6-different-question-types

OpenandClosedQuestionsAclosedquestionusuallyreceivesasinglewordorveryshort,factualanswer.Forexample,Areyouthirsty?TheanswerisYesorNo;Wheredoyoulive?Theanswerisgenerallythenameofyourtownoryouraddress.Openquestionselicitlongeranswers.Theyusuallybeginwithwhat,why,how.Anopenquestionaskstherespondentforhisorherknowledge,opinionorfeelings.Tellmeanddescribecanalsobeusedinthesamewayasopenquestions.Herearesomeexamples:Whathappenedatthemeeting?Whydidhereactthatway?Howwastheparty?Tellmewhathappenednext.Describethecircumstancesinmoredetail.Openquestionsaregoodfor:Developinganopenconversation:Whatdidyoudoonvacation?Findingourmoredetail:Whatelsedoweneedtodotomakethisasuccess?Findingouttheotherperson'sopinionorissues:Whatdoyouthinkaboutthosechanges?Closedquestionsaregoodfor:Testingyourunderstanding,ortheotherperson's:So,ifIgetthisqualification,willIgetaraise?Concludingadiscussionormakingadecision:Nowweknowthefacts,areweallagreedthisistherightcourseofaction?Framesetting:Areyouhappywiththeservicefromyourbank?Amisplacedclosedquestion,ontheotherhand,cankilltheconversationandleadtoawkwardsilences,soarebestavoidedwhenaconversationisinfullflow.ProbingQuestionsAskingprobingquestionsisanotherstrategyforfindingoutmoredetail.Sometimesit'sassimpleasaskingyourrespondentforanexample,tohelpyouunderstandastatementtheyhavemade.Atothertimes,youneedadditionalinformationforclarification,Whendoyouneedthisreportby,anddoyouwanttoseeadraftbeforeIgiveyoumyfinalversion?,ortoinvestigatewhetherthereisproofforwhathasbeensaid,Howdoyouknowthatthenewqqsoftwarecan’tbeusedonApplecomputers?Aneffectivewayofprobingistousethe5questionsmethod,whichcanhelpyouquicklyunderstandthecauseofaproblem.Probingquestionsaregoodfor:Gainingclarificationtoensureyouhavethewholestoryandthatyouunderstanditthoroughly;andDrawinginformationoutofpeoplewhoaretryingtoavoidtellingyousomething.Tip:Usequestionsthatincludethewordexactlytoprobefurther:Whatexactlydoyoumeanbyfast-track?,Who,exactly,wantedthisreport?FunnelQuestionsThistechniqueinvolvesstartingwithgeneralquestions,andthenaskingaboutaspecificpointineachanswer;askingmoreandmoredetailateachlevel.It'softenusedbydetectivestakingastatementfromawitness:Howmanypeoplewereinvolvedinthefight?Aboutten.Weretheykidsoradults?Mostlykids.Whatsortofageswerethey?Aboutfourteenorfifteen.Wereanyofthemwearinganythingdistinctive?Yes,severalofthemhadredbaseballcapson.Canyourememberiftherewasalogoonanyofthecaps?Nowyoucometomentionit,yes,IrememberseeingabigletterN.Usingthistechnique,thedetectivehashelpedthewitnessre-livethesceneandgraduallyfocusonausefuldetail.Perhapshe'llbeabletoidentifyyoungmenwearingahatlikethisfromCCTVfootage.Itisunlikelyhewouldhavegotthisinformationifhe'ssimplyaskedanopenquestionsuchasArethereanydetailsyoucangivemeaboutwhatyousaw?Funnelquestionsaregoodfor:Findingoutmoredetailaboutaspecificpoint:TellmemoreaboutOption2.Gainingtheinterestorincreasingtheconfidenceofthepersonyou'respeakingwith:Haveyoucallthephonenurses?,Didtheysolveyourproblem?,Whatwastheattitudeofthepersonwhotookyourcall?RhetoricalQuestionsRhetoricalquestionsaren'treallyquestionsatall,inthattheydon'texpectananswer.They'rereallyjuststatementsphrasedinquestionform:Isn'tJohn'sdesignworksocreative?Peopleuserhetoricalquestionsbecausetheyareengagingforthelistener–astheyaredrawnintoagreeing(YesitisandIlikeworkingwithsuchacreativecolleague)–ratherthanfeelingthattheyarebeingtoldsomethinglikeJohnisaverycreativedesigner.(TowhichtheymayanswerSoWhat?)Rhetoricalquestionsaregoodfor:EngagingthelistenerTip:Rhetoricalquestionsareevenmorepowerfulifyouuseastringofthem.Isn'tthatagreatdisplay?Don'tyoulovethewaythetextpicksupthecolorsinthephotographs?Doesn'titusespacereallywell?Wouldn'tyoulovetohaveadisplaylikethatforourproducts?Tip:Whenusingfunnelquestioning,startwithclosedquestions.Asyouprogressthroughthetunnel,startusingmoreopenquestions.LeadingQuestionsLeadingquestionstrytoleadtherespondenttoyourwayofthinking.Theycandothisinseveralways:Withanassumption:Howlatedoyouthinkthattheprojectwilldeliver?.Thisassumesthattheprojectwillcertainlynotbecompletedontime.Byaddingapersonalappealtoagreeattheend:Lori'sveryefficient,don'tyouthink?orOption2isbetter,isn'tit?Phrasingthequestionsothattheeasiestresponseisyes(ournaturaltendencytoprefertosayyesthannoplaysanimportantpartinthephrasingofreferendumquestions):ShallweallapproveOption2?ismorelikelytogetapositiveresponsethanDoyouwanttoapproveoption2ornot?.Agoodwayofdoingthisistomakeitpersonal.Forexample,WouldyoulikemetogoaheadwithOption2?ratherthanShallIchooseOption2?.Notethatleadingquestionstendtoalsobeclosedquestions.Leadingquestionsaregoodfor:Gettingtheansweryouwantbutleavingtheotherpersonfeelingthattheyhavehadachoice.Closingasale:Ifthatanswersallofyourquestions,shallweagreeonaprice?