Guiding others to better data questions

Helping colleagues improve their data questioning skills requires tactful guidance rather than direct correction. By modeling effective questioning and gently redirecting discussions, you can elevate the analytical capabilities of your entire team.

Effective techniques for guiding better data questions include:

• Using the Socratic method of asking questions to encourage thinking: "That's interesting. What might be influencing this trend?"
• Reframing vague questions: "When you ask about 'user engagement,' which specific behaviors are most important to understand?"
• Suggesting structure: "Let's first establish what we know about the context before diving into the numbers"
• Introducing alternative hypotheses: "Could there be other explanations for what we're seeing here?"