Running out of creative ways to spark discussion in your engineering community? Would You Rather questions are the perfect solution to engage members, encourage imaginative thinking, and build connections. Explore these ready-to-use templates and keep your community vibrant and fun.
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Would You Rather questions tap into our natural curiosity and delight in playful debate. By presenting two imaginative or challenging scenarios, these prompts inspire members to share their perspectives, preferences, and reasoning. This format encourages participation from even the quietest community members, as everyone has an opinion or a unique take to share.
For engineering communities, these questions can spark creative thinking and friendly discussions beyond technical topics. They provide a lighthearted break from problem-solving, letting members connect on shared interests and values. The approachable format lowers the barrier to entry, helping to foster a sense of belonging and camaraderie among engineers of all backgrounds.
Would you rather design an energy-efficient skyscraper or a sustainable bridge? Share your pick.
💡 Example: "I would choose the energy-efficient skyscraper because I love innovative building systems."
Would you rather work on a team building robots or developing AI software?
💡 Example: "Developing AI software sounds more interesting to me!"
Would you rather troubleshoot a hardware issue or debug complex code? Tell us why.
💡 Example: "Debugging code is my favorite challenge."
Would you rather invent a new renewable energy source or a revolutionary transport system?
💡 Example: "I would invent a new renewable energy source to help the planet."
Would you rather lead an engineering project or be the technical expert on a team?
💡 Example: "I prefer being the technical expert and diving deep."
Would you rather solve a real-world problem or win an engineering competition?
💡 Example: "Solving real-world problems is more rewarding to me."
Would you rather work in aerospace engineering or biomedical engineering? Why?
💡 Example: "Biomedical engineering sounds exciting because of its impact on health."
Would you rather design with unlimited budget but tight deadlines, or limited budget but unlimited time?
💡 Example: "I'd take unlimited time to ensure quality, even with less budget."
Would you rather automate all repetitive tasks, or make all meetings 10 minutes long?
💡 Example: "Shorter meetings would change my life!"
Would you rather have your own lab or a team of your favorite engineers?
💡 Example: "A dream team of engineers would be amazing."
Would you rather work on Mars colonization or deep-sea exploration?
💡 Example: "Mars colonization all the way!"
Would you rather code in your favorite language or learn a new one every year?
💡 Example: "Sticking with my favorite language keeps me productive."
Would you rather have perfect Wi-Fi everywhere or unlimited coffee in the office?
💡 Example: "Perfect Wi-Fi would solve so many problems."
Would you rather reverse engineer a mystery gadget or design one from scratch?
💡 Example: "Designing from scratch is more fun for me."
Would you rather present at a global engineering conference or win a patent award?
💡 Example: "Winning a patent award would be a dream come true."
Would you rather work in a startup or a large multinational engineering firm?
💡 Example: "Startups give more freedom to be creative."
Would you rather fix a critical bug overnight or deliver a perfect demo in front of your team?
💡 Example: "I'd rather deliver a perfect demo and impress everyone."
Would you rather collaborate with engineers worldwide or work closely with a local team?
💡 Example: "Global collaboration brings new perspectives."
Would you rather have a 3D printer at home or your own server farm?
💡 Example: "A 3D printer would unleash my creativity."
Would you rather build a self-driving car or a smart home from scratch?
💡 Example: "Smart homes fascinate me more than cars."
Would you rather have a robot assistant or a virtual reality workspace?
💡 Example: "A robot assistant would make life easier."
Would you rather optimize an existing system or invent a whole new one?
💡 Example: "Inventing new systems is what I live for."
Would you rather mentor junior engineers or learn from a legendary expert?
💡 Example: "Learning from an expert would level up my skills."
Would you rather attend a week-long hackathon or a week-long engineering retreat?
💡 Example: "A hackathon sounds intense but rewarding."
Would you rather build a drone that delivers packages or a robot that sorts recycling?
💡 Example: "Building a recycling robot helps the planet."
Would you rather have unlimited access to engineering courses or to the latest tools?
💡 Example: "Courses would help me keep learning and growing."
Would you rather redesign a city for sustainability or for high-tech living?
💡 Example: "Sustainability is my top priority."
Would you rather work with cutting-edge hardware or the latest software?
💡 Example: "Latest software! It's always changing."
Would you rather solve a famous engineering mystery or invent the next big thing?
💡 Example: "Inventing the next big thing sounds fun."
Would you rather have a flexible remote schedule or unlimited project funding?
💡 Example: "Unlimited funding would let me try anything."
Would you rather build a rocket or a submarine from scratch? Explain your choice.
💡 Example: "Building a rocket would be the ultimate engineering adventure."
Would you rather automate your home or your workspace?
💡 Example: "Home automation would save me time."
Would you rather read engineering history or predict future tech trends?
💡 Example: "Predicting future trends keeps things exciting."
Would you rather design a product solo or as part of a diverse team?
💡 Example: "Diverse teams lead to better solutions."
Would you rather have a mentor for your entire career or be a mentor to others?
💡 Example: "Being a mentor is very fulfilling."
Would you rather create a viral engineering video or write a top-cited paper?
💡 Example: "A top-cited paper would help my career."
Would you rather use only open-source tools or only commercial software?
💡 Example: "Open-source tools let me customize my workflow."
Would you rather build a roller coaster or a high-speed train?
💡 Example: "High-speed train for the engineering challenge."
Would you rather work on sustainable energy or space exploration?
💡 Example: "Sustainable energy will change the world."
Would you rather design for form or function? Why?
💡 Example: "Function always comes first in my designs."
Would you rather have every tool you need or every piece of knowledge at your fingertips?
💡 Example: "Knowledge beats tools for me."
To implement these templates, simply copy and paste a Would You Rather question into your community's discussion feed, chat, or group. For best results, tag relevant topics or channels and encourage members to explain their choices. Rotate questions regularly to maintain engagement. Consider using polls or reactions if your platform supports them, or ask members to comment with their pick and reasoning to deepen the conversation.
For all platforms, use clear and concise questions. Add a call-to-action to prompt responses, and leverage polls or reactions if available. Pin popular threads or highlight top responses to encourage participation across different member groups.
Customize your questions by referencing real-world scenarios and tools unique to each discipline. For example, for civil engineers, you could ask 'Would you rather design a suspension bridge or a skyscraper?' For software engineers, try 'Would you rather optimize existing code or build a new architecture from scratch?' This targeted approach increases relatability and engagement within subgroups.
Frame your questions around trending topics and ongoing challenges in the field. For instance, 'Would you rather retrofit existing machinery for energy efficiency or design a new system using renewable energy?' or 'Would you rather implement a fully automated assembly line or enhance manual processes with smart sensors?' This sparks discussion about real-world engineering dilemmas.
Include methodology-focused scenarios, such as 'Would you rather lead an Agile sprint for rapid prototyping or manage a Six Sigma project for process optimization?' This invites members to discuss their experiences, preferences, and best practices, fostering valuable peer learning.
Use questions that mention industry-standard software or platforms, such as 'Would you rather model a complex structure in AutoCAD or run simulations in ANSYS?' or 'Would you rather use MATLAB for data analysis or Python for automation?' This taps into members’ daily experiences and encourages sharing of practical tips.
Pose scenario-based questions that highlight the unique demands of each role, such as 'Would you rather troubleshoot a machine breakdown on-site or solve a design flaw in the lab?' This allows members to share perspectives from both fieldwork and design environments, fostering respect and understanding.
Create prompts that touch on classic engineering ethics dilemmas, for example, 'Would you rather select a cheaper material that meets minimum safety standards or push for a higher-cost alternative with extra safety features?' Such questions encourage thoughtful debate around real ethical decisions engineers face.
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