QQOQCP method: definition and concrete examples for each question

The acronym QQOQCP (C) stands for a simple and effective technique for contextual analysis of a given situation.

In a professional context, and in particular during the scoping phase of a project, it enables people to ask themselves the right questions in order to understand a particular problem and respond more effectivelythan by launching headlong into problem-solving.

It also enables teams working together to share a common vision of a situation and stay on topic.

In this article, we'll look at different use cases for the QQOQCP method and, above all, how to leverage it to achieve beneficial results for yourself and your projects. 🔥

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Definition of the QQOQCP method

QQOQCP is an acronym that stands for "Who? Who? Where? When? How? Why? "The 5 W's (Who, What, Where, When, Why) can be completed with How.

QQOQCP or QQOQCCP is a method of analysis, and a quality solution for your processes, by questioning the fundamental characteristics of a situation.

These simple questions provide you with factual elements which, once assembled, enable you to build up a universal representation :

• an event,
• an interest
• a situation,
• or context.

This method is particularly appreciated in the journalistic world for its simplicity (it's just a list of questions to remember) and the universal representation it offers of a situation.

It fully respects journalistic ethics, which aim to provide complete, objective information to all.

Why use the QQOQCP method? 6 areas of interest

Using this method enables you to approach a subject or problem from all its facets, without neglecting any aspect, and thus frame a project.

It can be used in a variety of professional situations:

• defining a project plan or action plan,
• problem solving,
• brainstorming,
• report writing,
• managing a team, or even a conflict,
• strategy development, etc.

How to use the QQOQCCP method effectively? The 7 key questions

In practice, for the method to work fully, you need to :

1. Ask all the questions, and only those that are really relevant to your problem.
2. Draw out the most significant points from the answers.
3. Implement relevant actions in relation to the significant points.

The Who?

The Who should enable you to survey all the people involved, not just one. It's possible that you have several typical customers who will be covered by these questions.

In this case, it's a good idea to draw up a table with several entries:

• Who is aware of the situation?
• Who is the customer for this product? Who will use it?
• Who is involved?
• With whom is the person associated in this context?
• On whose behalf is he or she working?
• Who will take charge of the project?

The what?

The " what" question refers to the purpose for which you are implementing this methodology. It's often the trigger:

• What's the problem?
• What product or service?
• What is the purpose of the method?
• In relation to what does the person concerned work?

Where?

The " where" question identifies the precise place or location concerned by the problem raised:

• Where is the customer when using the product?
• Where are they heading?
• Where does the problem arise?
• Where can information be found?

When?

The When refers to the moment(s) when the event(s) occurs. It can also indicate a period of time or a deadline:

• When does the customer use the product?
• When does the audience connect to my site?
• How long do we expect to sell this product?
• How soon do we need to send out the newsletter?
• At what age will they have children?

The How?

The How puts the finger on how things get done. It's often a strong element in the explanation of a situation:

• Under what conditions do customers use our product?
• How did buyers find out about us?
• How do readers prefer to access our content?
• What led them to this situation?

How much? Optional criterion

How much is enough to quantify the problem in question, and often to assess its seriousness:

• How much money is involved?
• What is the price?
• How many people visit our site each month?
• How quickly can we launch a new product?
• To what extent is the situation affecting our project?

Why?

The Why relates to the reason or trigger for the situation. It allows us to find the first elements of an answer:

• What caused the drop in sales?
• What triggered the purchase?
• Why do customers prefer version A to version B?
• Why are readers visiting our site less often?

8 examples of applying the QQOQCP method

Here are a few concrete examples that highlight the benefits of applying this method:

Customer relations

In the context of customer relations, QQOQCP enables you to put yourself in the shoes of the prospective customer, so as to offer him the right products or services at the right time. In particular, it enables you to identify :

• the target,
• their needs
• and the context that will influence their decision (budget, time constraints, etc.).

If this method is well applied, and the resulting prospecting or customer loyalty actions are well executed, then it's highly likely that you'll gain in performance with:

• a higher customer conversion rate,
• lower customer acquisition costs,
• fewer human resources allocated per customer conversion, etc.

Facilitating meetings

In the context of an internal meeting, QQOQCP enables you to draw up a vision of the subject of the meeting that will be shared by all the guests.

💡 Let's take the example of a meeting scheduled because of a drop in sales. The objective here would be to put in place actions to raise revenue.

The first step is to become aware of the situation, to share this reality so as to enter directly into the problem-solving phase without procrastinating. You'll see in this example that there's no room for unproductive intervention:

• Who: the business analyst reports information he has observed
• What: the drop in sales
• Where: 3 stores in the Paris region
• When: over the last 15 days
• How: dashboard connected to management software
• How much: €30,000
• Why: Wooden products sold less well than in the previous 15 days.

Product marketing and UX Design

Creating a product can be done without any contact with customers if you have perfect knowledge of the demand. If this isn't the case (most of the time), then you'll have to question yourself and your potential buyers in one way or another.

Using the QQOQCP method, you can find out what your target audience needs, so you can offer them a product that's far more relevant than the competition. The result: more sales and increased market share.

Marketing

In marketing, the 5 Ws method is widely used to improve the relevance of actions. It is often used when KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are disappointing. This often means that marketing actions and campaigns are ill-suited to the audience.

QQOQCP enables us to send better messages and more relevant products to more targeted people, taking into account their individual context.

Individualized marketing is a very strong trend today, driven by the collection of personal data, customer demands and legal and technical constraints to counter abusive marketing actions.

Communication

A bit like marketing, this method allows you to familiarize yourself with your target audience. It's common in this field to draw up a table with several columns for each type of target.

In this case, we speak of marketing personae (people representative of a customer segment), or buyer personae.

Journalism

As we saw above, the 5-W method has been widely used in journalism since the early 20th century in the United States. It enables the creation of informative content , as opposed to the literary content we're used to from novels, short stories and even historical accounts.

This method makes it possible to share technical, exhaustive, objective and verified information, appreciated by readers who seek information in complete confidence.

Human resources

From an internal HR perspective, this method is used to take stock of a crisis situation, for example, or of a major change in the workforce:

• collective mobility to accompany a strategic change,
• a redundancy plan,
• strong recruitment in the event of growth, etc.).

Project management

The QQOQCP method is used in project management to report on a situation to high-level project stakeholders (senior management, customer, etc.).

This method can also be used in agility as part of a pre-planning meeting, to provide a quick, regular update. In this case, the 5 Ws facilitate the dissemination of knowledge and avoid misunderstandings.

💡 To complement the use of QQOQCP in project management, discover other methods involved in the scoping phase:

[Use case] Application of the QQOQCP method in sales

The QQOQCP method is particularly useful in sales, because as in a journalistic context, the salesperson will be in direct contact with the potential customer (prospect).

In fact, the 5-W method enables him to gather exhaustive, factual information with a view to building relevant sales arguments for this particular prospect.

Put simply, the QQOQCP method maximizes your chances of selling the same product to two people who are sensitive to different arguments.

👉 For example, your company produces and sells palm trees:

▶︎ In this example, it's clear that Julie will appreciate the service you provide (delivery, installation). She has a clear idea of what she wants, but won't be able to transport and plant the palm tree by herself, and can't think of anyone else to do it. Sell her impeccable service, not a tree!

▶ ︎ In the second case, Benoît is more interested in creating perceived value at his B&B than enriching the flora in his garden. In this case, sell him the most beautiful tree and why not an accessory (warm LED lights, hammock or teak swing, white stretched). Reassure him by calculating his return on investment.

Free QQOQCP template to download

We've created a blank QQOQCP chart so you can put this tried-and-tested method to immediate use.

Download it for free and start using it straight away:

Sector-specific tools to support your thinking

The QQOQCP method is a structuring way of analyzing a situation individually or as part of a team, but it may not be the most effective tool in all circumstances. Here are the limitations of the 5-W method:

• it takes time to analyze a situation, which is not possible in a conventional business environment;
• it requires human action, and therefore the risk of misinterpretation. It cannot be automated;
• it is possible to ask the wrong questions;
• it doesn 't cover more subtle aspects, due to its rigidity and very generalized basic questions.

Here are a few tools that can help you structure your approach more effectively than a manual methodology:

5 common QQOQCP mistakes (and how to avoid them)

The QQOQCP method looks simple on paper. And yet, some mistakes can reduce its effectiveness in the field. Here are the 5 most common pitfalls... and how to avoid them:

1- Settling for vague answers

Rephrase to obtain concrete, quantified or observable facts. Examples: "Who? The marketing manager."When? Every Monday at 9 a.m."

2- Forgetting key stakeholders

Don't overlook the silent but influential stakeholder (e.g. the dev who knows the whole process but has never been consulted).
Think about doing a real "tour de table". Even if it's quick. Even if it's informal.

3- Use QQOQCP as a simple MCQ

The QQOQCP method is an analysis tool, not an administrative formality. Take the time to dig deeper. Behind each question, there may be several causes or actions to investigate.

4- Forgetting to take action

Good problem-solving is QQOQCP put into action, not just well written.

5- Believing that QQOQCP solves everything on its own

The QQOQCP method is no substitute for a real strategy or solid project management. Combine it with other tools: mind maps, SWOT, Ishikawa diagrams... Depending on your objective, the ideal solution is often multifaceted.

Complementary or alternative methods to QQOQCP

The QQOQCP method has more than one trick up its sleeve. But it's not the only one to shine when it comes to problem solving, project management or situation analysis. Here are 5 approaches that can enhance it... or replace it altogether, depending on the context.

👉 If you have multilingual or international projects, you may have heard of 5W1H. It's the English name for our beloved QQOQCCP method:
Who, What, Where, When, Why, How. Same structure, same objectives, but with a little Shakespearean twist 🎩.

👉 The Ishikawa diagram, nicknamed the "fishbone diagram" (yum), is a visual analysis tool for identifying all possible causes of a problem.
A great complement to QQOQCP when you want to dig deeper into a complex process or improve a product.

👉 SWOT analysis is a classic in project management and corporate strategy. It gets you thinking by cross-referencing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
Perfect for taking a step back, structuring information and adjusting your overall objective.

👉 The 5 Whys method is simple, straightforward and powerful. You ask the question "Why? "up to five times in a row to identify the root cause of a problem.
Redoubtable in the event of a persistent bug, recurring conflict or flawed process. Less relevant if you're looking for the big picture.

👉 Want to visualize your action plan, clarify the links between stakeholders, or structure your meeting in an engaging way? Combine the QQOQCP method with mind mapping.
You'll gain in clarity, efficiency... and you'll please your visual brain.

The QQOQCP method in a nutshell

The QQOQCP method is a simple, effective and above all proven methodology that can be used in a multitude of fields, although it is of particular interest to journalists and sales professionals.

The latter use it to maximize their chances of selling the same product to several people sensitive to different arguments, as we have seen in a concrete example.

However, the method suffers from a few limitations that can be overcome by online tools to automate the understanding of a particular situation and initiate relevant actions. 💯

See all software Project Management

FAQ - QQOQCP

What does QQOQCP stand for?

The acronym QQOQCP stands for: Who, What, Where, When, How and Why. It's a questioning method used to structure an analysis, understand a situation or lay the foundations for a project. Want clear answers? Ask the right questions.

What's the difference between QQOQCP and QQOQCCP?

Very simple: the QQOQCCP method adds a dimension to the classic version. The extra "C" stands for How much. It's an optional criterion, but very useful when you need to quantify an objective, a budget or a resource. QQOQCP for understanding. QQOQCCP for planning with numbers.

How to use QQOQCP in project management?

Project management loves QQOQCP. And it's easy to see why. You can use it right from the scoping phase to :

• structure your action plan,
• clarify roles,
• identify constraints.

Do you want to avoid vagueness and omissions? Ask the six key questions right from the start. Bonus: it saves you from chasing information... or mistakes.

What tools can I use to apply QQOQCP?

A table, a post-it note, a mind map or a good old Excel file: the choice is yours. You can also use management tools like Notion, Trello or Miro to organize your answers and visualize everything. The important thing is to make your questioning clear, shared... and actionable.

Why is QQOQCP useful in communication?

Because communication is all about clarity and relevance. With the QQOQCP method, you can :

• structure your message,
• understand your customer's needs,
• respond to a crisis without improvising,
• choose the right words, in the right place, at the right time, with the right tone.