the job.
Tips for devising and asking questions
The ability to ask effective questions is a learned skill. As with any skill, it helps to know how to improve. Here are some tips to consider when thinking of questions to ask:
Know your goal
The purpose of asking questions is to gain information, so it’s helpful to determine exactly what you want to know and why you want to know it. For example, the instructions for a writing assignment might include the topic and the sections to include, but the writer might want to know what perspective or angle to write from, as this information can help them create a more cohesive article.
Start positively
Sometimes, your colleagues may interpret your questions as criticism, causing them to respond to you defensively and impede your ability to get an accurate response. To circumvent defensiveness, try to begin your question with a positive affirmation. For instance, if you’re seeking clarification about something a colleague wrote or produced as part of a project, consider complimenting their work first, specifying what exactly you like about it. This can assure your colleagues that you mean well and cause them to be more receptive to your questions.
Ask open-ended questions
Open-ended questions allow you to gather more information per response. For example, if you’re interviewing for an editorial position for a publication, you might ask the interviewer about a typical day for an editor. The interviewer’s response is likely to include details about start time, end time, primary duties and secondary responsibilities, but it may also reveal information about tangential matters such as the editorial process and communication methods between writers and editors.
Know when to ask yes-or-no questions
Sometimes, a yes-or-no question is the best type of question to ask. Yes-or-no questions are useful for clarifying details to confirm that you understand the details of an earlier response. For instance, if a respondent introduces complex or esoteric information, asking whether you’re correct in your interpretation is not only acceptable but also advisable.
Match the language to the situation
Use terminology that your listener is likely to understand. When speaking with a manager, it’s acceptable to use jargon since you’re both in the same industry, but someone outside of your organization might not know what certain industry terms mean. Try to substitute general terms for industry terms when you can. Otherwise, consider rephrasing questions so your listener understands.
Focus your questions
Focusing your questions means narrowing down their scope so that they address only one topic. Introducing multiple topics in a question can confuse the respondent, possibly resulting in ambiguous answers or even leading to their forgetting about certain elements in your question. To ask about multiple facets of a single topic, ask multiple questions.
Ask follow-up questions
Follow-up questions help to clarify information introduced in a response. The purpose of asking questions is to gain as much information as possible, and follow-up questions are essential to do that. For example, if your supervisor asks you to tighten a section of a report, you could ask what processes “tightening” entails. This way, you can produce the desired result.
Avoid leading questions
Leading questions encourage the respondent to give a predetermined answer, but this doesn’t foster clarity or effective communication. An example of a leading question is, “Why do you think this is the best company in the world?” The question already determines that the job is great, prompting the respondent to give a positive answer even if they think negatively about the topic. To avoid asking questions such as this, phrase your questions neutrally, free of strong qualifiers. To make the previous question neutral, you could ask, “What do you think about this company?”
I hope you find this article helpful.
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