In a world of back-to-back video calls and digital collaboration, the quality of our conversations determines the quality of our outcomes. The dreaded silence after asking "Any questions?" is a familiar sign that the discussion has stalled. Closed questions, those that elicit simple 'yes' or 'no' answers, often stifle creativity, block understanding, and shut down dialogue before it can even begin. This is especially true for remote teams, where building connection and psychological safety requires more intentional effort.

The solution lies in mastering the art of inquiry with good open ended questions. These are powerful prompts designed not for simple answers, but to unlock deeper insights, encourage detailed explanations, and drive meaningful innovation. They invite storytelling, surface hidden assumptions, and turn passive listening into active participation. For anyone looking to improve their communication skills, learning how to use these questions is a foundational step in mastering How to Start a Conversation with Confidence in any professional setting.

This guide provides a curated collection of foundational open-ended questions, categorized for specific team interactions from brainstorming sessions to stakeholder meetings and candidate interviews. We will explore not just what to ask, but how to ask it. Each entry includes practical facilitation tips, examples of effective follow-up probes, and specific scenarios to help your team connect, create, and collaborate more effectively. You will learn how to transform routine check-ins into productive, insightful exchanges that propel your projects forward.

1. Tell me about a time when…

This classic prompt is one of the most effective and good open ended questions because it shifts the conversation from abstract hypotheticals to concrete, lived experiences. Instead of asking what someone would do, you’re asking what they did. This approach invites storytelling, which provides a much richer, more nuanced understanding of a person's skills, values, and problem-solving abilities.

By grounding the discussion in a specific past event, you get an authentic glimpse into how someone navigates challenges, collaborates with others, and learns from their experiences. It moves beyond theoretical answers to reveal actual behaviors and outcomes.

When and Why to Use It

This question is incredibly versatile, making it a cornerstone for various professional and personal conversations. It’s particularly useful when you need to assess past performance as an indicator of future success.

• Job Interviews: Use it to validate skills listed on a resume. For example, "Tell me about a time when you had to manage a tight deadline" reveals more than simply asking, "Are you good under pressure?"
• Team Retrospectives: It helps teams reflect on specific moments. A prompt like, "Tell me about a time this past sprint when you felt blocked" can surface process issues that need addressing.
• Coaching & Mentoring: Asking, "Tell me about a time when you felt completely in flow with your work," helps individuals identify their strengths and sources of motivation.

Actionable Tips for Facilitators

To get the most out of this question, a little structure goes a long way.

1. Be Specific: Frame your prompt with a clear context. Instead of a vague "Tell me about a challenge," ask, "Tell me about a time you had to persuade a stakeholder who disagreed with your approach."
2. Embrace the Silence: After you ask, give the person ample time to think. They are searching their memory for the right story. Rushing them will only lead to a surface-level answer.
3. Use Probing Follow-ups: Once they’ve shared the story, dig deeper with follow-up questions like, "What was the most difficult part of that for you?" or "What would you do differently now?" This uncovers the learning behind the experience. For a deeper dive into how to apply this technique, you can explore further examples of good open ended questions to learn more about the "Tell me about a time when…" framework.

2. What would you do if…?

This question shifts the focus from past actions to future possibilities, making it one of the most powerful good open ended questions for assessing creative problem-solving and decision-making frameworks. Instead of asking what someone did, you’re exploring how they think. This hypothetical approach reveals a person's values, thought processes, and ability to navigate ambiguity without being constrained by actual experience.

By presenting a carefully crafted scenario, you get a direct look into someone's strategic thinking and ethical compass. It pushes them beyond rehearsed answers, forcing them to apply their knowledge and principles to a novel situation in real time.

When and Why to Use It

This question is ideal for evaluating potential and foresight, especially when a candidate may not have direct experience in a specific area. It’s a staple in consulting and leadership development for its ability to reveal analytical rigor.

• Leadership Interviews: Use it to gauge strategic thinking. For example, "What would you do if a key project suddenly lost its primary sponsor?" reveals how they handle high-stakes crises.
• Creative Brainstorms: It helps unlock innovation. A prompt like, "What would you do if we had an unlimited budget for one quarter?" can generate groundbreaking ideas by removing perceived constraints.
• Stakeholder Alignment: Asking, "What would you do if customer feedback overwhelmingly contradicted our current roadmap?" helps uncover priorities and decision-making criteria within a group.

Actionable Tips for Facilitators

The quality of the scenario determines the quality of the answer.

1. Keep it Relevant: Design scenarios that are realistic and directly related to the role or challenge at hand. An abstract puzzle is less useful than a situation they might actually face.
2. Focus on the 'Why': The initial answer is just the beginning. The real insight comes from follow-up questions like, "Why did you choose that course of action?" or "What potential risks did you consider?"
3. Avoid Leading Questions: Frame the scenario neutrally to avoid hinting at a "correct" answer. Instead of "What would you do if a difficult team member was causing problems?" try, "What would you do if two high-performing team members had conflicting work styles?" Exploring how to frame these prompts is a key part of learning how to use the "What would you do if…?" method effectively.

3. How do you typically…?

While "Tell me about a time when…" focuses on a single past event, this question is one of the most effective good open ended questions for exploring recurring behaviors and default processes. It moves beyond isolated incidents to uncover a person's habits, standard operating procedures, and consistent patterns of thought and action. Instead of asking for a story, you're asking for their playbook.

This approach is powerful because it reveals how someone functions on a day-to-day basis. You get a sense of their ingrained methods, their underlying philosophies, and how they approach tasks, challenges, and collaborations over time. It provides a baseline understanding of their professional style and tendencies.

When and Why to Use It

This question is ideal for understanding consistent behavior and process, making it valuable in contexts where long-term fit and established workflows are important.

• Job Interviews: It helps assess a candidate's established work style. For instance, "How do you typically organize your workday?" reveals more about their productivity habits than asking if they are organized.
• Onboarding & Team Integration: Asking a new team member, "How do you typically handle disagreements with colleagues?" can proactively identify potential communication style differences.
• Process Improvement: In a discovery session, asking a stakeholder, "How do you typically gather feedback on a new feature?" can map out existing (and potentially inefficient) workflows.

Actionable Tips for Facilitators

To get a comprehensive picture of someone's typical approach, you need to probe beyond their initial answer.

1. Request an Example: Follow up the general question with a specific one. After they explain their typical process, ask, "Can you give me an example of the last time you did that?" This links their stated process to actual behavior.
2. Explore Exceptions: Habits aren't universal. Ask, "Is there ever a time when you approach that differently?" This uncovers their adaptability and situational awareness.
3. Uncover the 'Why': Dig into the reasoning behind their habits. Use follow-ups like, "What drives that approach for you?" or "What's the thinking behind that method?" This reveals their values and motivations. Understanding how to frame questions that probe into processes is key, and you can see more examples of how to apply the "How do you typically…?" style of inquiry for deeper insights.

4. What matters most to you about…?

This values-based prompt is one of the most insightful good open ended questions because it cuts directly to the core of what motivates a person. It bypasses surface-level preferences and uncovers the underlying principles, priorities, and drivers that guide their decisions. By asking what truly matters, you invite a conversation about purpose and meaning, revealing the "why" behind their actions.

Unlike questions about skills or experiences, this prompt explores personal and professional alignment. The answers provide a powerful lens through which to understand how someone might fit into a team culture, what kind of work will energize them, and where their deepest commitments lie. It transforms a simple conversation into a meaningful exploration of values.

When and Why to Use It

This question is incredibly effective for assessing alignment and building deeper connections. It’s ideal when you need to understand not just what a person can do, but who they are and what drives them forward.

• Hiring and Recruitment: Use it to gauge cultural fit. "What matters most to you in a work environment?" reveals whether a candidate prioritizes autonomy, collaboration, stability, or innovation.
• Career Coaching: To help individuals find purpose, ask, "What matters most to you about your long-term career success?" This helps clarify goals beyond just salary or title.
• Team Building: In a one-on-one, "What matters most to you about the work we do as a team?" can strengthen bonds and uncover shared purpose, boosting morale and focus.

Actionable Tips for Facilitators

To unlock the most authentic answers, your approach should be one of genuine curiosity.

1. Listen for Principles: Pay attention to the values embedded in their answer, such as integrity, creativity, community, or growth. These are the key motivators.
2. Ask "Why?": Once they state what matters, gently follow up with, "Why is that so important to you?" This encourages them to elaborate on the experiences and beliefs that shaped that value.
3. Explore Trade-offs: To understand their priorities, present a hypothetical choice. For example, "If you had to choose between a project that offered more creative freedom versus one with greater team collaboration, which would you lean towards?" This reveals how they weigh competing values. For more ways to connect with team values, you can find a variety of engagement questions for employees on remotesparks.com.

5. How has your thinking about… evolved?

This developmental prompt is one of the most insightful good open ended questions because it shifts the focus from a single point in time to a journey of growth. Instead of asking what someone thinks now, you invite them to narrate the evolution of their perspective. This reveals their capacity for reflection, adaptation, and learning from experience.

By asking about the "how" and "why" behind their changed views, you gain a deeper understanding of what influences their mindset. It’s a powerful way to gauge self-awareness and the ability to integrate new information and experiences into one's worldview, moving beyond static opinions to dynamic understanding.

When and Why to Use It

This question is exceptionally effective for conversations centered on growth, development, and long-term perspective. It’s ideal when you want to understand not just a person's current beliefs, but the resilience and thoughtfulness of the process that formed them.

• Career & Development Conversations: Use it to explore professional growth. For instance, "How has your thinking about what makes a great leader evolved over the past few years?"
• Mentoring Sessions: It helps a mentee reflect on their journey. "How has your thinking about our industry changed since you started?" can uncover key learning moments.
• Team Discussions: Use it to assess collective learning on a long project. A prompt like, "How has our team's thinking about this problem evolved since we first started?" encourages shared reflection.

Actionable Tips for Facilitators

To get a meaningful narrative of growth, guide the conversation thoughtfully.

1. Define a Timeframe: Anchor the question to a specific period to provide context. Ask, "How has your thinking on remote collaboration evolved since we went fully distributed?"
2. Probe for Turning Points: Encourage them to identify the catalysts for change. Follow up with, "Was there a specific project or conversation that shifted your perspective?"
3. Connect to Future Actions: Ask how this evolution influences their behavior now. A good follow-up is, "How does that new perspective affect the choices you make today?" This helps connect past learning to present action. For more ideas on how to frame these types of developmental prompts, you can explore further examples of open questions to see how they're structured.

6. What would success look like for you in…?

This forward-looking prompt is one of the most powerful and good open ended questions because it shifts the focus from current problems to a desired future state. It invites individuals to articulate their vision, goals, and personal definition of achievement, turning abstract aspirations into a tangible target. By asking someone to define success, you uncover their core motivations and values.

This approach helps align actions with intentions, making it an invaluable tool for goal-setting, performance management, and coaching. It moves beyond generic objectives to paint a vivid picture of what a person is truly working toward, fostering a sense of ownership and clarity.

When and Why to Use It

This question is incredibly effective for creating alignment and inspiring action. It’s ideal for situations where you need to establish a clear, motivating vision for the future, whether for an individual, a team, or a project.

• Performance Management: Ask, "What would success look like for you in this role over the next year?" to set meaningful, personalized performance goals that go beyond standard metrics.
• Coaching & Mentoring: Use it to help individuals clarify their personal or professional ambitions. For instance, "What would success look like for you in your business?" helps an entrepreneur define their long-term vision.
• Team Planning: Frame a new quarter or project by asking, "What would success look like for our team at the end of this project?" This aligns everyone around a shared outcome.

Actionable Tips for Facilitators

To get the most value from this question, your goal is to help the person create a detailed and compelling picture of their desired outcome.

1. Ask for Specificity: Encourage sensory details. Follow up with, "What would you see, hear, or feel if you achieved that?" This makes the vision more real and motivating.
2. Explore the Metrics: Help them quantify their vision. Ask, "How would you measure that success?" or "What milestones would tell you that you're on track?"
3. Anticipate Obstacles: Once the vision is clear, prepare for reality. A good follow-up is, "What might get in the way of achieving that success?"
4. Build Accountability: Prompt them to take immediate action. Conclude by asking, "What would be your first step toward making that a reality?" This converts the vision into a concrete plan.

7. What's one thing you wish more people understood about…?

This question is a powerful tool for uncovering hidden perspectives and deeply held beliefs. It’s one of the most insightful good open ended questions because it invites individuals to step into the role of an expert, sharing a piece of wisdom they feel is often overlooked. It moves beyond simple facts and taps into a person's unique viewpoint, passion, and accumulated experience.

By asking what someone wishes others understood, you give them a platform to articulate a core conviction or a nuanced observation. This approach fosters empathy and can quickly reveal what truly matters to a person, whether it's related to their work, their personal life, or their cultural background.

When and Why to Use It

This question is exceptionally effective for building understanding and bridging gaps in knowledge or perspective within a group. It’s ideal for situations where you want to encourage deeper, more meaningful dialogue.

• Team Building & Onboarding: Use it to help team members connect on a more personal level. Asking, "What's one thing you wish more people understood about how you like to work?" can prevent future friction and build psychological safety.
• User Research & Discovery: Frame it around a product or problem space, like, "What's one thing you wish designers understood about your daily workflow?" This uncovers critical pain points and user needs that might not surface otherwise.
• Stakeholder Alignment: During a project kickoff, ask, "What's one thing you wish the rest of the team understood about our goals for this project?" It helps surface unstated assumptions and aligns everyone around a shared vision.

Actionable Tips for Facilitators

To make this question truly effective, your role is to create a safe space for honest sharing and active listening.

1. Frame it with a Specific Context: Tailor the prompt to your goal. "What's one thing you wish more people understood about our customers?" will yield more focused answers than a generic version.
2. Listen for the Passion: The response often reveals what someone is passionate about. Acknowledge this by saying, "It sounds like this is really important to you. Can you tell me more about why?"
3. Use Probing Follow-ups: Encourage the speaker to elaborate on their initial thought. Ask questions like, "How did you come to understand this so deeply?" or "What’s an example of when this misunderstanding caused a problem?" to explore the roots of their perspective.

8. What challenges are you currently facing with…?

This problem-focused prompt is one of the most direct and good open ended questions for uncovering obstacles. It creates a safe, dedicated space for individuals to articulate their difficulties, pain points, and roadblocks without it feeling like complaining. This structured approach moves beyond venting and toward identifying specific, solvable issues.

By asking about current challenges, you show genuine interest in understanding a person's struggles and signal your willingness to help. This question validates their experience and opens the door to collaborative problem-solving, making it an essential tool for leaders, mentors, and peers who want to provide meaningful support.

When and Why to Use It

This question is highly effective for check-ins and support-oriented conversations where the goal is to identify and address friction points before they escalate. It promotes transparency and helps build a culture where it's safe to discuss difficulties.

• Coaching & 1-on-1s: Use it to guide the conversation toward growth areas. For example, "What challenges are you currently facing with delegating tasks to your new team member?" helps pinpoint specific skill gaps or process issues.
• Team Check-ins: It can surface collective roadblocks. Asking, "What challenges are we facing as a team with the current project timeline?" helps identify shared obstacles that need immediate attention.
• Mentoring: It allows a mentee to be vulnerable and seek targeted advice. A question like, "What challenges are you currently facing in your career transition?" can uncover anxieties and uncertainties that need guidance.

Actionable Tips for Facilitators

To ensure this question leads to productive outcomes rather than just a list of problems, guide the conversation carefully.

1. Normalize the Struggle: Frame the question in a way that shows challenges are normal. You might say, "This is a tough phase for any project. What challenges are you currently facing?" This reduces any fear of judgment.
2. Ask for Specifics: If the answer is vague, gently probe for more detail. Follow up with, "Can you describe a specific instance where that challenge came up this week?" This helps move from a general feeling to a concrete problem.
3. Bridge to Solutions: After they have fully described the challenge, pivot the conversation toward action. Ask follow-ups like, "What kind of support would be most helpful right now?" or "What's one small step we could take to address that?"

9. What excites you most about…?

This question is one of the most powerful and good open ended questions because it intentionally shifts the conversation's focus toward passion, energy, and intrinsic motivation. Instead of asking about skills or concerns, you’re inviting someone to share what genuinely energizes them. This approach uncovers a person's core drivers and what truly brings them joy or engagement in their work.

By framing the discussion around excitement, you tap into a positive emotional space. This provides a clear window into what someone values most, revealing the aspects of a project, role, or opportunity that connect with their personal sense of purpose and enthusiasm. It moves the conversation from the logistical to the inspirational.

When and Why to Use It

This question is incredibly effective for boosting morale, aligning roles with passions, and kicking off initiatives with positive momentum. It's particularly useful when you want to understand what will keep someone engaged for the long term.

• Project Kickoffs: Ask, "What excites you most about this project?" to build shared enthusiasm and identify which team members are naturally drawn to specific parts of the work.
• Onboarding: A prompt like, "What excites you most about joining our team?" helps a new hire connect their personal goals with the team's mission from day one.
• Career Development: During a one-on-one, asking, "Looking at the opportunities ahead, what excites you most?" can help a manager guide an employee toward work they will find deeply fulfilling.

Actionable Tips for Facilitators

To get the most value from this question, focus on creating a space where people feel comfortable sharing their genuine excitement.

1. Listen for Energy Shifts: Pay close attention to changes in their tone of voice, body language, and overall energy. When their voice lights up, you’ve found something important.
2. Ask to Deepen the Conversation: When you hear that energy, follow up with simple prompts like, "Tell me more about that," to encourage them to expand on what makes that particular aspect so compelling.
3. Connect Excitement to Action: After identifying their passion, ask a forward-looking question like, "How can we build more of that into your work?" This turns a positive feeling into a tangible plan for engagement.

10. How do you think… should approach…?

This perspective-seeking prompt is one of the most effective and good open ended questions for tapping into another person's wisdom and experience. By asking for advice on how an individual, a team, or an organization should handle a specific situation, you are inviting them to think systematically and share their strategic insights. This question validates their expertise and makes them feel valued as a knowledgeable advisor.

Instead of asking for a simple opinion, this phrasing encourages the respondent to step into the role of a problem-solver. It shifts the focus from a personal preference to a recommended course of action, revealing not just what they think but how they think. This approach builds trust and fosters a collaborative, respectful dynamic.

When and Why to Use It

This question is a powerful tool in any scenario where you want to leverage another person's unique perspective or past experience. It's particularly useful for navigating complex challenges and making well-informed decisions.

• Mentorship & Coaching: Use it to seek guidance. "How do you think I should approach this difficult conversation with my manager?" helps you learn from your mentor's experience.
• Leadership & Strategy: It empowers your team and surfaces innovative ideas. Asking, "How do you think our team should approach improving our customer onboarding process?" invites ownership and critical thinking.
• Stakeholder Alignment: It's excellent for engaging senior leaders or experienced colleagues. "Given your history with this client, how do you think we should approach the upcoming contract renewal?" shows respect for their knowledge.

Actionable Tips for Facilitators

To make this question truly effective, your delivery and follow-through are key.

1. Acknowledge Their Expertise: Frame the question by recognizing their specific experience. For example, "You’ve navigated large-scale projects before. How do you think we should approach this launch?"
2. Signal Genuine Curiosity: Your tone should convey that you truly value their input. Phrases like, "I'd really appreciate your perspective on this," can set a positive and open tone.
3. Explore the 'Why': Once they offer a suggestion, ask follow-up questions to understand their reasoning. Probes like, "What makes you believe that's the best first step?" or "What potential risks do you see with that approach?" will uncover the strategic thinking behind their advice.

10 Open-Ended Questions Comparison

Prompt	🔄 Implementation complexity	⚡ Resource / Time	⭐ Expected outcomes	📊 Ideal use cases	💡 Key tips
Tell me about a time when…	Medium — needs prompts/follow-up	Moderate — stories take time	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rich, authentic behavioral insight	Interviews, coaching, therapy, team bonding	Be specific; allow silence; model vulnerability
What would you do if…?	Low–Medium — design realistic scenarios	Low — quick to ask, may need probing	⭐⭐⭐ Reveals reasoning, priorities (hypothetical)	Leadership interviews, case exercises, brainstorming	Make scenarios realistic; probe reasoning
How do you typically…?	Low — asks about habits/patterns	Low — brief, routine answers	⭐⭐⭐ Shows consistent behavior and work style	Team fit, role assessment, process discovery	Request an example; probe exceptions
What matters most to you about…?	Medium — sensitive framing required	Low–Moderate — short but deep	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reveals values and priority trade-offs	Cultural fit, coaching, values alignment	Ask "why"; probe trade-offs; reflect back
How has your thinking about… evolved?	High — requires reflection and depth	Moderate–High — time-intensive	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Shows growth, adaptability, self-awareness	Development reviews, coaching, learning retrospectives	Ask timeframes and turning points; probe impact
What would success look like for you in…?	Medium — needs context and metrics	Moderate — may require co-definition	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Clarifies goals and measurable outcomes	Performance planning, coaching, team goal-setting	Ask for indicators, measures, obstacles
What's one thing you wish more people understood about…?	Low — invites perspective sharing	Low — quick insight but may be long	⭐⭐⭐ Unearths passion, niche insight	Thought leadership, culture discussions, interviews	Follow up "how did you learn this?"; listen actively
What challenges are you currently facing with…?	Low–Medium — needs psychological safety	Moderate — can prompt problem-solving	⭐⭐⭐ Identifies obstacles and support needs	Coaching, team check-ins, mentoring	Pair with strengths; ask for specifics and help needed
What excites you most about…?	Low — positivity-focused, easy to answer	Low — concise, energizing responses	⭐⭐⭐ Sparks engagement and intrinsic motivation	Onboarding, motivation discussions, project kickoffs	Listen for energy; ask how to increase it
How do you think… should approach…?	Medium — invites systems thinking/advice	Moderate — back-and-forth dialogue	⭐⭐⭐ Taps expertise; generates practical suggestions	Mentorship, strategic planning, leadership decisions	Position as genuine curiosity; act on advice and follow up

Putting Questions into Practice: Your Next Conversation

We've explored a powerful arsenal of ten good open ended questions, moving from the reflective "Tell me about a time when…" to the forward-looking "What excites you most about…?". Each one is a key designed to unlock a different door, whether it's uncovering user needs, aligning stakeholders, or simply getting to know a new team member on a deeper level.

But knowing these questions is only the first step. The true transformation happens when you move from passive knowledge to active practice. The difference between a team that stagnates and a team that innovates often comes down to the quality of its conversations, and high-quality conversations are built on a foundation of genuine curiosity and well-crafted inquiry.

From List to Leadership: Making Inquiry a Habit

The most significant takeaway is that mastering good open ended questions is not an academic exercise; it's a practical, learnable skill that directly impacts your team's psychological safety, creativity, and overall effectiveness. When you shift from asking closed questions that seek confirmation to open questions that invite exploration, you are signaling to your team that their unique perspectives are not just welcome, but essential.

Think of these questions as tools in your communication toolkit. You wouldn't use a hammer to turn a screw, and similarly, the context of your conversation will determine the best question to use.

• For Discovery & Empathy: Use questions like "What matters most to you about…?" to understand underlying motivations and values.
• For Brainstorming & Innovation: Deploy "What would you do if…?" to remove constraints and encourage creative, out-of-the-box thinking.
• For Alignment & Strategy: Leverage "What would success look like for you in…?" to create a shared vision and ensure everyone is pulling in the same direction.

The art is in the application. It’s about listening intently to the response and using it as a launchpad for thoughtful follow-up probes.

Your Actionable Next Steps

To avoid letting this list become just another forgotten article, commit to a small, tangible action this week. This is how new habits are formed.

1. Choose Your Question: Select just one question from the list that resonates with you or feels most relevant to an upcoming meeting. Perhaps it's asking a direct report, "What challenges are you currently facing with…?" in your next one-on-one.
2. Find a Low-Stakes Opportunity: Don't wait for a high-pressure client meeting. Try it out in an internal team check-in or a casual coffee chat. This lowers the pressure and allows you to focus on the process.
3. Observe the Outcome: Pay close attention to the response. Did the conversation go in a different direction than you expected? Did you learn something new? Did the other person seem more engaged? This small act of observation reinforces the value of the practice.

Building a culture of inquiry takes time, but it starts with individual actions. To elevate your team discussions and get truly valuable insights, consider incorporating these effective 10 Team Meeting Questions Managers Are Asking for even more inspiration. The goal is to make curiosity the default setting for your team's interactions. Ultimately, the power of a good open ended question is that it honors the complexity of people and problems, inviting the kind of nuanced, thoughtful dialogue that drives real progress.

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Ready to embed powerful questioning into your team's workflow? Bulby provides structured brainstorming and workshop templates built around the principles of effective inquiry, helping your remote team turn curiosity into concrete, innovative outcomes. Transform your next meeting from a status update into an engine for discovery with Bulby.