EuroSTAR Software Testing Conference 2013 presentation on One More Question.... by Tony Bruce. See more at: http://conference.eurostarsoftwaretesting.com/past-presentations/

1. One More Question....
Tony Bruce, Tony Bruce Consulting Ltd
www.eurostarconferences.com
@esconfs
#esconfs

2. One More Question...
@tonybruce77
dancedwiththetester.blogspot.co.uk
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Thinker,_Auguste_Rodin.jpg

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Summary
● Use of questions
● Potential categories
● Questions!
● Closed ● Different answer
● Open ● Leading
● Rephrasing ● Tone/Emphasis
● Right person ● Quiet
● Probing ● Right environment
● Reflection

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Use of questions
How important are questions?
Why?

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Use of questions

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Things to think about
Asking a question forces focus
Don't try to read minds – ask

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Three General Categories
Questions asked because the answer is
important
– Learn about an idea/event/etc
– What happened?

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Three General Categories
● Questions asked because the question is important
– Particular line of reasoning
– 5 Whys
http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2003-05-17/

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Three General Categories
Questions asked because the process of
asking is important
– May not have a straight answer
– Trigger thinking
● Develop ideas

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Things to think about
Asking the right question at the wrong time brings pain
Ask the right question at the right time
Do I have enough information?
– How else could I get information?

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Closed
What?
Allow for short factual answer
Why?
Small piece of information
Example
Are you thirsty?

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Closed question uses
Find out a persons name
Find out where a person is going
Find out where you need to go

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Things to think about
Close questions are not good
conversation carriers
What is my intent?
– What is their intent?

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Open
What?
Has many possible answers
Deeper answer
Why?
Prompt thinking, more information
Example
What has been the most interesting part of today?

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Open question uses
Gather more information
Trigger deeper thinking
Help realise what has not been thought
about

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Things to think about
These questions and points won't work all of the time
But they do work some of the time

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Rephrasing
What?
Clarifying, focus
Why?
Avoid confusion
Clearer response
Helps you confirm you understand
Example
Tony had three pencils and bought three more. Later that day he
lost five pencils, how many did he have left?
What is 6 minus 5?

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Rephrasing uses
Avoid asking questions that need
clarification
- Or use rephrasing for the clarification
Help your and others understanding

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Things to think about
Do they really know what they are
talking about?

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Right person
What?
The right person to ask
Why?
Personal reasons
Could be better at it than you
Influence/experience/leverage
Example
You are new

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Right person uses
Making use of established/existing
relationships

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Things to think about
If I were in their shoes, could I see why they may think
differently?

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Probing questions
What?
Follow up questions
Deeper
Guided
Why?
More information
Increase understanding
Example
Asking for a example
What exactly would you expect to see in this
paragraph on coverage?

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Probing question uses
Gaining clarification to ensure you have the
whole story and that you understand it
thoroughly
Drawing information out of people who are
trying to avoid telling you something

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Further probing...
5 Whys
● Looking at the problem and asking
why?
– Problem solving
– Get to the root quickly

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Question to try
What is the most important thing
we need to discuss this morning?

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Different answer
What?
Answer doesn't work
Same question, different party
Why?
Need a different answer
Don't have the right answer
Example
Hanging up and ringing back

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Different answer uses
You know the answer is wrong
You know the answer is influenced

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Things to think about
How important is it really?

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Leading
What?
Suggest the answer or evoke specific response
Why?
Getting the answer you want
Guiding
Example
This is better isn't it?
Do you have any problems with your manager?

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Leading uses
Check your assumptions
Asking for agreement

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Tone/Emphasis
What?
Rise
Fall
Why?
Humour
Inquiry
Example
Really?

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Different meanings
Question
How could you say that?
How could you say that?
How could you say that?
How could you say that?
Meaning
Reprimand, as in “how dare you
say such a thing.”
Other people might say it, but not
you.
You might think of it, but saying it
is another matter.
Incredulity expressed over what it
was you said.

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Question not to try
At what point did you realise you
would not make it as a professional
project manager?

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Be comfortable with quiet
What?
Intentional “Dead air”
Why?
Fill the silence
Uncomfortable
Information
Example

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Quiet uses
Nobody seems willing to talk
You want to create uncomfortableness
Keep quiet until you get your answer

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Things to think about
Why am I interpreting it this way?
– How else could it possibly be interpreted?
How often do I say, 'I don't know'?
– How I can I get to saying 'I know'?

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Right environment
What?
Be in the right place
Why?
Easier to ask
Easier to anwer
Uncomfortable
Example
Too much background noise

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Right environment uses
You need more time
Difficult answer/question

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Possible traps
Asking too many questions at once
Don't provide the answer
Generally, try avoid condescension and sarcasm
Leading

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Things to think about
Have you noticed when you start
asking questions it tends to start
other people questioning?

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Summary
● Use of questions
● Potential categories
● Questions!
● Closed ● Different answer
● Open ● Leading
● Rephrasing ● Tone/Emphasis
● Right person ● Quiet
● Probing ● Right environment
● Reflection

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Reflection
What did you learn from this discussion?

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Thank you
@tonybruce77
dancedwiththetester.blogspot.co.uk
tony.bruce@tonybruceconsulting.co.uk

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References
● The Art of Asking: Ask Better Questions, Get Better
Results-Terry J. Fadem
● http://www.lasw.org/questions_probing.html
● http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_88.htm