For example I’ll send an e-mail with 3 questions and will only get an answer to one of the questions. It’s worse when there are 2 yes/no questions with a question that is obviously not a yes/no question. Then I get a response of

Yes

back in the e-mail. So which question are they answering?

Mainly I’m asking all of you why do people insist on only answering 1 question out of an e-mail where there are multiple? Do people just not read? Are people that lazy? What is going on?

Edit at this point I’ve got the answers . Some are too lazy to actually read. Some admit they get focused on one item and forget to go back. I understand the second group. The first group yeah no excuse there.

Continuing edit: there are comments where people have tried the bullet points and they say it still doesn’t help. I might put the needed questions in red.

  • RattlerSix@lemmy.world
    612·
    7 days ago

    “Do people just not read? Are people that lazy? What is going on?”

    Not much, what is going on with you?

  • TheUniverseandNetworks@lemmy.world
    17·
    7 days ago

    Been doing email since it began. Same frustrations.

    Solutions (workarounds):

    1. Email is structured with “executive summary” & “detail”. That way I can write all the words I want but people can only read the first paragraph.
    2. Never ask questions. Tell them what I’m going to choose, & give them opportunity to disagree. That way if they don’t respond usefully I can take their “non-response” as a response & proceed anyway.
    3. If I need to ask a question, use a phone call or go to their desk, or (shudder) make a meeting.
    • ximtor@lemm.ee
      9·
      6 days ago

      I hate when i do that and they still refuse to answer more than one

      • ChapulinColorado@lemmy.world
        5·
        6 days ago

        At least now you can rely back with “can you also provide feedback for #1 & #3?”

        Repeat until all items are cleared. Not perfect, but at least you don’t have to waste time rewording a follow-up email.

  • tauren@lemm.eeEnglish
    9·
    7 days ago

    Because people choose the easiest question to answer. You can’t change people, but you can change how you communicate.

  • lightnsfw@reddthat.com
    7·
    6 days ago

    For me it’s not intentional. I get fixated on one of the questions that require more mental energy than the others and then forget to answer the rest. I have no excuses. My bad.

  • BackgrndNoize@lemmy.world
    6·
    6 days ago

    People are lazy and stupid, you can ask one question at a time or better yet setup a meeting to ask them verbally, you aren’t getting any answers otherwise

  • Blackmist@feddit.ukEnglish
    21·
    6 days ago

    If you’ve got questions, put them in bullet points.

    I’m not scanning a wall of text to find everything.

  • hightrix@lemmy.world
    32·
    7 days ago

    If you ask 10 questions and I know the answer to two of them, I’m going to answer the two and respond expecting someone else to answer the other questions.

    If they are all directed at me and I’m the only person in the TO, then I’ll answer what I can. The times I don’t answer is because I either don’t have an answer or don’t want to answer it right now.

    Instead of immediately blaming the other person, reflect upon your words. If someone sent you the same message with different but similar questions, how would you respond? Were the questions clear and concise with reasonable answers or do they need discussion? If yes/no is asked, is the question really a yes or no question?

    Remember, as busy as you are, the other person may be busier or dealing with emergencies and they are at least attempting to respond rather than just no response at all.

    • lemmyingly@lemm.ee
      2·
      7 days ago

      Do you acknowledge the questions you haven’t answered and state that you’ll respond to them at a later time or want another person to chime in?

  • Kaput@lemmy.world
    11·
    7 days ago

    Hi based on you current post,

    Why do people insist on answering only one question?

    **Do people just not read? ** I would say most people have a lot to read, especially emails, I get dozens of them daily, archive a few thousands yearly. So I will gloss over, see if it’s addressed to me, of not I will probably wait until it becomes my problem to react/reply

    Are people thatLazy? No people are busy, is this the same question as the first, out a request for alternatives causes to not reading?

    What is going on? This question is vague, I see no point in replying, except maybe an opportunity to troll, or belittle you in this email that had now accumulated 30 people over 7 departments, and possibly one or two customer that were involved a week ago when the thread was about something entirely different.

    In short, be specific, and format your message for readability. ;

    Name whoever you expect to reply. Split your questions.
    Make sure they’re actual questions you need definitive answers to.

    • yoevli@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      6 days ago

      So I will gloss over, see if it’s addressed to me, of not I will probably wait until it becomes my problem to react/reply

      Tbh I would rather have someone do this not realizing I’m expecting a reply from them than to reply only to some of it, because when the latter happens it’s usually like pulling teeth to get a response to the rest.

    • Demdaru@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      6 days ago

      Gonna be honest, always write my mails structured with listed out questions that try to be specific yet not overloaded with info (hard to do, but possible. Mostly) and yet…

      I get two answers to my three questions, with one answer even on topic, and the other being astrology divination of polar bear’s butthole position over png of africa.