This is bad enough when inflicted over the web; it’s even worse when done face-to-face! The real issue isn’t the questions themselves, but rather the delivery. Reading verbatim from a script of questions is just painful for both parties.
It feels awkward, and it is!
True story: I was listening to a recorded discovery conversation and heard the vendor rep recite a long paragraph of a question that only yielded a “no” response from the prospect. There was a brief lull when the rep wrote down the prospect’s reply. And then the vendor launched another lengthy passage in question format that resulted in another “no” answer. This went on for nearly an hour! Boring, painful, and clearly an inquisition!
This approach stifles responses that might include more “color” and nuance, and it certainly suppresses the ability to make the call a real conversation.
Hospital Analogy: How would you feel if a doctor read long, detailed questions from a thick pad of paper or a tablet, one after another after another? It would feel uncomfortable rather quickly!
Solution? Know what you need to ask or use a “prompter” document. A prompter reduces the written questions down to a word or two, or a brief word phrase. This ensures that you cover the discovery space necessary while enabling you to phrase the actual questions dynamically, using your own words. The result is a more natural delivery that spurs bidirectional, productive conversations.
This is #5 from The Dirty Dozen of Discovery Don’ts – you can find all twelve here! https://lnkd.in/evUnp8YV
You can find the full set of DO’s and DON’Ts in Doing Discovery:
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