‘What would YOU Call This Talk?’ And Other Powerful Questions

Do you know how to ask questions? We all do, right? All kids go through a “why” phase. Can you remember yours? Or you kid’s? If you were a kid right now, how exactly would you ask one more question, to an adult that had one too many already, in order to get a real answer? And did you realize we used 4 different types of questions in this first paragraph? Each had a different purpose...

Let it be in a mob, while pair programming or just in a team working with other human beings, good questions are paramount. Asking a misguided or inaccurate question can lead you down the wrong rabbit hole... or destroy the energy of your mob altogether. In other words, if you can’t communicate clearly, you’re toast.

So start thinking about the questions you ask. Experience the “Question Formulation Technique” exercise. Experiment with different question forms and become an interrogation expert. That's the plan of this interactive Talk.

Transcript

1. this workshop? How would YOU call MATHEMA Software GmbH @timothep Timothée Bourguignon timbourguignon.fr OOP Conference – Jan 2019
2. What is the price of misunderstandings? @timothep – mathema.de Mars Attack! - 1996 – Warner Bros https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMdC45S79uQ&t
3. The wrong questions Liar, Liar – 1997 – Universal Pictures https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNLpPbmB8go @timothep – mathema.de
4. Objection, your honor „Objection, Your Honor“ – 2017 – Studio C https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lPaVReNIVI&t @timothep – mathema.de
5. Reasons to object The question is… @timothep – mathema.de Ambiguous Too general Hearsay Speculative Leading …
6. Why is it important @timothep – mathema.de for us?
7. Formulation Exercise rightquestion.org Question Technique @timothep – mathema.de
8. Everyone can ask Focus statement: questions! @timothep – mathema.de
9. Rules 1. Work in pairs 2. Write down questions related to the statement 3. Don’t stop to discuss/judge/answer the questions 4. Change any statement into a question Timebox: 5 min @timothep – mathema.de „Everyone can ask questions“
10. Todo 1. Mark the open-ended questions with an “O” 2. Mark the closed-ended questions with a “C” 3. Change one questions from each type to the other Timebox: 3 min @timothep – mathema.de „Everyone can ask questions“
11. Discuss 1. What did you observe? 2. What use for open-ended questions? 3. When use for closed-ended questions? @timothep – mathema.de „Everyone can ask questions“
12. It‘s time for question theory
13. • Open/Closed • Rhetorical • Leading • Loaded * • Probing • Funneling • Provocative rider * * beware Question theory @timothep – mathema.de
14. • Learning • Relationship building • Managing and coaching • Avoiding misunderstanding • De-fusing heated situation • Persuading people Question theory @timothep – mathema.de
15. Play Role
16. Investigation Exercise Architecture Exercise @timothep – mathema.de
17. 1. Form in groups of 4 persons 2. Pick a role • 1 Expert • 1 Inquirer • 2 Observers Role Play Setup @timothep – mathema.de
18. 1. As the expert, I want to explain a piece of software architecture 2. As the inquirer, I ask question to the expert to understand the system 3. As the expert, I just answer to the question asked 4. As the observer, I write down all my observations related to the questioning, so that we can discuss about it later Role Play @timothep – mathema.de Timebox: 5 min
19. 1. Observers, give a summary of your observations 2. All: What did you learn? Discussion Feedback Timebox: 3 min @timothep – mathema.de
20. 1. Observe the effects of your questions 2. Think about what your next question will do 3. Investigate the Lawyers’s “objection” toolbox What should you do when we’re done speaking? @timothep – mathema.de
21. Tim Bourguignon Slides: speakerdeck.com/timothep @timothep timbourguignon.fr mathema.de Sources: http://rightquestion.org http://changingminds.org/techniques/questioning https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/question- types.html Any more questions?