What is a SMART question

Why is it important to ask questions?

Asking questions is a fundamental part of human interaction, serving to gather information, clarify understanding, initiate and sustain conversations, aid in problem-solving, stimulate learning and discovery, and facilitate self-reflection. It’s an essential tool for communication learning, and critical thinking, allowing us to engage with the world, acquire new knowledge, and gain insights into our own experiences

SMART Question

A SMART question is one that follows the SMART criteria which are

• Specific: The question should target a specific area for improvement.
• Measurable: It should quantify or at least suggest an indicator of progress.
• Assignable: The question should specify who will do it.
• Realistic: It should state which results can realistically be achieved, given available resources.
• Time-related: The question should specify when the result(s) can be achieved.

SMART question are offen used in goal setting, project management, and personal development to ensure clarity, track progress, assign responsibility, maintain realism, and set deadlines. It’s a tool for effective communication, learning, and critical thinking.

An example of SMART question would be

"How do I undo the most recent local commits in Git?"

Source

• Specific: it’s about undoing commits in Git
• Measurable: the most recent commits
• Assignable: anyone familiar with Git can answer
• Realistic: it’s a common scenario when using Git
• Time-related: Git is widely used in current software development

Not so SMART Question

A question that doesn’t adhere to the SMART criteria usually falls short in one or more aspects. Such questions tend to be vague, overly broad, or ambiguous, failing to provide a clear roadmap towards a solution or answer. An example of this would be

Can you help me do better?

• Not specific: what area does “better” refer to?
• Not measurable: how will “better” be quantified?
• Not assignable who is responsible for helping?