Which type of question should be prioritized for gathering requirements in meetings?

Prioritizing open-ended questions for gathering requirements in meetings is crucial because they encourage expansive dialogue and allow stakeholders to express their thoughts and feelings in more detail. This type of questioning promotes a deeper understanding of the needs, pain points, and objectives of participants, which is essential for effective requirement gathering.

Open-ended questions typically begin with "what," "how," or "why," inviting respondents to elaborate on their experiences and insights. This can lead to valuable discoveries about user needs that may not be obvious. For example, asking "What challenges do you face in the current system?" can yield rich qualitative data that closed-ended questions would not capture.

In contrast, other types of questions, such as yes/no and closed-ended questions, restrict responses to specific choices, which can limit the depth of the discussion and fail to reveal underlying issues or needs. Multiple-choice questions also funnel respondents into predefined answers, which might overlook unique perspectives or important details pertinent to the requirements being gathered. Hence, focusing on open-ended questions facilitates a more thorough exploration of the requirements and allows for a comprehensive understanding of stakeholder expectations.