Practice exercise: probing questions

Probing Questions Exercise

Probing Questions are part of several protocols. They are tricky questions as people tend to ask more detailed clarifying questions or questions that pertain to what the speaker wishes to say or know, rather than questions clearly for the benefit of the presenter. 

Steps

1. The facilitator introduces the concept of probing questions. Probing Questions are meant to help the presenter think more deeply, challenge his or her assumptions or consider ways to rethink some aspect of their parenting.  Probing Questions are for the presenter, not the one asking the question.  They should be genuine questions, not judgments or advice, though sometimes ideas to consider are either implicit or explicit in the question.
2. Give all group members an index card and ask them to write a dilemma they are faced with on one side only.
3. The first person (volunteer) reads his/her card only.
4. Anyone in the group asks a clarifying question question – only two total.  The reader answers.  This is to help the difference between clarifying and probing questions.
5. Anyone in the group asks a probing question.  The reader writes it on the back of the card but does not respond.  Four more people ask a probing question and the reader writes them down, for a total of five probing questions.
6. The reader considers them and tells the group which one caused him/her to think the most deeply, was the most “probing.” 
7. The next person reads his/her dilemma and the process is repeated.  This can be repeated as many times as necessary for the group to improve their ability to ask good probing questions, or as long as time allows.
8. Debrief the process by talking about what people now understand about probing questions, and/or by reviewing the “attributes of a probing question” if that step was done.

Source: JoAnne Dowd and John D’Anieri NSRF/ 3/03