Asking Effective Questions is Critical to Success
by Tom Tiernan on October 2, 2007
in About VisualsSpeak
The key to getting the most out of the VisualsSpeak process is designing an effective question.
In the VisualsSpeak process, we create a framing question based on the desired outcome of the group or individual. Participants select photographs that have meaning for them in response to the framing question and assemble them on piece of background paper, which represents the question.
In VisualsSpeak sessions, a great deal of the planning is devoted to designing the question(s) which will create a bridge between the characteristics of the particular participants and their desired outcome. Know thy audience and their desired outcome!
We could write pages and pages about the importance of questions, but we would fall far short of a wonderful resource already available. While attending the 2007 International Facilitator’s Association conference, Christine had the pleasure and good fortune to meet Dorothy Strachan. Dorothy is an author and top level facilitator. She works with a wide variety of clients from elite athletes to non-profits.
Her book “Making Questions Work: A Guide to How and What to Ask for Facilitators, Consultants, Managers, Coaches and Educators” is a wonderful resource no matter what your profession. We highly recommend it.
It’s like a cookbook for questions. First you determine what part of a process you are trying to develop a question for, then go to that section and search through sample questions. With a little adaptation and customization, you can generate a whole session’s worth of questions very quickly.
