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Successfully Interviewing Your Project Customer and Gathering Project Requirements - Part VIII - Asking the Questions
December 19, 2007 | Author: PM Hut | Filed under: Project Management Best Practices, Requirements Management
Successfully Interviewing Your Project Customer and Gathering Project Requirements - Part VIII - Asking the Questions (#8 in the series Successfully Interviewing Your Project Customer and Gathering Project Requirements)
By Keith Mathis - PM Expert Live
Two of the most fundamental types of questions that are used throughout the interview process are open and closed questions. As an interviewer gathers information, he or she will switch between these two types of formats to detail a better understanding of what the customer is seeking to achieve.
Open ended questions
Open ended questions cannot be answered by yes, no, or one word answers. The value of using open ended questions is it allows the customer the opportunities to speak and tell you anything he or she desires about the problem being faced and the project which will solve it. Examples of open ended questions are:
- Describe the process you used.
- What solutions did you try?
Close ended questions
Close ended questions are direct and clear up details and anchor decisions. When using closed questions, you will notice they are much more precise, and they allow you to nail the customer down on something you do not understand. You can be very specific in making sure you understand what the customer wants. Examples of closed questions are:
- Is this something you can live with as a team?
- Are these objectives realistic?
It is clear that questions allowed the customer the opportunity to give the project manager and project team feedback. The strength of asking questions is so the customer will use his or her own words and work through the process mentally prior to the project team investing large dollars or being forced to make changes due to incorrect project objectives.
Dr. Keith Mathis, founder and CEO of The Mathis Group, specializes in Project Management, Management Leadership, and Marketing training for private businesses and government agencies of all kinds. He offers 33 Project Management courses, is a Project Management Professional, is certified by the Project Management Institute and will customize every training session to your individual company’s needs. The Mathis Group also sponsors www.pmexpertlive.com, which is a powerful project management resource with free reports, podcasts, videos, and a monthly newsletter. He also offers customized management training and coaching on any subject with prolific communication and professionalism.
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