Questions play a major role in the effective facilitation of a meeting. Questions both invite participation and allow participants to look at an issue from different perspectives.

A meeting facilitator has two types of questions in his arsenal:

• Close-Ended Questions
  Generally, closed-ended questions require a one-word answer and close off further discussion. They are useful for quick ‘on/off’ types of information needs. (Example: Is it cool enough in here?)
  
  
• Open-Ended Questions
  Open-ended questions elicit a more complete response and more active participation. They usually begin with ‘what,’ ‘how,’ ‘when’ or ‘why.’ (Example: What responses can we anticipate from the changes we are making?)

When the different types of questions are used depends on both the topic, the interaction desired with the audience and the time remaining in the meeting. But an effective facilitator will use both types of questions to achieve the meeting objectives.

Directing Questions to the Group
A facilitator may direct a question to the group or to a specific individual. Both techniques are appropriate in different situations.

When you want to: