A Nicer Kind of Interrogation

Getting the information you need from teammates and users can be tricky.

Whether you are a designer drafting a user interface, a developer gathering requirements, or a researcher testing a prototype, the information you gather shapes the work you produce.

The first step to producing your best work is asking the right questions in the right way. In this session, we’ll take a look at which kinds of questions to ask and how to ask them to get the best answers.

Transcript

1. #nicerqs #codeher2014 ∙ @verbistheword
   A Nicer Kind of
   Interrogation
   Veronica Erb | DCWW Code(Her) Conference
   
   13 September 2014
   

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2. @verbistheword
   #nicerqs
   I’m a researcher.
   Introduction
   

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3. Activity
   @verbistheword
   #nicerqs
   Who’s here?
   Introduction
   

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4. @verbistheword
   #nicerqs
   You can ask
   questions anywhere.
   Introduction
   

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5. @verbistheword
   #nicerqs
   You can ask
   questions about
   anything.
   Introduction
   

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6. @verbistheword
   #nicerqs
   You can ask
   questions of anyone.
   Introduction
   

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7. @verbistheword
   #nicerqs
   The Answer
   Man
   Introduction
   

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8. @verbistheword
   #nicerqs
   The Question
   Woman
   Introduction
   

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9. @verbistheword
   #nicerqs
   Think of a problem
   you have right now:
   A new project
   A current project
   A troublesome person
   Introduction
   

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10. Summary
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Perspective
    Process
    Properties
    Introduction
    

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11. Section
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Perspective
    

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12. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Eek!
    Perspective
    

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13. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Gathering
    information does not
    mean agreeing with
    that information.
    Perspective
    

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14. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Humans are lonely
    creatures.
    Perspective
    

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15. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Listening to a
    person will get you
    insight you need,
    AND will help them
    think.
    Perspective
    

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16. Script
    #nicerqs
    I want to understand your
    perspective.
    Perspective
    Researcher
    Scheduling
    

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17. Script
    #nicerqs
    I understand.
    !
    That makes sense.
    Perspective
    Researcher
    Listening
    

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18. Script
    #nicerqs
    I’ll do that.
    !
    Good idea.
    Perspective
    Researcher
    Agreeing
    

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19. Script
    #nicerqs
    Thank you for talking to
    me.
    Perspective
    Researcher
    Concluding
    

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20. Goal
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Gather information
    without judgement
    Perspective
    

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21. Section
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Process
    

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22. Summary
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Prep
    Interview
    Reflect
    Act
    Process
    

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23. Section
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Prep
    What ∙ Who ∙ Where
    Process
    

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24. Subsection
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    What
    Questions: Topic ∙ Research ∙ Spoken
    Process: Prep
    

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25. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Topic Question
    Why can’t my lead
    and I agree?
    Prep: What
    

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26. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Research Questions
    Is it the process?
    Is it personal?
    Do we think
    differently?
    Prep: What
    

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27. Script
    #nicerqs
    How do you think the
    project’s going?
    !
    How could I help it go
    better?
    Prep: What
    Researcher
    Spoken Questions
    

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28. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Is it
    personal?
    !
    Is it the
    process?
    !
    Do we think
    differently?
    Prep: What
    How do you
    think the
    project’s
    going?
    !
    How could I
    help it go
    better?
    Why can’t
    my lead and
    I agree?
    Topic
    Question
    Research
    Question
    Spoken
    Question
    

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29. Subsection
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Who
    Process: Prep
    

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30. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    My teammate
    !
    My lead’s former
    teammate
    !
    My lead
    Prep: Who
    

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31. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    My teammate
    !
    My lead’s former
    teammate
    !
    My lead
    Prep: Who
    

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32. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Options:
    Gathered People
    The One on One
    Prep: Who
    

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33. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Option:
    Gathered People
    The One on One
    Prep: Who
    

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34. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    People need to
    dump their buckets.
    Prep: Who
    

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35. Subsection
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Where
    Process: Prep
    

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36. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Formal: Office
    Informal: Restaurant
    Prep: Where
    

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37. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Make it a safe
    space.
    Prep: Where
    

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38. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Make it easy for the
    interviewee to show
    up.
    Prep: Who
    

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39. Script
    #nicerqs
    Are you available for a 30
    minute or 1 hour chat?
    We can meet in person or
    remotely.
    Prep: Who
    Researcher
    Invitation
    

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40. Script
    #nicerqs
    Informational interview
    Prep: Who
    Researcher
    Key phrase
    

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41. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Prep:
    What
    Who
    Where
    Process: Prep
    

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42. Goal
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Use preparation to
    make the interview
    easier
    Process: Prep
    

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43. Section
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Interview
    Warm up ∙ Dive in ∙ Wrap up ∙ Thanks
    Process
    

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44. Script
    #nicerqs
    How was the traffic?
    Process: Interview
    Researcher
    Warm up
    

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45. Script
    #nicerqs
    [The juicy questions]
    Process: Interview
    Researcher
    Dive in
    

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46. Script
    #nicerqs
    What should we start?
    What should we stop?
    What should we continue?
    Process: Interview
    Researcher
    Wrap up
    

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47. Script
    #nicerqs
    Thank you for
    talking to me!
    Process: Interview
    Researcher
    Thanks
    

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48. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Interview:
    Warm up
    Dive in
    Wrap up
    Thanks
    Process: Interview
    

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49. Goal
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Have a way to start
    and conclude, and
    then enjoy the
    conversation
    between.
    Process: Interview
    

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50. Section
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Reflect
    Process
    

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51. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    What did I learn?
    What can I do based
    on this information?
    Process: Reflect
    

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52. Goal
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Pause between
    gathering
    information and
    acting on it.
    Process: Reflect
    

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53. Section
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Act
    Process
    

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54. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Options:
    Change behavior
    Make a request
    Ask more questions
    Process: Act
    

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55. Goal
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Make sure you use
    the information
    you’ve gathered.
    Process: Act
    

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56. Summary
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Prep
    What ∙ Who ∙ Where
    Interview
    Warm up ∙ Dive in ∙ Wrap up ∙ Thanks
    Reflect
    Act
    Process
    

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57. Section
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Properties
    

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58. Summary
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Word
    Format
    Purpose
    Frequency
    Properties
    

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59. Section
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Word
    Who can name the “question words?”
    Properties
    

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60. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Who
    What
    When
    Where
    Why
    How
    Properties: Word Options:
    

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61. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Who
    What
    When
    Where
    Why
    How
    Tell
    Properties: Word Options:
    

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62. Script
    #nicerqs
    Why did you…
    How did you decide…
    What made you…
    Tell me about…
    Properties: Word
    Researcher
    Avoiding Why
    

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63. Section
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Format
    Open-ended questions ∙ Prompts
    Cues ∙ Confirmation
    Properties
    

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64. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Open-ended
    questions
    !
    Prompts
    !
    Cues
    !
    Confirmation
    Properties: Format
    Yes or no
    questions
    !
    Stories
    Avoid: Use:
    

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65. Script
    #nicerqs
    Do you work at AARP?
    Properties: Format
    Researcher
    Yes or No
    

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66. Script
    #nicerqs
    So, I have a friend who used to work at
    AARP and she loved it, but then her
    knitting habit grew into this business. It
    started just with some scarves, and then
    hats, and then she made bags. And then,
    well, have you ever seen wet felting around
    armadillo shells? It’s absolutely beautiful,
    and is the most creative upcycling I’ve ever
    seen… But, like I was saying, how’s it at
    AARP?
    Properties: Format
    Researcher
    Story
    

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67. Script
    #nicerqs
    How did you come to
    work at AARP?
    Properties: Format
    Researcher
    Open-ended
    

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68. Script
    #nicerqs
    Tell me about working at
    AARP.
    Properties: Format
    Researcher
    Prompt
    

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69. Script
    #nicerqs
    
    Properties: Format
    Researcher
    Cue
    And then I started
    working at AARP.
    Interviewee:
    

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70. Script
    #nicerqs
    Ok, so you started at
    AARP because your
    mother’s brother’s English
    professor’s son worked
    there and recommended
    you. Is that right?
    Properties: Format
    Researcher
    Confirmation
    

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71. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Open-ended
    questions
    !
    Prompts
    !
    Cues
    !
    Confirmation
    Properties: Format
    Yes or no
    questions
    !
    Stories
    Avoid: Use:
    

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72. Activity
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Why do you use
    Sharepoint?
    !
    Properties: Question Word + Format
    Open-ended
    Prompt
    Cue
    Summary
    Who
    What
    When
    Where
    How
    Tell
    

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73. Goal
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Enable the
    interviewee to speak
    candidly.
    Properties: Word + Format
    

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74. Section
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Purpose
    Subject ∙ Clarification ∙ Depth ∙ Switch
    Properties
    

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75. Script
    #nicerqs
    Great. Now, how did you
    get into accounting?
    Purpose
    Researcher
    Subject
    

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76. Script
    #nicerqs
    Tell me more about TPS
    reports.
    Purpose
    Researcher
    Clarification
    

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77. Script
    #nicerqs
    
    Purpose
    Researcher
    Depth
    

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78. Script
    #nicerqs
    Is there anything else we
    should talk about?
    !
    Do you have any
    questions for me?
    Purpose
    Researcher
    Switch
    

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79. @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Purpose:
    Subject
    Clarification
    Depth
    Switch
    Purpose
    

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80. Goal
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Use questions to
    steer the
    conversation.
    Purpose
    

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81. Section
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Frequency
    Properties
    

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82. Goal
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Speak as little as
    possible.
    Properties: Frequency
    

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83. Summary
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Word
    Format
    Purpose
    Frequency
    Properties
    

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84. Activity
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Asking a question
    at a pitch meeting.
    Exercise
    

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85. Activity
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Pair up & introduce
    yourself.
    Exercise
    

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86. Activity
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Clients, what I want
    you to ask is on the
    next slide.
    !
    Service people,
    close your eyes!
    Exercise
    

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87. Activity
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    What time is it?
    Exercise
    

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88. Activity
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Clients, turn so you
    can’t see the screen.
    !
    Service people, the
    answer will be on
    the next slide.
    Exercise
    

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89. Activity
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    The clock in the
    room reads:
    ..: :.
    Exercise
    

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90. Activity
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Service people, how
    did you answer the
    client’s question?
    Exercise
    

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91. Goal
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Enable the
    interviewee to
    answer, “I don’t
    know.”
    Exercise
    

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92. Section
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    When you ask
    questions…
    

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93. Goal
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Perspective:
    You can ask
    questions without
    knowing (what you’ll
    do with) the
    answers.
    Conclusion
    

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94. Goal
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Process:
    Asking questions
    takes place over
    time. It requires
    patience and
    curiosity.
    Conclusion
    

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95. Goal
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Properties:
    The details of each
    spoken question will
    shape the answers
    you get.
    Conclusion
    

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96. Summary
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    Asking questions is
    brave and smart.
    Conclusion
    

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97. Summary
    @verbistheword
    #nicerqs
    When will you start?
    Conclusion
    

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98. #nicerqs #codeher2014 ∙ @verbistheword
    A Nicer Kind of
    Interrogation
    Veronica Erb | DCWW Code(Her) Conference
    
    13 September 2014
    

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99. #nicerqs #codeher2014 ∙ @verbistheword
    Thanks!
    @verbistheword
    
    veronicaerb.com
    

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