If You Are Nervous About Asking “Dumb” Questions, Read This…
How to ask the good questions and the importance of asking.
Hello friend! 👋
Basma here. Thank you for reading An Engineer's Echo, your weekly publication of stories to equip you with the soft and hard skills to fast-track your growth in software engineering.
Let’s get started 😊
Asking questions can be hard for some. They fear sounding dumb or unimportant.
Asking questions is crucial because:
It helps you learn more.
It opens new areas to explore.
It lets you understand different solutions.
It helps others see gaps in the problem or solution.
It shows your thought process, making others understand you better.
Let's look at the benefits of good questions and how to ask the right ones for the situation.
Some facts about the good questions
#1 Good questions don't always need others.
You can question yourself. Being curious means you're essentially questioning internally. For example, ask yourself:
How does this work?
How can I test this?
Why is this failing?
Asking yourself first is key. It lets you:
Think: Take time to reconsider the problem.
Be direct: Clarify exactly what you're asking.
Discover: You might realize a misunderstanding or oversight.
The point is, it's okay to ask yourself any "simple" questions. If you find answers, great. If not, refine your questions and then ask others.
#2 Ask all your questions early on, because later it might be too late.
Starting a new job as a software engineer always got my heart racing. At one tech company, on my first day, I asked lots of questions.
“How does this tool work?”
I’d ask in meetings, taking notes like mad. And when I started my first project, I wasn’t afraid to ask about even the most minor details. Your teammates expect this. They will be less happy if you are asking basic questions six months in.
As time went on, my questions got deeper. I’d wonder,
“Why are we doing things this way?” or “Can we make this process faster?”
It turns out that my fresh perspective, shaped by my past jobs, helped me see things differently. I could spot problems and suggest new ideas the team hadn’t considered.
And you know what? People listened. They appreciated my questions and ideas, making me feel like part of the team. Looking back, I’m glad I asked all those questions. They didn’t just help me learn — they helped me make a difference.
Ask anything that comes to mind, whether big or small, simple or complex. It’s fine not to have all the answers right away. However, as you settle in, the team might expect you to have a better grasp of the basics. This expectation usually comes sooner for senior members than junior ones. To make the most of your time:
Take notes on the tools and processes, even if there’s documentation available. Summarizing key points will help you in the long run.
Keep a record of everything, from meeting discussions to tips your peers share.
Question how the team operates, from their processes to testing methods and tools. Your fresh perspective is valuable because:
You bring in new ideas and experiences from your previous roles.
Since everything is unique to you, you’re more likely to spot things with a fresh pair of eyes.
This is your opportunity to:
Suggest improvements based on your observations.
Showcase your strengths and unique skills.
Introduce fresh ideas and viewpoints that could benefit the team.
In essence, seize the chance to make the most of your fresh start. The better you understand the team’s dynamics and systems, the more adept you’ll become at identifying issues and the less inhibited you’ll be in expressing your creativity.
#3 If you're unclear about what to ask, others will be too.
Identify what you don’t understand. It’s often hard to pinpoint the gap in your knowledge. Instead of asking broad questions like, “I don’t understand topic X,” it’s more effective to specify, “I don’t understand aspect Y of topic X.”
Being precise helps others provide clear answers.
Here’s how to do it:
Be specific: Focus on the exact more minor topic you’re confused about.
Take it step by step: Start with one question. If confusion remains, ask another, more focused question.
Make it easy for others to help: Use direct and simple language. If you’re not being understood, try rephrasing with shorter sentences.
The key is to identify and narrow down your confusion. If you don’t get it right away, pause, ask more focused questions, and rephrase as needed.
What are the “right” questions and how can we ask them?
Well, they’re the ones that:
Don’t repeat what’s already been said.
Make people want to ask even more questions.
Help find gaps or things that aren’t clear.
Explore new ideas that nobody thought of yet.
Stay on track with what’s being talked about.
To ask these kinds of questions, here’s what you can do:
Look for situations that are a bit unusual or different.
Stick to what’s being talked about without going off on tangents.
Point out things that nobody’s mentioned but might be important.
Pay close attention so you don’t ask the same question someone else already did.
Encourage others to join in by asking them what they think or if they have any ideas to add.
See? Asking the right questions isn’t rocket science. It’s just about being curious, staying focused, and keeping the conversation moving forward.
Final words and key takeaways
In wrapping up, it’s clear that asking the right questions isn’t just a skill — it’s an art form that can truly transform how teams learn, create, and innovate together. Here are the key takeaways to keep in mind:
Start Early: Don’t wait to start asking questions. Early inquiries lay the groundwork for deeper understanding and smoother integration into your team.
Be Specific: Focus your questions on specific topics. This clarity makes it easier for others to provide valuable answers and for you to grasp complex ideas.
Document Everything: Taking notes is crucial. It helps you remember answers, understand tools and processes, and prevent you from asking the same questions repeatedly.
Leverage Your Fresh Perspective: Your newness brings valuable insights. Don’t hesitate to question existing workflows or offer new ideas — your fresh perspective might uncover what others have missed.
Clarity is Key: When in doubt, ask! Clear, specific questions benefit everyone involved and lead to more productive discussions.
Encourage Dialogue: Good questions don’t just seek answers but inspire further questioning from others, fostering a culture of curiosity and continuous improvement.
Remember, the ultimate goal isn’t just to find answers, but to stimulate thought, uncover new possibilities, and lay the groundwork for ongoing learning and development.
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it, let me know by hitting the like button ❤️ to help others find it on Substack, and share it to spread the love!
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That’s it, friends, talk soon. :)
— Basma
The best thing we can do with the questions we ask is record the answers for the future.
I was surprised when I saw in the internal "Stack overflow" we have at Amazon, I saw people writing both the question and the answer.
They figured out something so they decided to share it there. It helps to have an indexable knowledge base. At some point that will come in handy for LLMs.
Thanks also for the mention, Basma!
Taking notes is crucial. If I don’t write it down, I’ll forget it. I work on many projects in parallel, so it’s easy to lose track.
I keep notes of everything I’m working on or researching in Obsidian. This creates a second brain for me that I can search instead of trying to remember.
I have plenty of information recorded so I can ask informed questions.