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Don't ask to ask, just ask (2019)

dontasktoask.com

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Re: Don't ask to ask, just ask (2019)

#111

Post by themaninthedark »

frosted-flakes wrote: post #101
bluefirebrand wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For me it's not because I want an input/output type conversation, it's because I want to maintain asynchronous conversation. If I reply "I'm fine thanks how are you" then you know I'm here and looking, you've forced me to into a synchronous conversation and now I will appear rude if I don't immediately answer your "I just have a quick question" If you just post your question upfront, I can read it and prioritize it m…

A buddy of mine does this via text message. He'll ask, "hey are you working tomorrow?", and it's 50:50 whether his next question is going to be "can you pick me up from the airport?" (forcing me to quickly reply yes even if I might not want to, because he already knows I'm not working and I don't want to seem rude—why can't he just take the train?), or "im in town, wanna hang out tonight? (sure, sounds like fun). Wis…

I think I would reply, "I'm not working but I do have some stuff going on, why what's up?"

Re: Don't ask to ask, just ask (2019)

#113

Post by topaz0 »

11235813213455 wrote: post #81

This is actually also relevant for customer support

It should be, although I have had recent experiences where I give all relevant information at the beginning of the exchange but they still ask for it piece by piece because that's what's in their script. Possibly this is because the start of the conversation is handled by a robot.

Re: Don't ask to ask, just ask (2019)

#118

Post by JoeAltmaier »

jagged-chisel wrote: post #34
bluefirebrand wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For me it's not because I want an input/output type conversation, it's because I want to maintain asynchronous conversation. If I reply "I'm fine thanks how are you" then you know I'm here and looking, you've forced me to into a synchronous conversation and now I will appear rude if I don't immediately answer your "I just have a quick question" If you just post your question upfront, I can read it and prioritize it m…

I'm the 'engineer' side of the equation. But often I need async interaction with various others. So I just combine it all in one message: Hey, Jo! I just have a quick question for when you have a moment: And leave it. I'll ping Jo again at a time interval depending on urgency - sometime this sprint? I'll remind about the message in a couple days. Need it today? I indicate that when I ask, and about 4hrs later I'll po…

This is my pet peeve. You don't have a quick question. If you did, you'd just ask it. By asking to ask, you've doubled my required response effort.

Please just ask questions. Pinging someone about a mysterious question that you'll reveal later is annoying. It certainly doesn't go on my list of things to do re: "Sometime later this sprint be sure to get back to that person who won't tell me what they want from me". It goes on the list "Ignore this person"

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