How to improve Questioning skills

 Following up on a post in The test tribe FB group - here are my toughs on improving questioning skills

First - few ground rules on questioning

• Questioning is a skill - improvable on deliberate practice
• Questioning does not mean being disrespectful to other party
• At times questioning might be taken as challenging the authority - deal with it appropriately.
• Empty your ego and false sense of "I know this stuff" - instead approach "what else I don't' know here" What else is hidden from me now.
• Frame questions and follow-ups in a way that it does not turn off or irritate other party
• One good way to start question is to describe or re-phrase the understanding in words of other person wherever possible and seek view on if your understanding is correct
• No question is silly (from the view point of the asker...:) Only unasked question is silly
• while answer is being given - listen carefully - where applicable watch body language of the responded. Do not rush or pounce on  immediately.
• Listen with an intention to understand not with an intention to answer in return
• If you question basic ideas - it will not make you less in any way or a fool
• Display courage and humility

Tips/Practice ideas

• Ask one question at a time (Courtesy : Jerry Weinberg narrated by Ajay Balamurugadsa) 
• Approach everything with "awe" and a sense of wonder.
• Approach everything with mind of "newness or not seen before"
• Develop good vocabulary and skill to say one thing in many different ways
• Be good with creating examples and analogies
• Dramatize your answers and questions
• Do a role play
• Create diagrams 
• Ask "What does *this* mean? 
• Seek meanings , interpretations and context of words
• Learn about word etymologies
• Develop understanding through responses received
• Do lots of imaginations
• Show child like curiosity
• Split words from sentences - ask "what does this mean" to every word
• ask "what id"
• Ask what are constrains or limitations here - what if these constrains are not there - for example - what if we can fly defying the gravity or what it we can walk on water
• Question universally known and understood words and ideas
• Question authority
• Do not settle for right answer - seek more broader set of responses
• Be respectful

Human relationship aspects of Questioning

• You always run into risk being perceived as arrogant, egoistic, "know all" OR completely dumb
• You are mostly likely to put people out of their comfort zone and make them feel nervous
• People may not speak to you nicely or avoid talking to you
• Understand emotional aspects

Types of Questions:

• Open Ended -  Non conclusive answers
• Specific - 
• Binary - Yes/No
• Questions to check knowledge
• Questions to understand