Questions
Questions to ask at the board
The board does not produce insight on its own. Questions do. These are grouped by the step you are in, and the circular ones in the middle are the ones that make a board talk back.
One rule under all of them
Ask about the board, not about the person. "What is that distance like?" lands differently from "why are you distant from her?" The first invites looking. The second asks for a defense.
Before anything is placed
- Which system are we looking at today?
- Who belongs in it? And who belongs in it that you would rather leave out?
- What is in this that is not a person? A rule, a deadline, a history, a fear?
- If this situation had a title, what would it be?
While placing
Say very little here. If you must speak, these keep the hands moving without steering them.
- Take your time. Place it where it feels right, not where it is correct.
- Is that the distance, or is it nearly the distance?
- Which way is that one looking?
- Anyone missing?
Looking at the finished board
Describe first, in plain terms, then ask. Describing gives the client something to disagree with, which is more useful than agreement.
- What do you notice first?
- What surprised you while you were placing?
- Who has the best view of the whole thing? Who has the worst?
- Which two are closest? Is that the closeness you wanted?
- Is anyone facing away? What are they looking at instead?
- Where are you on this board, and what can you see from there?
Circular questions
A circular question asks one element about another. It is the single strongest move at a board, because it lets a client say something they would not say in their own voice.
- If she could see this board, what would she say about that distance?
- Who here would be most relieved if this changed? Who would be most unsettled?
- What would your predecessor in that role say about where you have put it?
- If the deadline could speak, what would it say to the team?
- Which figure would notice first if you moved yourself?
- Who would say this board is wrong? What would they change?
When you move something
- If this one moved here, what happens to the others?
- Who benefits from that move? Who pays for it?
- Is that better, or just different?
- What would have to be true for that position to hold for a month?
- Move the one thing you have most control over. What does that do?
Closing
- What is different between the first board and this one?
- Which change is the one you actually want?
- What is the smallest step off this board and into next week?
- What will you notice, in real life, if this is working?
- What do you want to leave here rather than take with you?
Questions to avoid
"Why is she over there?" invites a justification. "Don't you think he should be closer?" is your board, not theirs. "So what this means is..." ends the session early. If a question can be answered with yes, it is usually the wrong question.
Try it on your own situation
Free, no account, and nothing is uploaded. Place a few figures and see what the distances tell you.
