For me, it depends on whether I'm just practicing reading tarot, or whether I have a situation that needs addressing. I find that the clearer the question—AND the spread itself—nearly always produces a helpful result. I don't ask a question, then throw out a bunch of cards in a random way. This doesn't produce a clear result for me. Instead, I create a spread BEFOREHAND, set up to address the separate aspects of the situation I want to address.