Questions are a powerful tool, and good questioning skills are extremely important for both people and in testing. Through effective use, we can engage in more effective learning, create outside-the-box thinking and start decision making conversations. Tony will explore the power of questions and their ability to make us and others think by looking at items such as the use of probing questions, tone and rephrasing. He will work through exercises to allow participants to practice some of what they are learning. Participants will walk away with ideas on how to sharpen their questioning skills to a fine tool which can be used to transform their every conversation and to increase their testing thinking. Questions can help create and negate, learn and teach, and stop and start projects, connections and relationships. Add this ability to your tool set.

1. One more question...

2. Me
Tony Bruce Consulting Ltd
tony.bruce@tonybruceconsulting.co.uk
dancedwiththetester.blogspot.co.uk
@tonybruce77
Associate with Equal Experts Ltd
tbruce@equalexperts.com
Tony Bruce Consulting

3. Questions Only
Participants meet in an imaginary location (place of
work
etc) on stage. The only rule of the gameis that they can
only converse by asking each other questions in turn. If
player hesitates or makes a statement, they are buzzed
Out and replaced by one of the other players (who is
standing behind them).
Inspiration
http://tastycupcakes.org/2012/11/questions-only/

4. SceneScene
You've been away at CAST 2014 and on your
first day back somebody is chasing up the TPS
Report.

5. SceneScene
You are a new starter and your first day and your
manager is asking how many test cases you
have completed today.

6. Definition
NOUN
A sentence worded or
expressed so as to
elicit
information:
we hope this leaflet has
been helpful in
answering
your questions
VERB
[WITH OBJECT]
Ask questions of
(someone),
especially in an official
context:
four men were being
questioned about the
killings
(as noun questioning)

8. Basic Structure
auxiliary verb + subject + main verb
A verb used in forming the tenses, moods, and
voices
of other verbs. The primary auxiliary verbs in
English
are be, do, and have; the modal auxiliaries are
can,
could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, and
would.
A person or thing that is being discussed,http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-questions_structure.htm

9. Basic Structure
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-questions_structure.htm

10. Basic Structure - Exception
For the verb 'be' in simple present and simple
past, we do not use an auxiliary verb. We simply
reverse the positions of be and subject:
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-questions_structure.htm

11. Potential categories

Answer is important
Information needs to be known
http://www.funnyjunk.com/funny_pictures/3888409/Is+that+your+final+answer

12. Potential categories

Question is important
Information needs to be shared
http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2003-05-17/

13. Potential categories
The asking is important

Trigger thinking

14. Key Factors
Clear and unambiguous
Be precise and to the point
Example
What is the name of that movie with the guy with
the thing?

15. Key Factors
Context
Environment that sets the understanding of
Expectations – reason you asked should be
clear.
Example
What is the fastest way to get from Brown St to
North St?

16. Rephrasing
What?
Same question, different words.
Why?
Clarification
Example
By what are you known?

17. Rephrasing Exercise
Tony had three pencils and bought three more.
Later that day he lost five pencils, how many did
he have left?
At what point did you realise you would not make
it as a professional project manager?

18. Rephrasing Exercise
Some ugly baby, huh?
Inspiration

19. Tone/Emphasis
What?
Rise/Fall
Focus on one or more words
Why?
Make a point
Example
Really?

20. Tone/Emphasis
The Art of Asking: Ask Better Questions, Get Better Answers
By Terry J. Fadem
Referencing Stanley Payne

21. Tone/Emphasis Exercise
What, specifically, will you do next week?
Is there anything you have missed out?

22. Active Listening
What?
Concentrating on what is being said and
listening rather than 'passively hearing'
Why?
To gain and demonstrate a better understanding
Example
"Jim: I don't like this work place as much as my
old one.
People are not very nice.
Sarah: You are unhappy at this work place?
Jim: Yeah. I haven't really talked to anyone. No
one
Includes me.

23. Active Listening Exercises
Clap and follow
Line Story
Pen

24. Right Environment
What?
Be in the right place
Why?
Easier to ask
Easier to answer
Comfortable
Example
A set time
In the office

25. Right Person
What?
Are you the right person to ask the question?
Why?
Personal reasons
Experience/leverage/influence
Example
You are new to the company

26. Socratic Questioning

27. What is Socratic Questioning?
thoughtful questioning
disciplined
systematic
feign ignorance
Strategic
challenge accuracy and completeness ofchallenge accuracy and completeness of
thinkingthinking

28. R.W. Paul's six types of Socratic
questions
Director of Research and Professional Development at the Center for Critical
Thinking and Chair of the National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking
1.Questions for clarification:
Why do you say that?
How does this relate to our discussion?
2.Questions that probe assumptions:
What could we assume instead?
How can you verify or disapprove that
assumption?
3.Questions that probe reasons and

29. R.W. Paul's six types of Socratic
questions
4.Questions about Viewpoints and
Perspectives:
What would be an alternative?
What is another way to look at it?
5.Questions that probe implications and
consequences:
What generalisations can you make?
What are the consequences of that assumption?
6.Questions about the question:
What was the point of this question?

30. R.W. Paul's six types of Socratic
questions
1. Questions for clarification
2. Questions that probe assumptions
3. Questions that probe reasons and evidence
4. Questions about Viewpoints and Perspectives
5. Questions that probe implications and
consequences
6. Questions about the question

31. Socratic Exercises
Groups of 3:
Explainer
Questioner
Observer
1) the explainer must make a good-faith attempt to explain
the
concept at hand
2) the questioner must ask a question designed to expose a
flaw in the definition or to frustrate the explainer
3) the observer observers, takes notes and feeds back at
the
end of the session
4) Neither player can give up. No matter how good the
explanation, the questioner must find something to question,

32. What is a test case?
A fish is an animal that swims.
The format of a document is the most important
Thing.
Inspiration

33. Questions to capture information
I keep six honest serving-men (They taught me all I knew); Their
names are What and Why and When and How and Where and
Who.
"I keep six honest serving-men..." - Rudyard Kipling
Initial meeting
Use the 'five W's and an H' to start your
questioning.
You should then be able to expand and dig
deeper.
Based on article 'Using Questions to Design Software Test Plans' By Karen

34. Questions to capture information
- Example: Under what circumstances?
What is the exception?
Q. What school textbooks does the site sell?
A. The list of available school textbooks is
updated before each
semester begins.
Test ideas springing from this question might
look like this:
What if a book is sold out?

35. Thank you
Tony Bruce Consulting Ltd
tony.bruce@tonybruceconsulting.co.uk
dancedwiththetester.blogspot.co.uk
@tonybruce77
Associate with Equal Experts Ltd
tbruce@equalexperts.com
Tony Bruce Consulting