Working withSubject-Matter Experts

February 2013

Larry Kunz

lkunz@sdicorp.com

About Me

• More than 30 years in Tech Comm– Software documentation– Marketing– Project management– Consulting

• Fellow, Society for Technical Communication (STC)

What We’ll Cover Today

• Who are SMEs?• What do SMEs do for me?• How can I work most

effectively with SMEs?

MorgueFile: earl53

Who are SMEs?

• Their role• Typical characteristics• The nature of their work• What their work environment is like

What SMEs Do for Us

• You need knowledge• Your SME has knowledge

• Your SME’s knowledgemight not be user-centered

• Your SME won’t always communicate well

Working Effectively with SMEs

• Building a working relationship• Preparing for your meeting (interview)• What to do during the interview• What to do after the interview• Conducting effective reviews

Building a Working Relationship

• Help the SME understand you• Know both of your roles• Set ground rules so that expectations

are aligned

Preparing

• Know the subject–Talk with your colleagues–Read up–Get whatever information you can

ahead of time–Show that you care

Preparing

• Know what you need• Know who is the right SME is

He or she is the one who:–Knows the subject well–Explains things well–Has the right amount of authority

• Food never hurts

The Interview

• Be on time• Get to the point

– Don’t waste time– But let the SME set the pace

• Be interested• Ask questions to clarify

– “What if” – from a user’s point of view– Validate your assumptions

Working cross-culturally

• When meeting with your SME:– Err on the side of formality– Speak slowly and clearly

• Also consider:– Time– Personal/business life– Holidays– Loyalty

After the Interview

• Thank the SME for his or her time• Identify other SMEs for additional

information• Agree on how to handle follow-up

questions• Mention the next step

Conducting Reviews

Common problems:• SMEs say they’re too busy• SMEs are hard to reach• SMEs comment on the wrong things• SMEs’ comments aren’t helpful

Where did you get this? Does it really work this way?No!

???

Conducting Reviews

Help SMEs by:• Stating clearly what they need to review• Scheduling online reviews • Changing the culture

Try holding reviews that are:• More focused• More frequent• Less formal

Summary

To work effectively with SMEs:• Prepare, prepare, prepare• Respect them as professionals…

…and as people• Know what you require• Always make expectations clear

Some Final Thoughts

• Never give the SME a reason to think that:– Your work is insignificant– You are insignificant

• You might be the only person who has the whole story