What's the question that changed everything for YOU?

The Question Sessions?are short interviews with professionals from around the world about the questions that changed everything for them.

I'd love to add your question to the collection. What's a question that has changed everything for you? Book your session here!

Reminder: you don't have to be a professional question-asker to submit. Questions from all lived experiences, professions, and industries are welcome.

I'm serious about that collection btw. As a customer researcher, you can imagine I've heard?a lot?of questions.

Both good and really, really bad questions.

Here's an example of a bad question!

"Would you attend/join/want/buy X?"

My heart hurts a little when I see new business owners in Facebook groups or other community spaces asking for feedback on their concept like this.?

First of all, are the people in the group you're asking actually your target audience? Some might be, but some won't be, and you won't know the difference.

Have you provided enough information for them to accurately reflect on their likelihood to buy-in? Their daily routines aren't accounted for in these questions, and there's not enough context for most people to predict their own future behaviour.

We all need validation sometimes and even putting this kind of question on the internet is a form of bravery! And maybe that's what you need right now! I'm all about that.

But asking a bad questions isn't going to get you customer understanding or get those decisions flowing

So, if you have a question, but you're not sure it's the?right?question, or that it's the question you absolutely need to be asking -- let's talk over a virtual coffee.

I'll help you craft the question that could just change everything.

??? What could go wrong????

I spoke to Emily Anderson, and that's the question right up there!???????

The question immediately got my attention, because it sounds kind of negative initially. That’s something we tend to avoid when we’re thinking and solving for our business and brand challenges.

Emily, of course, doesn’t ask her stakeholders or co-workers this question in a combative or negative way, but uses the question to really dig into the range of needs that will need to go right for specific groups of humans and their specific situations.?

We’re asking what could go wrong, so we know what needs to be right.

It was a personal experience that brought Emily to this perspective:

When my granddad died we had to downgrade all of my grandma’s services from two to one, or just stop them altogether. There was no consideration. We were getting emails with subject lines saying “We miss you!” with crying emojis. And in my brain, I want to know why no one considered this off boarding experience? For my grandma years of loyalty towards these companies was gone in an instant.

When we’re exploring and solving for our customer’s experiences, we’re often focusing on what we want, and on imagined, ideal situations that aren’t a reality for our customers.

We think about creating positive user experiences. Joyful online experiences.?

“What could go wrong?”

Wrong for your customer in their moment could be an on-brand cheery, cheeky message.

Right could mean a slightly less terrible off-brand experience on the worst day.

Imagine if a full spectrum of possibilities was taken into account when it came to Emily’s family’s experience.?

If there had been a moment of consideration that death is an actual reason that services are canceled.

Imagine that by fully considering what could go wrong across the various aspects of the offboarding experience, that leads to deciding what they wanted to go right for a grieving family.

One where a company acknowledged a grieving family and made a donation to an appropriate non-profit.

I’m constantly zooming in and zooming out and thinking about the user at the other end. What if we’re congratulating someone on missing their period but they aren’t celebrating? What if we’re saying well done for weight loss they didn’t want? We need to think more critically about all these moments.

Thanks to Emily for this amazing question and for chatting with me! Such a compassionate and inclusive question. A super actionable lens to use so we can really see our customers and their human experiences.

SPOTTED IN THE WILD: A GOOD QUESTION!

Can I play with you?

I've noticed my kids, and other kids, asking this powerful question often - and I love it!?

There is so much vulnerability, connection, and possibility contained in this simple question.

Kids are so open to noticing someone else's great idea and asking to get in on it, to follow their lead.

As adults, we don't join in as much as we should! There's an impulse for us each to create something new, rather than join someone else's initiative. We all want to be the leader, but there's so much power in collaboration, following someone else's lead, and contributing to a big idea.

It makes me of this great leadership lesson video?on the power of the first follower and second follower in any movement/initiative.

Let this be your reminder to ask to join in next time you see someone with a great idea or to simply play today - have fun out there!

In June, we're talking about the state of community research + how to dig into your community and what they need from you! ?