Questioning Skills - Types of Questions - HIgh/Low order Questions - Opening/Closing Questions

One of the fundamental ways in which meaning and understanding occur is through the use of questioning. 

It is also a very interactive and participative and ensures the integration and involvement of individuals within the group process. 

Furthermore questioning can stimulate original thought and innovative thinking. 

Questioning as a skill is also very integrated with the process of active listening.

Types of Questions:

There are a  wide range of questioning techniques that can be adopted and the ideal situation is that you choose the type of question that meets your purpose. 

You may want to initiate a discussion, obtain specific information or even send a request for action disguised as a query.  Some common examples of questions are listed below.

Choosing Questions:

Type of Question	Example
OPEN Question does not require any particular answer but opens up discussion	Q: Does anyone have any views on….?
CLOSED  Question is specific and must be answered with details as appropriate	Q: Has anyone experience of this technique?
FACT-FINDING  Question is aimed at gaining specific information on a particular subject	Q: What was the outcome of the task?
FOLLOW UP / PROBING  Question is intended to gain more information or to elicit an opinion	Q: How do you feel it compares with the previous task the group completed?
FEEDBACK  Question is aimed either at seeking feedback on a particular situation or issue or seeking feedback on your own performance	Q: How do you think that went? Q: Do you think communication within the team has improved?
HYPOTHETICAL / DEVIL’S ADVOCATE  Question is aimed at testing out new ideas or introducing new thoughts and ideas	Q: What if….?
SUMMARY  Question enables you to recap and check understanding.	Q:  What you seem to be saying is…..am I right?

There is obviously a lot of value in developing your skills in effective questioning. Formulating and phrasing questions is a very skilled activity. 

Even those who are skilled at it will often reflect and realise that they could have formulated their question more effectively. The common, often unintended, questioning outcomes can be:

Questioning type	Example
LOADED QUESTION:	Q: What made you think you were ready to take on this analysis?
LEADING QUESTION	Q: Don’t you think capital punishment is utterly cruel and barbaric?

Within the interactions within the group, some of the group members may adopt a more challenging style of questioning with each other:

Questioning type	Example
RAW NERVE QUESTION	Q: Why is anyone adopting this practice when it clearly does not work?
CHALLENGING LOGIC (The Cartesian Question)	Q: How can you say X and yet argue for Y - it’s inconsistent?
HIDDEN AGENDA	Q; Why did we not consider the other problems facing the group?

Personality dynamics and power politics can become intermixed with the group interactions and as the facilitator, you may need to consider whether it is appropriate to explore the underpinning intention behind some of these types of questions.

Another Questioning Technique which is really helpful for a facilitator is familiarity with Sequencing or chaining questioning” which can be part of a feedback process.

Questioning Style	Example
“Sequencing or chaining questioning”  which enables the individual and group to deepen their understanding and clarify meaning	Why have you raised that point? Why do you feel that it is important? Can you just explain that point a little more to the group? What do the rest of the group think about this issue? Does anyone hold a different view?
“Sequencing or chaining questioning”  often used in Feedback: This approach to questioning enables the facilitator to probe in a focused but often supportive manner as part of any feedback process	What happened when you were facilitating the group? What do you mean by…? Why do you say that? How would you like to handle the situation? How might you have achieved that? How do the rest of the group think that would have worked?

T. Mallikarjuna Prasad

Trainer | Facilitator | Consultant

Department of Personnel & Training

Governement of India

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