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When you wrote a problem statement last week, you may have encountered a lack of
information and had to ask some questions.
It is really tempting to want to start fixing a problem immediately, but the best solutions are
developed after tabling relevant questions and prudently interrogating the problem. To understand
the root cause of a problem, you need to be able to ask the right questions.
Asking effective questions is an essential step in

problem-solving.
Here are some reasons why it’s important:
1. Gain information: Effective questions help you gather specific and detailed information to
help you make better decisions and solve problems.
2. Clarify understanding: It will help gain insights into a particular subject, clarify a
misunderstanding, or challenge assumptions.
3. Foster critical thinking: Effective questions require critical thinking skills, which can help
develop analytical skills and improve your decision-making abilities.
4. Build relationships: When thoughtful questions are asked, you show interest and empathy,
which can foster a deeper understanding and connection with the team members, clients and
users.
5. Solve problems: Effective questions will help you identify a problem’s root cause and find
potential solutions.
ypes of Effective Questions
Now let’s look at four of the different kinds of questions that you can ask:
Type of Description When to use Example

question it
Converge Answers to these types of questions are When seeking to On reflecting over
usually within a very finite range of understand the entirety of the
nt acceptable accuracy. These may be at how/why things play Hamlet, what
several different levels of cognition — work were the main
comprehension, application, analysis, or reasons why
ones where the answerer makes inferences Ophelia went mad?
or conjectures based on personal
awareness, or on material read, presented
or known.
Divergent These questions allow people to explore When seeking to When considering
different avenues and create many different find alternatives current social trends
variations and alternative answers or in Europe, what
scenarios. These are the ‘what if’ questions might have
– they often require one to analyze, happened had there
evaluate, or synthesize a knowledge base not been a financial
and then project or predict different crisis in 2008?
outcomes.
Evaluative These types of questions usually require When seeking to What are the
sophisticated levels of cognitive and/or extrapolate/ make similarities and
emotional (affective) judgment. To answer connections to differences between
these types of questions, one would be other facts, X and Y?
combining multiple cognitive and affective situations contexts
processes or levels, frequently in (to understand the
comparative frameworks. Often an answer is potential
analyzed at multiple levels and from different significance of a
perspectives before the answerer arrives at given
newly synthesized information or idea/situation)
conclusions.
Provocativ One that encourages a person to reflect on To engage/wake Have you ever been
what they think/believe and potentially see it up the listener, to so happy, you felt
e in a new light. It challenges preconceived have them reflect like your heart
notions and seeks to elicit an emotional more deeply on would explode?
reaction out of the responder. Provocative their
questions often take a contrary view to answer/thinking
popular opinion. process, to tackle
a difficult problem,
to get more
creative/thoughtful
answers
Convergent questions to drive toward a specific range of answers.

Divergent questions open up unlimited avenues for responses.
Evaluative questions to encourage deep analysis to answer.
Provocative questions are designed to evoke an emotional response that may lead to deeper
reflection
o no no, please put that shovel back. All you really need right now is a research question.
A Research Question begins with a research problem – an issue someone would like to know more
about or a situation that needs to be changed or addressed. It is used to analyse and investigate a
topic and is inquisitive in nature.
A properly written question will be clear and concise and should contain the topic being studied
(purpose), the applicable variable(s), and the population.
- A variable in research refers to a person, place, thing, or phenomenon that you are trying to
measure in some way.
- A research population refers to the entire group of individuals or objects a researcher is

interested in studying. This could include people, animals, plants, or even inanimate objects such as
buildings or artefacts.
There are three main types of research questions that

you can ask:
○ Causal – Compares two or more phenomena and determines whether a relationship exists.
These are often called relationship research questions.
Example: Does the amount of calcium in the diet of elementary school children affect the
number of cavities they have per year?
○ Descriptive – Seeks to describe a phenomenon and often study “how much”, “how often”, or
“what is the change”.
Example: How often do university-aged students use go on vacation?
○ Comparative – Aims to examine the difference between two or more groups in relation to
one or more variables. The questions often begin with “What is the difference in…”.
Example: What is the difference in the average caloric intake for high school girls versus
boys?
In your simulation at Waga, we use causal, descriptive, and comparative questions to understand
VacAI’s relaunch. Our effective questions guide us towards insights and solutions that are both
convergent and divergent, evaluative and provocative. This approach prompts deep reflection and
stirs emotions, leading us to a better understanding of how to move forward with VacAI’s relaunch
Creating Hypotheses
Once you’ve narrowed down your research question to the key question you are trying to
answer, and are ready to design a study or collect data to help answer it, then you will form a
hypothesis.
What is a hypothesis, and why do I need it?
A hypothesis is important as it helps you organize and focus your research question and
design a study that can answer it. We all form hypotheses, daily but aren’t always aware of
them.
A hypothesis is a tentative prediction – a thought-out guess.
○ It is typically used when significant knowledge already exists on the subject, allowing the
prediction to be made.
○ Data is then collected, analysed, and used to support or negate the hypothesis, arriving
at a definite conclusion at the end of the research.
○ It is always written as a statement and should be developed before any data is collected.
Here are some examples of hypotheses:

● Student Life’s Move Program will decrease the number of sick days students claim.
● Consuming vitamin C supplements will reduce the incidence of the common cold in
teenagers.
● Users would use VacAI if it provides the most updated information.

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When you wrote a problem statement last week, you may have encountered a lack of

information and had to ask some questions.

Asking effective questions is an essential step in

ypes of Effective Questions

Type of Description When to use Example

Convergent questions to drive toward a specific range of answers.

- A research population refers to the entire group of individuals or objects a researcher is

There are three main types of research questions that

What is a hypothesis, and why do I need it?

A hypothesis is a tentative prediction – a thought-out guess.

Here are some examples of hypotheses:

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