Open Questions
A facilitation micro-skill and deliberate practice: crafting and using open questions that generate exploration rather than close down thinking. Open questions begin with What, How, Who, Where, When — never Why (which can feel accusatory) and never closed yes/no forms. The quality of questions is the single biggest lever a facilitator has on the quality of a group's thinking.
How to run it
- 1
Before the session, prepare 5–10 open questions for each key discussion segment.
- 2
Test each question: Can it be answered yes/no? If yes, reframe it. Does it contain an assumption? Surface or remove it. Does it invite exploration or shut it down?
- 3
During the session, ask one question at a time. Wait for a full answer before asking the next.
- 4
After an answer, deepen with: 'What else?' / 'Can you say more about that?' / 'What's underneath that?'
- 5
Avoid the 'question stack' — asking three questions in a row before anyone answers.
- 6
After the session, note which questions generated the richest conversations.
Tips
Replace 'Why did you…' with 'What led you to…' or 'What was your thinking when…'.
Replace 'Don't you think…' with 'What do you think about…'.
The single most common facilitation mistake is asking closed questions at pivotal moments.
Variations
Run a 'question storming' session: generate 30 questions about a topic before answering any of them. Use question sorting: cluster questions by type (clarifying, probing, reflective, hypothetical) to design a richer conversation arc.
Where it fits
Related methods
Further reading
Frequently asked questions
When should I use Open Questions?▾
Use Open Questions when you want to: Any facilitated session; Coaching; Research interviews; 1:1 meetings; Teaching.
How long does Open Questions take?▾
Open Questions typically takes 10–30 minutes.
How many participants does Open Questions work for?▾
Open Questions works best for groups of 1–50 participants.
What materials do I need for Open Questions?▾
To run Open Questions you will need: prepared question list.
How difficult is Open Questions to facilitate?▾
Open Questions is rated beginner — straightforward to facilitate even without prior experience.
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