How to ask a question

[Vern Edwards]

Long time readers of Wifcon Forum are familiar with the problem of poorly-asked questions. For a long time I have been thinking about questions and how to ask them. It's a complicated problem, and a common one, but one with no easy solutions, and I have not been able to find a book or article that provides solid guidance. Most books about questions deal with the questions on survey instruments, which are not what concern us.

This morning, on Quora, I found a short response by Jens Hartmann of the Berlin University of the Arts about how to ask questions. It seems to provide good tips, so I'm posting it here for general consideration.

Quote

How can I articulate questions more clearly?

There are two key elements to a clear, succinct and successful question:

1. You are very clear about what you really want to find out.

2. Make smart assumptions about the perspective of the person you are asking the question.

Let’s start with to number 1: A lot of people on Quora ask questions like: “Has anyone ever had experience with lions?” There are only two proper options to answer, Yes or No. But is that what the person asking is after? Doing a survey? Most certainly not.

So let’s try an open question: “What are lions like?” Nice try, but again, what is the person really after? Their character? How fluffy they are? Whether they are good company at cocktail parties? Again, failed!

“What is it like to work with lions?” Still I can’t answer the question, though at least I know the person is asking about a lion tamer, a zoo keeper or an infield researcher. Wow, down to three options at least.

Can you guess by now what the person asking wants to actually find out? I bet you don’t. Here is the actual question: “How do you overcome your natural instinct-based fear when working in direct proximity with lions?” Now that would be a question that not only defines who needs to answer, but also what aspect of human & lion relationship we are looking at.

The point is: At the very beginning, before you ask any question, you have to ask YOURSELF: “What is it that I really want to find out, and how do I have to ask to get that answer.”

This brings us to part 2 of asking clear questions: Know your audience.

For example be humble when you know you are asking someone who knows way more in the field or topic you are asking about. Let’s say you are asking a top lion behaviour researcher. Don’t pretend to know stuff that you don’t, just to try to impress them. A lot of people are worried they might be perceived as dumb if they ask naive questions. Don’t be.

Here is what you could say to the lion guy: “Look, I can’t even imagine what it would be like to stand face to face with a lion, without a barricade or anything. I can only assume that my instincts would kick in and I’d be as scared as never before. Is this the case, and if so, how do you overcome that fear?”

Fun fact: I did ask something like that once, and despite trying my best I still made a wrong assumption. The lion guy’s answer was: “Well, for starters you never overcome that fear, you can only learn to manage it and live with it. I guess it would actually put you in a very risky position if you weren’t aware of the sheer power and agility of these animals. You alway want to be alert.”

So I assumed overcoming the fear is the goal, which means my question wasn’t perfect. Well, I guess I forgot to mention that: Communication never is perfect, and this includes questions. So whilst it’s a good idea to work on good questions, don’t worry too much about not reaching perfection. Its’ all an approximation.

Good luck.

One thing I learned long ago as a contract negotiator is that the ability to ask clear questions is an essential skill in contracting. It's not an easy thing to learn or to teach.