Are you asking the right questions

Imagine that on your desk you have assembled a mass of data, reports and background information. You have been asked to write a report and make recommendations. You will need to develop your own set of expert questions and to understand what the areas of uncertainty are. You will be identifying and evaluating risks. You will provide an overview, together with a thorough appreciation of the detail. Asking the right questions will be the key to your success.

How do we identify what the key issues are? When we are first getting to grips with a new topic we can use the journalist's questions (who, what , where, when, how, why and what's the outcome?). As soon as we start studying in more depth, the expert questions become more evident. We have to critically examine the information we have, noting any limitations to that the data we have, especially its reliability. Keeping up to date is really important. We may be able to find out what the latest information is from a variety of sources, such as reading, discussions with colleagues and attending conferences. How does the new information relate to what we know already? What questions does it raise for us? At this stage, we are ensuring our breadth of thinking. Have we considered everything we should have? What gaps are there in our knowledge? What additional information do we need? Is it available? Asking questions about the information is a great way to get the thinking process going.

When you have reached the point where you have drafted your recommendations, it is time to ask more questions. Is the report about a worrying issue? If we are in a stressful situation, our thinking at the time can seem rational. However, in those situations we can overlook the obvious. We may have more choices than we think we have. If possible, try to find a disinterested person whose opinion you trust. Ask that person to read through your report. An outsider may well notice something that has been missed. Another tip is to make sure that you have considered emotions. Are they included in your thinking? How are people likely to react to your report? A good way to check you have thought of everything is to use the thinking processes described in Six Thinking Hats, by Edward De Bono. I know from experience how easy it is to miss something important, particularly in a stressful situation. It can be a hard lesson to learn. Allow some time for this stage. It is important

Think carefully about your audience before you deliver your report. You not only have to evaluate the information and the recommendations you are making, but you need to think about the effect on the people reading the report. You need to make sure you take them with you through the points you make. Repeat important points and restate them, to ensure that they are clear and easy to understand. If you can, ask people you trust to read your draft. Learn from the responses of your audience. Did they follow you closely? Or did you get too far ahead of the parade?

Of course, once your report is published, you will discover the answer to that final question: ' Was I successful in what I set out to achieve? '

Anne Jones, April 2011