Crafting the right questions is crucial for making the most out of your sessions on Involved. Whether you're seeking feedback, brainstorming ideas, or sparking creativity, the questions you ask play a significant role in driving meaningful and actionable insights.

Here’s a guide to help you ask the right questions and get the insights you're looking for.

Step 1: Get Clear on What You Want (No, Seriously) 🧐

Before you start firing off questions, take a deep breath and ask yourself: “What do I really want to know?” It’s tempting to jump right into writing, but trust us, spending a little extra time here will save you a ton of headaches later.

Think about the overarching goal of your session and the specific information you're hoping to gather. Understanding the purpose of your Involved session will make it much easier to write questions that are focused and effective.

Tip:

• Reflect on the purpose and participants of your session. This helps ensure your questions are relevant and engaging for your audience.

‍

Step 2: Be Curious and Creative

Good questions are born from curiosity. Set aside your preconceived notions and approach your questions with an open mind. If you're aiming to spark creativity or encourage imaginative thinking, your questions should reflect that.

Strategies:

• Get Playful: Encourage participants to think big and bold. The more out-of-the-box your question, the more creative the answers you’ll get.
• Use Creative Prompts: Ask imaginative questions that push boundaries. “If your team was on the front page of Time magazine, what would the headline be?” unlocks so much more creative thinking than “What’s your team’s main achievement?”
  
  
• Use a Design Team 🎨: Brainstorm topics and perspectives that go beyond the obvious. Start by talking about the topic, asking them questions that tap into personal stories and unexpected insights like: "What personal experiences have shaped your view on this?" or "What would be the most surprising insights we could get from our participants?" Make sure your design team is diverse enough to represent the bigger group. Using a design team in your process is also a great way to execute a participative approach already before the Involved session is started!

‍

Step 3: Communicate Clearly

Alright, so now you’re curious and creative, but don’t forget—your participants need to understand what you’re asking. Your goal is to help participants articulate their thoughts clearly and effectively. So now we need to turn those brilliant thoughts in your head into questions that everyone else can easily get.

Communication Guidelines:

• Keep It Simple: Use language that your participants know and use. We want them to focus on their own replies, not spend time understanding your questions.
• Test It First: Test your questions on someone else to ensure they are clear and easy to understand.
• Keep a Logical Flow: Arrange your questions in a way that feels natural and logical to avoid confusion.

‍

Step 4: Find the Sweet Spot Between Broad and Specific 🎯

Here’s where things get tricky—but in a good way. You want your questions to be focused enough to get the answers you need, but open enough to allow for new ideas and perspectives. A good question allows room for surprising answers or perspectives that address your own blind spots.

Tips:

• Don’t be too narrow, or you might miss out on the blind spots and the broader insights.
• Don’t be too broad either, as this can lead to vague or unfocused responses.

‍

Step 5: Structure Like a Pro 📋

How you order your questions can greatly influence the quality of responses. Start with a question that’s easy and inviting, and end with one that makes sure you didn’t miss anything.

Best Practices:

• Warm Up: Begin with easy questions to warm up participants and get them thinking about the topic. This is especially important if it’s the first time your participants are trying Involved.
• Wrap Up: Finish with a question like, “Is there anything else on your mind?” to catch any last-minute thoughts and allow participants to share anything they might have missed.

Poll Questions:

• Polls are great, but don’t overdo it. Use them to kick things off, then dive deeper with follow-up questions. The more you understand why someone voted a certain way, the better.

Check Out These Structures for Inspiration:

• Appreciative Inquiry: Focus on what’s working and imagine an even brighter future.
• Past, Present, Future: Reflect on the past, dream about the future, and plan the present. It’s like time travel for your brain.
• Problem/Solution: Identify the challenge and brainstorm how to fix it.

‍

Step 6: Time It Right ⏱️

In Involved, participants write their own answers and then evaluate and interact with the responses of others. To ensure a smooth and thoughtful discussion, timing is key. We recommend allowing about 4-5 minutes per question. This gives participants enough time to:

• Write their initial response.
• Read through and interact with the answers from other participants.
• Add any additional thoughts that might arise after seeing different perspectives.

By giving participants ample time, you foster a richer, more engaged conversation that can lead to deeper insights.

‍

Bonus: The Participant Engagement Canvas 🎨🖌️

Ready to take your sessions to the next level with a more structured approach? Meet your new best friend—the Participant Engagement Canvas. It’s like a roadmap for your session, helping you plan everything from goals to follow-ups.

Here’s How It Works:

1. Set Your Goal: What are you dying to know?
2. Identify Stakeholders: Who needs to be in the room (or Zoom)?
3. Outline Topics and Questions: What topics will you cover and what questions will you ask?
4. Manage Time: How long do you have, and how will you make it count?
5. Follow Up: How will you communicate with participants after the session ends?

Download your customizable Canvas here 

Remember, writing good questions is both an art and a science. By following these guidelines, you’ll be well on your way to creating engaging, thought-provoking questions that inspire meaningful participation on Involved.

Happy questioning!

Download your Participant Engagement Canvas here and start creating impactful sessions on Involved today!

‍

Need a Helping Hand? We’ve Got You Covered!

Need help with a specific project? Don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re always here to think with you!

At Involved, we're specialists in crafting effective engagement strategies and designing impactful sessions. Whether you're stuck on crafting the perfect questions or need support throughout the entire process, our consultancy services are just a call or e-mail away. Let us take the guesswork out of it so you can focus on what matters most—getting the insights you need.

Ready to collaborate? Reach out to our team today!

‍