Why a well-framed question makes all the difference
Why a well-framed question makes all the difference
A challenge question is a succinct question that sets the collaboration's direction, considering the broader issue being solved while using a language that translates across disciplines. If written with all of this in mind, it can bring a wealth of benefits, ensuring your project and its collaborators work efficiently and effectively.
The groundwork of any successful challenge-led data project lies in how well a challenge question is framed and this is why ‘framing the question’ forms an important stage of our Service Catalogue.
Before we discuss our learnings on framing, you can find some examples of our current and past challenge questions here.
Framing the right challenge question can be the make or break of your project. It sets the tone as you and your collaboration team as they endeavour to solve often complex problems by driving impactful research and ensuring actionable outcomes.
A well-defined challenge question helps:
Set clear objectives
It can pinpoint the project scope, making sure that collective efforts are directed towards specific outcomes.
Drive actionable results
The more precise your question, the easier it is to translate findings into practical solutions that can benefit your intended end users and the specific communities you want to enrich through data. This also means that the collaboration team does not waste time and resources on irrelevant actions.
Facilitate communication and avoid misunderstanding
When everyone understands the question being addressed, you can foster better collaboration, eliminate potential ambiguity and ensure all efforts are aligned to a common goal.
Enable effective monitoring and evaluation
It helps set the stage for developing key performance indicators (KPIs) and other metrics that help assess whether your project is on the right track.
Prevent scope creep
In any data project, there’s a risk of scope creep, where the project expands outside its original objectives. A good challenge question will act as a reference point, preventing activities from straying from the original purpose.
Encourage innovation
A well-defined question can inspire creative thinking and innovation, potentially promoting novel solutions.
How to use your challenge question to attract the best-suited collaborators
On top of all the benefits above, from our experience of facilitating numerous data collaborations, the primary need for a well-framed question is to attract your future project collaborators.
A clear and compelling question, written in a way that resonates with the preferred experts and partners will help you connect with the right people to solve your data challenge.
You should articulate the question in a way that aligns with their expertise, interests and values. The wording should signal to prospective collaborators that you have a clear understanding of the problem and its complexities, as well as the true value that their particular expertise can bring to the project. This is why we advise that this is a collaborative process, between facilitators, the challenge owners and any other key stakeholders.
Ideally, your challenge question will be framed in a way that demonstrates an understanding that their skills and knowledge will be put to effective use in a focused and meaningful way. You will want to attract individuals who share your values too. In the case of the Data for Children Collaborative, we will look to connect with collaborators who are motivated by the prospect of making a real difference in children’s lives.
What should I include?
As with many elements of a project, your answer may depend on the type of data collaboration project you want to carry out. You’ll need to consider things such as how many transdisciplinary experts you wish to connect with, the scale of the project and whether it spans countries and will require some culture-specific consideration.
There are however, some key elements in addition to the question itself that we would expect to see on a challenge question document before it is shared externally.
Background and detail
Provide a comprehensive overview of the context and the problem that your project aims to address, explaining why this particular challenge is significant, why now is the right time to approach it and why they may be the right person to do so. It should also incorporate your values – in the case of our work at the Data for Children Collaborative, we will always be clear that every project is centred around children and young people, and how data can be used to improve their lives.
Desired outcome
Clearly articulate what success looks like and make your specific outcomes measurable if possible.
Skills sets
Make it easy for those reading your challenge question to determine whether they would be the correct fit on this occasion. By detailing specific expertise and skills, you can attract collaborators who can fill the required roles and bring the necessary knowledge and experience to the project.
Timescales and deliverability
Outline the expected and realistic timeline for the project, including key milestones and deadlines. This will allow your potential collaborators to consider whether they can fulfil the role without scheduling conflicts, are aware of the level of commitment and can plan accordingly.
By crafting and framing your challenge question with consideration of its potential benefits and your audience of prospective collaborators, you will set the stage for effective collaboration and innovative solutions that could make a real difference.
With experience framing questions for a range of challenges and sectors, the Data for Children Collaborative can work with you to form the right question for your particular issue and help you get one step closer to transforming data into powerful solutions.
We have consolidated our learning around collaborations into a How-to-Guide offering advice and examples of how to plan and execute collaboration on a data project effectively. The How-to-Guide provides a tested toolkit of best practices, including advice on framing the question, ensuring collaboration, transparency, and a child-centred approach to solutions.