With some of my clients, I go even further. Where possible, I figure out what the possible answers to my question might be and write them in a concise numbered list (with a “something else” option at the end”). Ideally, the response is a number with a little context. At the very least, it prompts a response that challenges my assumptions, which is useful too.

I started doing this because I received so many short and incomprehensible or long and incomprehensible responses that rarely included the information I asked for.

In marketing world a common way of ensuring good communication is the client will write a brief of what they want, then the agency will reply with a 'response to brief'. Here they basically write the same thing in their words back to you.

It helps on several levels to ensure understanding is aligned vs emailing back 'I got it' and off to work.

I've also worked remotely for 15+ years. I constantly ask dumb questions. It's amazing how much comes out of the woodwork doing that. Doesn't seem to have hurt career progression either.