"Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?" (5W1H)
Craft and ask relevant questions with '5W1H'. Some examples on how you can apply 5W1H to define and explore the 'theme' broadly are shown below.
Digs out definitions and provides understanding, clarity, functionalities, processes of the theme.
What is the meaning / definition of this word / phrase? e.g. 'entertainment'.
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What does ... look / feel like?
What is the process of ...?
What problems do people face with ...?
What could be the problems faced when showing ...?
What could be the frustration with ... be?
- What else is related to ...?
- (Research outline question #1/3) What do I know about ...?
- (Research outline question #2/3) What I do not know ...?
- (Research outline question #3/3) What do I need for find out about ...?
Converting to a design challenge question by asking "What if...?"
Locates the sphere of influence. The locations, the place, the space, the environment.
- Where might we find ...?
Where does ... take place?
Where else might ... take place?
Specifies the time. Past, Present and Future.
- When does ... start / stop?
- When does /does ... not happen?
- When else does ... / does not happen?
- When will the activity be considered ... and when it is not?
- Is there a good / bad time for ...?
WHO?
Focuses on Target Users / Target Groups / leading to design NEEDS.
- Who is / are involved in ...?
- Who are the people involved in ...?
- Who can / cannot be involved in ...?
- Who are the receiving end of ...?
- Who else are involved in ...?
- Leads to Design Needs analysis using P.I.E.S
Getting to the hard facts and evidence and the root cause. Seeking fine clarify.
- Why is there a need for ...?
- Why can't ... be ...?
- "5 Whys" technique: challenge assumptions and finding out root causes.
- Converting to a design challenge question by asking "Why not...?".
Questions on functionality, processes, methods, techniques.
- How does one know if he/she is being shown ...?
- How is ... done?
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How else can one show / be shown ...?
Yes or No Question
An interrogative construction that expects an answer of "yes" or "no." Contrast with wh- question.
In yes-no questions, an auxiliary verb typically appears in front of the subject--a formation called subject-auxiliary inversion (SAI).
See also:
Examples and Observations:
- Homer: Are you an angel?
Moe: Yes, Homer. All us angels wear Farrah slacks.
(The Simpsons)
- "Directing a movie is a very overrated job, we all know it. You just
have to say 'yes' or 'no.' What else do you do? Nothing. 'Maestro,
should this be red?' Yes. 'Green?' No. 'More extras?' Yes. 'More
lipstick?' No. Yes. No. Yes. No. That's directing."
(Judi Dench as Liliane La Fleur in Nine, 2009)
- Principal McGee: Are you just going to stand there all day?
Sonny: No ma'am. I mean, yes ma'am. I mean, no ma'am.
Principal McGee: Well, which is it?
Sonny: Um, no ma'am.
(Eve Arden and Michael Tucci in Grease, 1978)
TAG Question
A question added to a declarative sentence,
usually at the end, to engage the listener, verify that something has
been understood, or confirm that an action has occurred. Also known as a
question tag.
Common tags include
won't you? wasn't it? don't you? haven't you? okay? and
right?
Example :
- "To actually see inside your ear canal--it would be fascinating, wouldn't it?"
(Letter from Sonus, a hearing-aid company, quoted in The New Yorker, Mar. 24, 2003)
- "I warned you, but did you listen to me? Oh, no, you knew, didn't you? Oh, it's just a harmless little bunny, isn't it?"
(Tim in Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
- "Question tags are not independent clauses, but they do require a response, and are highly interactive. Structurally, interrogatives are abbreviated yes/no interrogatives consisting of an operator (either positive or negative) and a pronoun, which repeats the subject or substitutes for it. Question tags are attached to one of the following clause types:
- a declarative clause: It was quiet in there, wasn't it?
- an exclamative clause: How quiet it was in there, wasn't it?
- an imperative clause: Be quiet for a moment, will you?
Of these, the declarative is by far the most common."
(Angela Downing, English Grammar: A University Course. Taylor & Francis, 2006)
- Commas with a tag question
"Place a comma between a statement and the brief question that follows it when the subject
of the statement and the subject of the question is the same entity
(example 1). When they have different subjects, the statement and the
question must be punctuated as separate grammatical elements (example
2).
Examples
- George was not there, was he?
- I will never stay in that hotel again. Will you?
(David K Woodroof, Woodroof's Quotations, Commas and Other Things English. iUniverse, 2005)
From :
http://grammar.about.com/od/tz/g/tagqueterm.htm
