We can use clever questioning to essentially funnel the respondent’s answers – that is ask a series of questions that become more (or less) restrictive at each step, starting with open questions and ending with closed questions or vice-versa.

For example:

“Tell me about your most recent holiday.”
“What did you see while you were there?”
“Were there any good restaurants?”
“Did you try some local delicacies?”
“Did you try the Clam Chowder?”

The questions in this example become more restrictive, starting with open questions which allow for very broad answers, at each step the questions become more focused and the answers become more restrictive.

Funnelling can work the other way around, starting with closed questions and working up to more open questions.  For a counsellor or interrogator these funnelling techniques can be a very useful tactic to find out the maximum amount of information, by beginning with open questions and then working towards more closed questions.  In contrast, when meeting somebody new it is common to start by asking more closed questions and progressing to open questions as both parties relax.