All of us have suffered the consequences of expensive, unasked questions both in our professional lives and our personal lives. As technical communicators, we need to ask good questions to elicit information, but many of us lack adequate training in this skill. Add to that the natural reticence of some technical communicators, and it’s no wonder that we walk away from SME interviews or department meetings wishing we’d remembered to ask X, Y, or Z.
This article offers information as to why questions are so important, who needs to improve discovery skills, what process you should use to develop your questions, what types of questions are useful, how to strategize your questions, how to ask good questions, how to handle people answering the questions you ask them, and how to answer questions that are asked of you.
Why are questions important?
We have all experienced the pain of unasked questions. One of my clients shared an example of not asking where they should design the cleanout door on a machine they were prototyping for a customer. They just assumed it would follow past designs. That was a $20,000 unasked question (and mistake)!
Why should you care?
You always have a “question budget” — a point at which others will stop answering your questions.
If you ask the right questions, you’ll get the information you need.
If you get the information you need, you’ll save money (and time).
How to strategize your questions
Once you have brainstormed your list of questions, then it’s important to plan your questioning strategy.
Generally, it seems best to proceed from open-ended questions (“Please give us your vision of the X machine you want us to build for you”) to more specific questions (“Where should we place the cleanout door?” or “Do you want the colour red for this flap?”). If you find the specific questions you ask are eliciting information that conflicts with earlier information, then you might need to go back to more open-ended questions (“Tell me again your vision of the human interface of this machine?”). Of course, probes and encouraging questions are always appropriate at any time. “Catch all” questions may be most helpful at the end of a question session.
How to ask good questions
Before you start popping questions, you must first establish a relationship with the interviewee or group being questioned. You must convince them of the following:
I care about your issues.
I am honest.
I do not have an axe to grind.
I want to understand your truth.
I meet my commitments.
You might accomplish this by a diplomatic statement of purpose (“We’re all interested in understanding your truth”) or by starting with a few throw-away questions (“How was your trip?,” “How is the hotel?,” “Is this your first time visiting Minnesota?”). These questions, which are not related to your area of discovery, will help toward them up and show them how easy it is to answer your questions. Then, you need to ask your questions in a non-threatening manner:
Aim for dialogue, not interrogation.
Don’t use questions to state your opinion.
If you have two questions in one, separate them out.
Be aware of cultural insensitivity (not every culture likes being questioned). If you are questioning a person from one of these cultures, don’t overdo the eye contact; instead, focus on their lips.
If you don’t get an immediate answer to your question, count silently to ten. This will allow the interviewee to formulate an answer. They will feel less rushed than if you jump in right away with a paraphrased question or a different question.
How to handle people answering the questions you ask
Listen. We can all learn to listen better.
Use body language to show you are listening. Lean toward your audience and focus on them when you’re not writing.
Take notes.
If you can get their permission, tape record the question-and-answer session. Use an unobtrusive but powerful microphone (available from The Source or other technical shops) with a long cord that will allow you to place the recorder where it’s not so obvious. Be sure to use fresh batteries in the recorder and ask someone else to monitor it and switch the tape if necessary.
How to answer questions that are asked of you
When you are answering questions, it is helpful to pause for a few seconds to think about your answer.
If you’re not sure how to answer a question, ask a clarifying question to give yourself time to collect your thoughts.
If you are in front of a group of people, restate the question. It’s hard to tell who in the group might be hard of hearing, but expect that not all in the audience will have heard the question. Be sure to restate the question exactly as it was asked (see next bullet).
If you need to rephrase the question in order to answer it, ask the interviewer if your paraphrase/restatement is OK with him or her (this shows your respect for the interviewer).
If you don’t have an answer or don’t want to give your answer right away, ask the group for another question.
