IPEC Domain/Competency 

Communication

Sub-Competency

C2 Use communication tools, techniques, and technologies to enhance team function, well-being, and outcomes.

Goals and objectives

Practice formulating and asking questions; efficiently gathering information relevant to the topic.

Materials

• None

Activity description

One participant chooses a phrase or concept. Then, other participants must guess that thought by asking no more than twenty questions. Since there is a limit to the number of questions, participants must come up with smart and thoughtful questions that quickly narrow down the options. Instructors can award each question a point value, and participants who figure out the object quickly can earn more points.

Debrief Questions

1. What types of questions were most effective in narrowing down the possibilities and identifying the answer?
2. How did your questioning strategy change as you gathered more information?
3. Were there questions that provided little useful information? What made them less effective?
4. How does asking thoughtful, targeted questions improve communication and problem-solving within a team?
5. What role does listening carefully to responses play in gathering accurate information and making decisions?
6. How can the skills practiced in this activity help you communicate more effectively with colleagues, clients, or members of other professions?

Optional Closing Reflection

What is one strategy you can use to ask more purposeful questions in future team interactions?

Extension for IPE learning experiences

Use concepts or phrases relevant to the profession.   

Source

https://teambuilding.com/blog/communication-games By: Angela Robinson

Suggested Citation: CHBS IPE and IDE Council. (2026). Twenty Questions. CHBS IPE & IDE Instructional Toolkit. James Madison University.