Warren Berger developed his inquiry skills as a journalist for The New York Times, but he first declared himself a “questionologist” with the publication of his best-selling book, A More Beautiful Question (Bloomsbury, 2014). The book illustrates how questioning has been the starting point for innovations ranging from the cell phone to Netflix to the International Red Cross. In it, Berger introduces an original framework—the “Why/What If/How” cycle of inquiry—that can be applied to all kinds of challenges and problems.
A More Beautiful Question has been embraced by organizations such as NASA, the U.S. Army, the National Science Foundation, and companies like Starbucks, Chanel, Pfizer, Oracle, Microsoft, Disney, and Pepsi. The book is also widely used in major universities across the country. Mr. Berger has conducted questioning workshops at NASA and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and he designed and hosted a filmed employee-training program on questioning for PepsiCo. He also regularly visits elementary and high schools, urging teachers to encourage more student questioning and critical thinking in the classroom.
In the fall of 2018, Berger released a follow-up book on questioning, The Book of Beautiful Questions: The Powerful Questions That Will Help You Decide, Create, Connect, and Lead. In 2020, he published Beautiful Questions in the Classroom, which offers strategies and exercises to help teachers inspire more curiosity and inquiry among their students.
Overall, Berger has authored or co-authored 10 books, including the acclaimed Glimmer, one of the first books on “design thinking.” He has appeared on NPR’s All Things Considered, CNN, and NBC’s Today Show. He also contributes regularly to Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Psychology Today, where he writes the “Questionologist” column.
His general website about questioning is www.amorebeautifulquestion.com, and his author/speaker site is www.warrenberger.com.