Lean Facilitation Questions

Questions that help provide better opportunities to learn.

Created by Tom Curtis 2011Blog: www.onimproving.blogspot.comPresentations: on www.slideshare.net/onimproving Email: ideamerchants@gmail.comTwitter: @onimproving

Facilitating Questions asked in trust and with respect,will learning and growth through their answers direct.

“What is the value as defined by the customer?” sets the stage for

assessment of activities as to whether they are waste or value-added. This provides the chance to identify kaizen opportunities.

What is value as defined by the customer?

What do we know?

“What do we know?” helps clarify what we still need to

research. It is also a measure of who far we are along in

gathering the information we need.

Who does this impact?

“Who does this impact?” forces us to think beyond ourselves and our

interests. This helps to protect against local optimization at the

expense of the whole.

Why?

“Why?” drives thinking and allows room for explanation. When asked respectfully it

facilitates learning and growth. It can provided a path to

finding root cause.

How do we know?

“How do we know?” helps us bring to light what we our

theories are. This allows us to assess how we and others are

thinking and look for improvement.

Really?

“Really?” is a challenge question. It must be asked

respectfully, but can help unveil hidden factory and get to what

is really happening.

What do we expect?

“What do we expect?” allows us to learn from our

predictions and to test our assumptions. This question requires everyone to have a position, which allow us to better facilitate learning.

What do you see?

“What do you see?” allows us to do two things. One, assess what is being seen and two,

allow others to share and find their voice and new

perspectives.

Therefore what?

“Therefore what?” is a question to help prompt further thinking

and to find application. Sometimes we need to help

thinking move to a deeper level.

What would ideal look like?

“What would the ideal look like?” can expand what is

thought possible and many times we can incorporate

aspects of the ideal state into the future state.

What can we learn?

“What can we learn?” can be the basis of reflection and

learning from what we have tried, experienced, or seen. If we do not practice we miss out

on valuable lessons and insights.