Following up on a post in The test tribe FB group – here are my toughs on improving questioning skills
First – few ground rules on questioning
- Questioning is a skill – improvable on deliberate practice
- Questioning does not mean being disrespectful to other party
- At times questioning might be taken as challenging the authority – deal with it appropriately.
- Empty your ego and false sense of “I know this stuff” – instead approach “what else I don’t’ know here” What else is hidden from me now.
- Frame questions and follow-ups in a way that it does not turn off or irritate other party
- One good way to start question is to describe or re-phrase the understanding in words of other person wherever possible and seek view on if your understanding is correct
- No question is silly (from the view point of the asker…:) Only unasked question is silly
- while answer is being given – listen carefully – where applicable watch body language of the responded. Do not rush or pounce on immediately.
- Listen with an intention to understand not with an intention to answer in return
- If you question basic ideas – it will not make you less in any way or a fool
- Display courage and humility
Tips/Practice ideas
- Ask one question at a time (Courtesy : Jerry Weinberg narrated by Ajay Balamurugadsa)
- Approach everything with “awe” and a sense of wonder.
- Approach everything with mind of “newness or not seen before”
- Develop good vocabulary and skill to say one thing in many different ways
- Be good with creating examples and analogies
- Dramatize your answers and questions
- Do a role play
- Create diagrams
- Ask “What does *this* mean?
- Seek meanings , interpretations and context of words
- Learn about word etymologies
- Develop understanding through responses received
- Do lots of imaginations
- Show child like curiosity
- Split words from sentences – ask “what does this mean” to every word
- ask “what id”
- Ask what are constrains or limitations here – what if these constrains are not there – for example – what if we can fly defying the gravity or what it we can walk on water
- Question universally known and understood words and ideas
- Question authority
- Do not settle for right answer – seek more broader set of responses
- Be respectful
Human relationship aspects of Questioning
- You always run into risk being perceived as arrogant, egoistic, “know all” OR completely dumb
- You are mostly likely to put people out of their comfort zone and make them feel nervous
- People may not speak to you nicely or avoid talking to you
- Understand emotional aspects
Types of Questions:
- Open Ended – Non conclusive answers
- Specific –
- Binary – Yes/No
- Questions to check knowledge
- Questions to understand
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