-35 breaks and received adequate payment, felt more appreciated for the challenging work”). Hypothesis-building is a creative process which allows new perspectives and options of action to come into light and which requires flexibility and openness of mind. 3.3. Systemic questions – a basic working tool “Systemic questions”65 constitute a core tool of systemic practice and can enrich NPM communication practice. It is a very specific way of asking questions which help to: • Discover hidden information • Understand underlying perceptions and attitudes • Identify meaningful differentiations to work with • Take the positions of others • See things in a new light • Clarify basic assumptions. Importantly, systemic questions not only generate relevant new information but also constitute an intervention as it forces interlocutors to look at issues/aspects not yet reflected upon. This effect is well documented.66 Examples67 of systemic questions that could be used in a monitoring setting are: • Circular questions: To management: “If you were in the position of staff, how would you see this situation”. To staff: If you were in the position of the prison manager, what would you change about the current prison policy? What do you think prisoners expect from staff? • “Miracle” questions: “If this problem (of work overload, etc.) magically disappeared, how would your situation look like then and how would you notice the change?” Describe the situation then. (See principle 1) 65. Schlippe/Schweitzer, 47 et seq. 66. Ibid. 67. For further examples, see ETH Zürich, ‘Systemic Questions to Guide Learning Processes of Students’ (15 May 2017) <https://www.ethz.ch/content/dam/ethz/main/eth-zurich/education/lehrentwicklung/ files_EN/Liste_SystemischeFragenCoachingLETen.pdf>; Stefan Hölscher, ‘Systemic Questions’ (Metrion Management Consulting GbR 2006). Systemic Thinking in Preventive Human Rights Monitoring