Working with Subject-Matter Experts
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Best practices to help technical communicators work with subject-matter experts (SMEs) - including tips for interviewing, conducting reviews, and working cross-culturally.
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Working with Subject-Matter Experts
- 1. Working with Subject-Matter Experts February 2013 Larry Kunz lkunz@sdicorp.com
- 2. About Me • More than 30 years in Tech Comm – Software documentation – Marketing – Project management – Consulting • Fellow, Society for Technical Communication (STC)
- 3. What We’ll Cover Today • Who are SMEs? • What do SMEs do for me? • How can I work most effectively with SMEs? MorgueFile: earl53
- 4. Who are SMEs? • Their role • Typical characteristics • The nature of their work • What their work environment is like
- 5. What SMEs Do for Us • You need knowledge • Your SME has knowledge • Your SME’s knowledge might not be user-centered • Your SME won’t always communicate well
- 6. 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
- 7. Building a Working Relationship • Help the SME understand you • Know both of your roles • Set ground rules so that expectations are aligned
- 8. Preparing • Know the subject –Talk with your colleagues –Read up –Get whatever information you can ahead of time –Show that you care
- 9. 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
- 10. 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
- 11. 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
- 12. 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
- 13. 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
- 14. 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
- 15. Summary To work effectively with SMEs: • Prepare, prepare, prepare • Respect them as professionals… …and as people • Know what you require • Always make expectations clear
- 16. 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
Editor's Notes
- More than 30 years in Tech CommSoftware documentationMarketingProject managementConsultingFellow, Society for Technical Communication (STC)
- Today’s presentation is about subject matter experts, or SMEsSMEs are a vital part of every technical writer’s lifeThat’s true whether you create content, lead a team, or manage a projectBecause they’re so important, we must learn to work together with SMEsToday we’ll cover these topics:Who are SMEs?What do SMEs do for me?How can I work most effectively with SMEs?I’ve also included 2 poll questions so that you can tell me about your experience with SMEs
- A key to working with subject-matter experts is knowing something about themSo let’s look at who they areWhat is their role - as they see it - as you might see itWhat are typical characteristics (note: typical means YMMV) - smart - problem solver - perhaps not comfortable being interviewed or "put on the spot"What is the nature of their work - Because they’re so smart (after all, they’re “experts”)… … they often work at very specialized, highly technical jobs - Because they’re experts, they often rise into some sort of leadership role (team-lead, chief programmer)What is their work environment like? - Lots of responsibility - Busy – seems like there’s never enough time to complete the work - Called on to deal with team members locally and around the world (like you)Speaking of which….We’ll talk later about working with an SME who is in (or from) a different culture
- What do SMEs do for us?You (the writer) are intent on sharing knowledge with the worldThe SME has knowledge (ANIMATION: Funnel head)So it’s just a matter of dumping the SME’s knowledge into your head, right?No, it’s not that easy(ANIMATION: Not sign)Often, your SME’s knowledge is not aligned with the knowledge you need(ANIMATION: Second text block) - How users view the product - How the product works vs. how to use itMany SMEs, though they’re very smart, aren’t good at communicating and explaining thingsOr they feel like they’re too busy to help youSo you’ll have to draw them outThe bottom line, though, is this:Your SME has knowledge that you needTo get the knowledge you need, you have to deal with the SME on a personal levelYour relationship with your SME is valuable and important
- Now we move into the main segment of the webinar We’ll focus on how to work effectively with SMEsWe’ll talk about:Building a working relationshipPreparing for your meeting (or interview) with the SMEWhat to do during the interviewWhat to do after the interviewConducting effective reviews
- Building working relationshipsSMEs don't try to be uncooperative....but:They're busy (so your challenge is to not waste their time)Some of them are uncomfortable explaining things (so....put them at ease)Help them understand you – just as you are seeking to understand themSo make it easier for them to understand you: explain your role, your preferred stylesKnow what both of your roles areThey’re the expert – but no one expects them to write the docs for youYou're like a news reporterMy editor once told me “Don’t come back without a story“You can approach the SME by saying “I can tell your story”You’re proud of the product you work on….….I can help you by telling the story of your product to your customers in a way they’ll likeWhen you approach the SME, set ground rulesSothat their expectations align with yoursThis is what I expect of you….and this is what you can expect from meAgree on expectations about:Frequency/length of meetingsHow follow-up questions will be handledAnything else you need from them, like a prototype of the productOften the SME is pleased when you show that level of interest in the productNow that you’ve begun a person-to-person relationship….….You’ll cultivate the relationship throughout the life of the project
- PreparingAfter you build a working relationship….Prepare for your meetings with the SMEPreparation is essential!Know the subject matterI don’t mean that you need to become an expert, but gain a working knowledge of the technical subjectTalk with your colleaguesRead up beforehandCan you get hold of design documents? Can you do research on the web? When you take the time to know the subject……You are being considerate of the SMEYou’re not going to waste their time with questions that are too basicThey’ll see you as being interested in something that they’re VERY interested inThis is a key point:As a manager I’ve known SMEs who became belligerentI didn’t know why at first, and I don’t think they could’ve explained itBut they were frustrated and angry because they thought that my writers didn’t care….….That they hadn’t made the effort to prepare properlyOnce they became convinced that the writers DID care, their attitude changed completelyContinued….
- Preparing (continued)Know what you needThis is similar to setting expectations, which I mentioned earlierBefore the meeting starts, be able to say exactly what you hope to accomplishHave a list of questions readyThis way, again, you won’t waste the SMEs timeYou’re also much more likely to come away with what you needKnow who the right SME is. Sometimes it's not the person with the most important sounding title, like Chief Engineer. Beware of people who Know stuff but can’t explain it to you.......Of people who Think they know stuff but really don’t.......and of people who speak as if they have authority when they haven't got anyIdeally, your development process is set up in such a way that you have frequent and comfortable interaction with your SMEsThat makes interviews seem much more natural and less threatening to everyone concernedAgile is great for this -- assuming that you're a full member of the scrum teamFinally, food never hurts – Everyone likes a brownie or a donutYou can even offer to meet at a coffee shop
- Tips for your meeting (interview) with the SMEBe on time. This is professional courtesyGet to the point Don't waste the SME's time But be flexible - let them guide the conversation at first The point is to build rapport and make the SME comfortableAnd now, here is where your preparation will pay off….Be interested This topic is important to the SMEDon't insult the SME by acting inattentive or bored. Ask questions to clarify anything you don't understand Ask lots of questions Ask RELEVANT questions (this is where your preparation comes in) Ask "what if" questions – from the USER’S point of view (make the SME think from the user’s perspective) Validate any assumptions that you made (because your assumptions might be wrong) Make sure everything is clear to youExample questions: What is someone doing when they encounter this dialog window? How does this new tool or process make my audience's job easier? Or different? How is this similar to, and different from, the tools and processes my audience is already familiar with?
- International & cross-cultural considerationsMention poll results: How many work with SMEs in other countries & >3 times zones away “Whether you’re dealing with someone from another country on his turf or yours, the same principle applies: If one of you makes an obvious effort to be accommodating, sympathetic, and kind, business will transpire, deals will be made, and profits and goals will be realized.” --Letitia Baldrige, Chief of Staff to late First Lady Jacqueline KennedyIn other words, be prepared but don’t stress about itAs long as you make a good-faith effort to treat the other person with courtesy, that will be enough MeetingsErr on the side of formality. IOW be slightly more formal that you would expect them to be.Remember time zone differences.Converse by email when possible. If using phone/web, speak slowly. Enunciate. Listen carefully. Pause frequently because of the lag.Avoid using idioms or making culture-specific references.TimeMany Americans are OK with getting right down to businessOthers might consider it rude not to have some “small talk” firstEastern and Middle Eastern cultures want to build relationships first and do business later Personal/Business LifeAmericans prefer informal relationships that might extend outside of workEuropeans prefer formal relationships that don’t extend outside of work HolidaysHolidays differ. Know the holiday schedule for the country you’re dealing withAlso, many western Europeans take vacation through most of July and AugustLoyaltyAmericans change jobs and companies frequentlyIn other countries such as Switzerland and Japan, people stay with companies for years[source: Duke SME class- l10nworkingglobally.doc]
- Follow-up to the interviewThank the SME for his or her timeIt's just good manners (in ALL cultures)If you find that you need info beyond the SME's range of knowledge…….find someone who knows (often the SME will know who that is)Ask the SME how he or she would like to handle follow-up questionsDrop by, call, email?Mention the next interaction, if possible:"I'll have a draft of chapter 2 for you to look at by Friday" If the SME was particularly helpful, thank his/her boss
- Do you have trouble getting SMEs to review your content?If not, that’s great – don’t change anything!But most of you probably do have troubleHere are some common problems with getting SMEs to review your contentSMEs say they’re too busyBecause they don’t understand that documentation is importantThis might be part of the corporate cultureYou need to be a part of changing that cultureBut you might also have to talk with the SME’s managerSMEs are hard to reach (often because of physical distance, time zone, etc.)They don’t comment on the parts you hoped they would….….And they do comment on stuff you didn’t want (like formatting and grammar)ANIMATION: Comments aren’t helpfulHere are some examples I’ve seenWhere did you get this?Does it really work this way?No! (I assume that something wrong, but what?)And the all time classic: ???We can laugh at these, but they actually hint at something importantSometimes they’re trying to cover for their lack of knowledgeBut often they’re feeling frustrated or impatient – and we need to ask why Should I (the writer) have known this already? Have I failed to tell the SME what kind of comments I want?
- Help SMEs by:Respecting themThey’re busy professionals, and you respect their timeAt the same time, they need to respect Documentation – recognize that what you do is importantState clearly what they need to review….And what they don’t need toThis helps them use their time more effectivelyAnd you get feedback that you can really useScheduling online reviews Often this is more convenient for the SME than a sit-down meeting Good tools exist for conducting online reviews: Reviewers see each other’s comments It’s easy to integrate comments into the docs Every comment is logged and must be dealt withTry holding reviews that are:More focused – less material, less duration This includes inviting fewer participants – SMEs engage in fewer arguments, feel more investedMore frequent – in this way you avoid all-or-nothing reviews, which put a lot of pressure on everyoneLess formal – often more comfortable for the SME (and probably for you too)
- Working successfully with SMEs begins even before you: Need information from them Have content for them to reviewPrepare by Forming a good working relationship – and then cultivating that relationship Learning the subject matter Making expectations clearRespect their Personal styles, culture, etc. Professional interest in the project Time – by staying focused during interviews & reviewsKnow what you require Enables you to set expectations Ask good questions Follow-upAfter you know what you require, make expectations clear throughout No surprises Higher comfort level for everyone Every contact is effective, both for you and for the SME
- 2 final thoughts:First,Part of all our jobs is never giving the SMEs any reason to think that we, or the work we do, is insignificantOr – to put it positively: Give them every reason to believe that your work countsIn short, you’re representing the profession of Tech Comm….Represent it wellSecond,When all's said and done, you might be the only person with the story.......Each SME has a part of the story, but only you have the whole thing. And that's the gift you can give to your readers.