The Power of Questions in Learning and Creation
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Chapter 1: The Role of Prompts in Learning
Recently, I was on the verge of finalizing my Miro board focused on product strategy, which I had constructed to encapsulate insights from renowned product managers and influential business literature. As I scanned through the collection of sticky notes, a thought struck me:
Aren't these notes essentially a series of interconnected prompts and questions?
This realization might seem obvious to many, but it wasn't until a few years ago that I fully grasped it. Over time, it became increasingly clear that the most effective theories and outcomes in creation stem from the most insightful and stimulating questions. Consider hiring interviews, where the emphasis is often placed on the importance of asking specific questions. The same applies to customer interviews—whether they are research-based, contextual, or onboarding questions—queries abound! How does the connection between theory and its practical application relate to these prompts?
As a product manager and an enthusiast for self-improvement, I consistently seek methods to enhance our collaborative efforts. This involves discovering straightforward yet impactful theories, often in the form of new frameworks for our team to implement. When I apply and experiment with these theories, the outcomes frequently align with one of the following categories.
Section 1.1: Frameworks Without Questions
These frameworks are like comprehensive theses, filled with detailed steps and elaborate descriptions. They often come across as rigid and overly formal, rarely leading to tangible or meaningful results. One of my prime examples is the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe). It’s vast, with a following that loves and loathes it. Yet, on their official site, you won't find a single question that prompts you to consider why or when you might even need it. Want to be a "Lean Enterprise"? What does that actually mean?
Section 1.2: Simplicity Can Be Misleading
Then there are those frameworks that appear straightforward but are challenging to implement effectively. Take Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), for instance. At first glance, they seem simple, but they are often misconstrued and misapplied. The common breakdown is:
An objective is a goal.
A key result is a method for measuring success.
The assumption is that this makes it easy to define and utilize these in your organization every quarter. But does it really work? Many organizations still fall into the trap of defining their goals with outdated solutions, a classic anti-pattern when using OKRs.
Chapter 2: The Magic of Questions
The first video titled "How to Make your PTCAS Essay Stand Out in 2023-24-PTCAS Essay Webinar Replay" dives into techniques that can enhance your application essay. It emphasizes the importance of unique storytelling and effective communication in standing out to admissions committees.
In a recent podcast featuring April Dunford, she provided a brilliant overview of product positioning by breaking it down into a series of questions:
- Start by identifying competitive alternatives: "Who do I need to outperform?" and "What am I positioning against?"
- List out capabilities: "What do I have that others lack?"
- Evaluate these capabilities by asking, "What value do they bring?" which typically leads to differentiating them from competitors.
- Consider the ideal target customers: "What characteristics do they have?"
- Finally, ask, "What context makes my value proposition clear to them?"
This approach illustrates how a complex topic can be simplified through a series of concise steps.
The second video titled "Goals Toolkit: How to Set & Achieve Your Goals" provides insights into setting effective goals. It outlines strategies for achieving objectives and emphasizes the importance of clear, actionable steps.
Using questions can transform the way we understand and apply frameworks. For example, when developing OKRs, consider these prompts:
- For Objectives: "What do you aim to accomplish?"
- For Key Results: "What does success look like and how can I measure it?"
To evaluate your objectives, reflect on questions like:
- Are they inspiring? What inspires us?
- Are they ambitious? What qualifies as ambitious for us?
- Are they realistic? How feasible are they within the given timeframe?
For Key Results, you might ask:
- Are they quantifiable?
- Do we have more than three?
- Are they interconnected?
Can you sense the difference?
Questions are integral to our nature and learning process. Just as children instinctively question everything, this curiosity is fundamental to our growth. The ability to pose meaningful questions is arguably one of the most essential skills we can develop in life.
Improving our capacity to formulate insightful questions can lead to richer conversations, enhanced learning experiences, and potentially even contribute to global harmony.
So, what constitutes a "good question"?
In my view, a good question provokes deep thought and generates a ripple effect of related follow-up inquiries.
Feel free to share your thoughts—does this resonate with you, or is it too abstract?