Module 2: Operational Questions

Mastering the How-To

The Operational Challenge:
Knowing what RM Compare does isn't enough - you need to know how to do it, when to do it, and what to do when things go wrong.

Today's Mission:
Become a master of "how-to" questioning that gets you:

The Promise: By the end of this module, you'll never be stuck wondering "how do I actually do this?"

Lessons

Lesson 1: The Anatomy of Operational Questions

Traditional vs. Operational Questioning:

Traditional Request:
❌ "How do I register as a Licence Centre Administrator?"
Result: Generic step-by-step list

Operational Question:
✅ "Walk me through registering as a Licence Centre Administrator for a university with 15,000 students, anticipating where I might encounter issues and what I should prepare in advance."
Result: Contextual procedure with proactive problem-solving

The Operational Difference:

Key Insight: Great operational questions get you procedures that actually work in the real world.

Lesson 2: The Six Types of Operational Questions

  1. Setup Questions
    "What do I need to have/know/prepare before I [action]?"
  2. Process Questions
    "Walk me through [process] step-by-step for [my specific context]."
  3. Troubleshooting Questions
    "What could go wrong when [doing X] and how do I fix each issue?"
  4. Quality Questions
    "How do I know I've done [action] correctly and what should I check?"
  5. Optimization Questions
    "What's the most efficient way to [accomplish task] at scale?"
  6. Support Questions
    "How do I help others successfully [complete process]?"

Master These Six: You can operationalise any complex system or procedure

Question Framework #1 - Setup Questions

The Template:
"What do I need to prepare, know, or have ready before I [specific action] in [my context]?"

Power Examples:

Before Registration:
✅ "What information, access permissions, and organizational details do I need prepared before registering as a Licence Centre Administrator for a multi-campus university?"

Before Onboarding Users:
✅ "What should I prepare before onboarding 25 new Session Creators, including communication templates, access procedures, and support materials?"

Before DataShare Setup:
✅ "What organizational approvals, technical requirements, and security considerations should I address before establishing DataShare connections with partner institutions?"

Why Setup Questions Matter:

Practice: Create a setup question for something you need to do with RM Compare

Question Framework #2 - Process Questions

The Template:
"Walk me through [specific process] step-by-step, considering [my constraints/context] and highlighting decision points."

Powerful Process Questions:

Registration Process:
✅ "Walk me through the complete Licence Centre Administrator registration process, assuming I'm doing this for the first time at a large university with strict IT security policies."

User Onboarding Process:
✅ "Take me step-by-step through onboarding Session Creators, including how to handle different user types (faculty, staff, external partners) and various technical skill levels."

Session Oversight Process:
✅ "Guide me through the process of monitoring and supporting Session Creators, from initial session creation through completion and data export."

The Process Power-Up:
Add these elements to any process question:

Practice: Transform a basic "how do I..." into a robust process question

Question Framework #3 - Troubleshooting Questions

The Template:
"What are the most common problems when [doing X], how do I diagnose each one, and what's the step-by-step solution?"

Troubleshooting Gold:

Registration Issues:
✅ "What are the most common problems people encounter when registering as Licence Centre Administrators, how do I recognize each issue, and what's the specific solution for each problem?"

User Access Problems:
✅ "When Session Creators report they can't access their accounts or create sessions, what are the likely causes ranked by frequency, and how do I systematically diagnose and resolve each one?"

DataShare Connection Failures:
✅ "What typically goes wrong when establishing DataShare connections, what error messages or symptoms indicate each problem, and what's the fastest way to resolve each issue?"

Advanced Troubleshooting:

Practice: Create a troubleshooting question for your biggest operational concern

Question Framework #4 - Quality Questions

The Template:
"How do I verify that I've successfully [completed task] and what indicators show the [process/setup] is working correctly?"

Quality Assurance Examples:

Registration Verification:
✅ "How do I confirm my Licence Centre Administrator account is fully set up and functioning, including what features I should be able to access and what my dashboard should display?"

User Onboarding Validation:
✅ "What indicators confirm that Session Creators I've onboarded can successfully access all features they need, and how do I proactively identify access issues?"

System Health Monitoring:
✅ "What should I regularly check to ensure my Licence Centre is operating optimally, and what metrics or signs indicate potential issues?"

Quality Question Boosters:

The Quality Mindset: Great administrators don't just implement - they verify and optimize

Question Framework #5 - Optimization Questions

The Template:
"What's the most efficient way to [accomplish task] when dealing with [scale/constraints], and how can I streamline this process?"

Optimization Examples:

Bulk User Management:
✅ "What's the most efficient way to onboard 100+ Session Creators across multiple departments, including how to batch communications, streamline support, and automate repetitive tasks?"

Scaled Session Oversight:
✅ "How can I effectively monitor and support dozens of active sessions simultaneously, including what to automate, what to prioritize, and how to provide proactive guidance?"

Multi-Centre Collaboration:
✅ "What's the most streamlined approach to managing DataShare relationships with multiple partner organizations while maintaining security and efficiency?"

Optimization Accelerators:

Practice: Take a process you'll do repeatedly and create an optimization question

Question Framework #6 - Support Questions

The Template:
"How do I effectively support [user type] to successfully [complete task], including common difficulties and how to provide clear guidance?"

Support Excellence Examples:

Supporting New Session Creators:
✅ "How do I provide effective support to Session Creators who are new to ACJ, including what training materials to provide, how to answer common questions, and how to troubleshoot their initial sessions?"

Helping Experienced Users:
✅ "How should I support advanced Session Creators who want to use complex features like Multi-Centre sessions, including what expertise I need and how to facilitate their success?"

Managing Support at Scale:
✅ "How can I efficiently provide support to dozens of users without becoming overwhelmed, including how to create self-service resources and identify when to escalate issues?"

Support Question Enhancers:

The Support Superpower: Great questions help you become a valued resource, not just an administrator.

Lesson 3: Hands-On Workshop - Operational Question Building

Exercise 1: Setup Mastery (8 minutes)
Choose one operational task you need to do. Write a comprehensive setup question that covers everything you need to prepare.

Exercise 2: Process Engineering (8 minutes)
Take the same task and create a detailed process question that anticipates your specific context and constraints.

Exercise 3: Troubleshooting Preparation (8 minutes)
For your chosen task, develop a troubleshooting question that covers likely problems and solutions.

Exercise 4: Quality Assurance (8 minutes)
Create a quality question that helps you verify success and identify potential issues.

Exercise 5: Support Planning (8 minutes)
Write a support question focused on helping others succeed with the same task.

Share and Refine: We'll review examples and enhance questioning techniques together.

Pro Tip: Save your best questions - they become your personal operational playbook.

Lesson 4: The Question Sequence Strategy

Powerful Technique: Chain Your Questions

The Sequential Approach:
Instead of asking one big question, create a logical sequence that builds understanding step by step.

Example Sequence for "User Onboarding":

Question 1 (Setup): "What do I need to prepare before onboarding Session Creators, including organizational information, communication templates, and access requirements?"

Question 2 (Process): "Based on my preparation, walk me through the step-by-step onboarding process for different user types in my university context."

Question 3 (Quality): "How do I verify that onboarded users can successfully access and use all necessary features?"

Question 4 (Support): "What ongoing support do new Session Creators typically need, and how can I provide it efficiently?"

Question 5 (Optimization): "How can I streamline this onboarding process for future batches of users?"

The Power: Sequential questions create comprehensive operational mastery.

Lesson 5: Advanced Operational Techniques

Level Up Your Operational Questions:

The Scenario Generator:
✅ "Create 3 different scenarios for [process] - best case, typical case, and worst case - with specific guidance for each."

The Decision Tree Builder:
✅ "Help me create a decision flowchart for [complex task] that covers all the variables I might encounter."

The Template Creator:
✅ "Generate email templates, checklists, and procedures I can reuse for [recurring task]."

The Expert Simulator:
✅ "Role-play as an experienced RM Compare administrator and guide me through [challenging situation] as if you're mentoring me."

The Risk Assessor:
✅ "Identify all the risks and potential negative outcomes of [process] and provide mitigation strategies for each."

Pro Strategy: Combine these techniques to create comprehensive operational expertise quickly

Lesson 6: Creating Your Operational Question Library

Build Your Personal Procedures Manual:

Categories to Develop:

Question Library Template:

textTask: [What you're trying to accomplish]
Context: [Your specific situation]
Setup Question: [Preparation requirements]
Process Question: [Step-by-step guidance]
Quality Question: [Verification methods]
Troubleshooting Question: [Problem resolution]
Support Question: [Helping others]

Library Maintenance:

Lesson 7: Validating Operational Responses

Ensure Your Procedures Actually Work:

Cross-Reference Strategy:

Validation Questions for Your LLM:
✅ "Can you point me to official RM Compare documentation that confirms these steps?"
✅ "Are there any steps in this process that might vary based on different licence plans?"
✅ "What parts of this procedure should I double-check with RM Compare support?"
✅ "Are there any recent updates to this process I should be aware of?"

Testing Strategy:

Lesson 8: Module 2 Integration and Mastery Path

What You've Mastered:
✅ Six types of operational questions for practical skill development
✅ Sequential questioning strategies for comprehensive understanding
✅ Advanced techniques for creating procedures and workflows
✅ Personal operational question library development
✅ Validation strategies for ensuring procedures work

Your Operational Toolkit:
📝 Question frameworks for any procedural challenge
🔧 Troubleshooting question templates
📋 Quality assurance questioning techniques
🎯 Support and scaling question strategies
📚 Personal procedures manual framework

Next Module Preview:
Module 3: Strategic Questions - Understanding Roles and Relationships

Your Assignment:
This week, use your operational questioning skills to:

  1. Master one complete RM Compare process using sequential questions
  2. Create a troubleshooting guide for one common issue
  3. Develop a quality checklist for one regular task

Come back with:

Extend Your Learning:
💡 Master Prompt: "I'm building operational expertise in RM Compare administration. Help me create a comprehensive procedural guide for [specific task] by asking me clarifying questions about my context, then providing step-by-step guidance with quality checkpoints, troubleshooting options, and optimization suggestions."

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