Think of Your Questions in Advance

A Questioning Strategy is a fancy way of saying you should think of all your questions in advance of any interview or meeting, regardless of whether the audience is your CEO, general manager, recruiters, customers, candidates, or your spouse.

(Side note: you might also want to articulate your questions before you begin conducting research.)

Why think of your questions in advance?

A Questioning Strategy isn’t a nice to do. It’s an important task for several reasons.

Thinking of your questions in advance ….

• Allows you to think about the purpose of your questions. Is it the right question? If you aren’t getting the information you want, it might be the wrong question.
• Forces you to think if your questions appropriate, correct, without bias or judgement, or most of all, precise. Remember: vague questions will get you vague answers. Precise questions get you precise answers.
• Gives you time to structure your questions thoughtfully with respect to the situation and the respondent. For example, am I using words the end user wouldn’t know?
• Makes you consider how – or if – to ask a dumb question.
• Minimises the number of closed questions, which are the least insightful questions.
• Prevents you from asking  where the answer is built into the question.
  • Example: Don’t you think Sony televisions are the best TVs?
• Prevents you from forgetting important questions, which is easy to do during an intense questioning session.
• Puts all questions down on paper, perhaps to share them in advance with the respondent if you want to ensure they’re articulate or to save time.

Most of all, if your questions are determined in advance, you have the luxury to listen to the answers.

It’s common and easy to think of your next question while the person is answering your last question. If you are, you’re not listening. People can tell through your non-verbal communications when you aren’t listening to them.

Think like a talk show host

A good talk show host prioritises their questions in advance. They know the questions they want (or must) get an answer. You might highlight these questions so you can quickly see them in your notes.

They do not force their order on the respondent because their answer typically determines the next question. Instead, put your questions into categories:  budget, features, compliance, locale. It’s easier to jump to categories to find your next question to keep the conversation moving forward.

Your organisation, the situation or topic, or priorities will change the types of categories. Here’s a  I use for research and interviews. It’s not meant to be definitive. Use it as a springboard to create your own list.

Taking notes

As you consider your questions, think how you’re going to listen and take notes. Listening is hard enough without adding in the complexity of  accurate notetaking. Don’t assume you can record your respondent. I’ve found taking another person, perhaps someone junior who could learn from the interview, to take notes. But, be clear with the respondent that only you will ask the questions so it doesn’t seem like an interrogation to the other party.

If the situation turns stressful

It’s beneficial to have your questions written in advance because curiosity – like creativity – doesn’t come easily when you’re under pressure.

What other things are important in developing a questioning strategy?  Please add your thoughts and comments below.