An open-ended question invites an expansive response instead of limiting someone to yes, no, or a narrowly specified answer. It helps reveal experiences, challenges, goals, and underlying problems. section 9.2.2 section 11.4.2
Use open-ended questions to:
- Understand a mentee’s aspirations, circumstances, support needs, and personal or professional challenges. section 9.2.2
- Encourage a speaker to explain the causes of a problem rather than only describing its visible symptoms. section 11.4.2
- Help clients describe how they will use software and which challenges they expect it to solve. section 8.1.1
- Support difficult performance conversations by inviting perspectives on progress, obstacles, feedback, support, and improvement. section 11.4.2
A question that opens the conversation
Instead of asking a developer whether work is going well, ask, “What challenges or obstacles do you think are affecting your performance?” Then let the person finish, give undivided attention, and respond after understanding their perspective. section 11.4.2
The question works best with active listening. Avoid interrupting, attend to the speaker’s response, and use what you learn to guide support, clarify needs, or uncover deeper issues. section 11.4.2 section 8.1.1
