Why does this work?
Asking short, clear questions is a skill; it's a bit like juggling only not so physical. Just because you’re smart it doesn’t mean you can juggle. The same is true of examining a witness at a deposition, for example. Mastering any skill requires more than smarts: it requires deliberate practice.
To be effective, practice needs to be specific. You need to practice the skill itself. We're interested in asking better questions. So that is what you need to practice. But how?
We designed this program to prompt you to ask clear, short questions. Each question starts with a good question word: who, what, when, where, why, or how. You train yourself to avoid verbal tics like "and" or "okay" or "well" (my personal favorite). Those words distract the listener and detract from your effectiveness as a questioner.
To be effective, practice needs to be specific. You need to practice the skill itself. We're interested in asking better questions. So that is what you need to practice. But how?
We designed this program to prompt you to ask clear, short questions. Each question starts with a good question word: who, what, when, where, why, or how. You train yourself to avoid verbal tics like "and" or "okay" or "well" (my personal favorite). Those words distract the listener and detract from your effectiveness as a questioner.