What Questioning Techniques does a Business Analyst use?
Effective questioning is a fundamental skill for Business Analysts (BAs) as it helps them effectively engage the stakeholders to gather relevant information and elicit comprehensive requirements. Effective questioning also assists with communication among stakeholders from different business divisions within an entity. Asking the right questions is not always easy. It requires curiosity, good listening skills, and (sometimes) courage.
The following are some questioning techniques commonly used by BAs.
Open-Ended Questions
These questions are open – ended questions and they typically begin with ‘Why, ‘What’ or ‘How’. These questions prompt the stakeholders to elaborate on their responses in more detail and share their perspectives. The stakeholders are encouraged to express their ideas and opinions freely. Example: “Can you please describe the challenges you are facing with the current process?”
Closed-Ended Questions
These questions usually require only a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ answer and as such, are used to either confirm details or clarify information. Example: “Is the stand-up meeting for this project scheduled daily @9AM?”
Probing Questions
These questions are asked with a purpose of eliciting a more profound answer and promote critical thinking. They dig deeper into a topic and challenge stakeholders’ assumptions. They are designed to deepen the knowledge and understanding of the person asking the question. Example: “What do you think is at the root of the problem?”
Clarifying Questions
These questions seek to ensure mutual understanding and clarity on vague or ambiguous statements. These questions help BAs avoid misinterpretations and misunderstandings. Example: “Can you please give an example?”
Reflective Questions
These questions encourage stakeholders to reflect on their experiences, opinions, or decisions. Example: “Looking back, did this project change how you look at this topic?”
Hypothetical Questions
These questions are asking questions about a situation that is not real or currently happening and are used for discussion purposes to explore potential alternative scenarios or outcomes. Hypothetical questions encourage creative thinking and consideration of alternatives. Example: “If we were to implement a solution without customizing some workflows, how do you think it would impact the solution adoption?”
Comparative Questions
These questions compare different options, approaches, or alternatives to help stakeholders evaluate their preferences, priorities, or trade-offs. Comparative questions facilitate decision-making by highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each option. Example: “How does vendor A’s proposal compare to the vendor B’s proposal in terms of cost and suitability?”
Sequential Questions
These questions guide stakeholders through a series of steps or events to gain a better understanding of a process, workflow, or sequence of activities. Sequential questions help BAs map out the flow of activities and identify dependencies or bottlenecks. Example: “Walk me through your current process from start to finish.”
In summary, these questioning techniques assist BAs in effectively engaging stakeholders and uncovering relevant information to support successful project outcomes.
