The Open / Easy / Moving Checklist
Use this checklist to evaluate every question prompt you design. A strong prompt meets all three qualities.
| Quality | Definition | Good Example | Bad Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Invites personal stories rather than yes/no answers | "Tell us about a time you felt supported by your community." | "Do you feel supported by your community?" |
| Easy | Uses plain, everyday language anyone can understand | "What does home mean to you?" | "How do you conceptualize the notion of domicile?" |
| Moving | Encourages reflection and emotional depth | "What moment changed how you see your neighborhood?" | "What are some facts about your neighborhood?" |
Universal Prompt Stems
There prompt stems lend themselves to creating open, easy, and moving prompts.
| Journey | Imagination | Classic |
|---|---|---|
| "Tell us about a time when..." | "Imagine a future where..." | "What does ___ mean to you?" |
| "Can you walk us through a moment when..." | "If you could change one thing about..." | "How has ___ shaped your life?" |
| "What was it like when..." | "Picture a world in which..." | "What comes to mind when you think of ___?" |
Example: Climate Change
Start with a broad curiosity, then apply each question form.
| Step | Prompt |
|---|---|
| Broad Curiosity | How do people in this community experience climate change? |
| Journey Form | "Tell us about a time when the weather or environment affected your daily life." |
| Imagination Form | "Imagine a future where your community has fully adapted to climate change. What does that look like?" |
| Classic Form | "What does climate change mean to you and your family?" |
O/E/M Check: Each prompt above is Open (invites stories, not yes/no), Easy (plain language), and Moving (encourages reflection on personal experience).
Want to go deeper? Watch the learning path "Designing Your Conversations" for the complete framework, step-by-step walkthroughs of each question form, and the journey from curiosity to clarity.