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A Subject Matter Expert (SME) is a person who is an expert in a particular area. In technical communication environments, the term is used to describe professionals with expertise in the field of application but without documentation, procedural discourse, or project management knowledge. Technical communicators often collaborate with SMEs both prior to and during the editing of technical writing projects.
#19687
Technical writers live in a state of anxiety. They are charged with creating a work within a specific time period, but they depend on the cooperation of subject-matter experts (SMEs) over whom they have no control.
McKelvey, Paul S. Intercom (2003). Careers>Writing>Collaboration>SMEs
#19265
Conducting Successful SME Interviews 
Interviewing subject matter experts (SMEs) is one of the most common and useful methods for obtaining the information needed to create quality documents. Successful SME interviews require careful research and preparation in advance. During the interview, good listening skills, critical analysis, and the ability to maintain control of the range and depth of the interview with appropriate tact are crucial to successful outcomes. After the interview, give prompt attention to notes and any required follow-through. When working with hostile SMEs or those with poor communication skills, emphasize the strengths of the relationship and develop strategies to work around any weaknesses.
Lambe, Jennifer L. STC Proceedings (2002). Articles>Interviewing>Writing>SMEs
#14497
Dealing with Difficult Employees in the Technical Communication Workplace
Some of the more intractable problems we face on the job are the human ones. But cranky though Microsoft Word often seems, most of its blowups are at least predictable; humans are anything but. The worst problems can arise when you find yourself in a situation where power relationships come into play, which is often the case when you're managing another employee and responsible for their work and their on-the-job behavior. For a variety of reasons, technical communicators are often seen as 'difficult' or 'problem' employees--this means that co-workers tend to complain about us and insist that our managers correct our behavior. Unfortunately, we often work in high-stress environments that make it difficult for us to work calmly and difficult for colleagues to work with us peacefully. Many communicators complain that developers and other subject matter experts (SMEs) don't bother to understand what we do and thus, don't respect our work. As a result, they often consider meeting their own deadlines far more important than helping us do our work, and when we must ask them to provide the information we need to complete our documentation or to review draft documents, we don't get what we need. The result? We're forced to nag, and that can get us labeled as problems, not colleagues.
Hart, Geoffrey J.S. TECHWR-L (2002). Careers>Management>Collaboration>SMEs
#10350
Technical communicators frequently collaborate in workplace projects and bring a host of different kinds of expertise to this collaboration. Yet the understanding of communicators’ expertise among managers and subject matter experts is grounded in a view of writing as a finished product and authorship as singular. This article documents many different kinds of 'contributory expertise' employed by writers collaborating to produce articles for publication. Expertise in research, textual composition, visual composition, as well as other kinds of expertise garnered on previous projects is often brought to collaborative projects. Often emerging and developing as a function of collaborative work is expertise in framing the project, conducting review processes, and assessing outcomes. These categories are discussed in some detail to provide practicing communicators with ideas for documenting expertise in their specific workplaces, to provide students with ideas for developing expertise in various areas, and to prov
Henry, Jim. Technical Communication Online (1998). Articles>Writing>Collaboration>SMEs
#31146
Dokumentenmanagement für den Mittelstand 
Dokumentenmanagement schien immer eine teuere, aufwendige Angelegenheit der Großunternehmen. Die Einführung einer Document-Related-Technologies-Lösung gleich welcher Ausprägung erfordert Anpassungen an Infrastruktur, Abläufe und Arbeitsorganisation. Dies wollten sich bislang viele Mittelständler nicht leisten. Ihr Credo lautete: "Durch so ein elektronisches Dokumentenmanagement-System bekomme ich doch keinen einzigen Kunden mehr". Diese Situation hat sich geändert. Auch der Mittelstand wird zunehmend in elektronische Geschäftsprozesse eingebunden. Die Abhängigkeit von Software in Verwaltung, Logistik, Kundenbetreuung und Produktentwicklung wird immer größer.
Kampffmeyer, Ulrich. Doculine (2002). (German) Articles>Content Management>SMEs
#14686
Essentials of Successful Cooperation
Brys discusses ways that technical communicators can lay foundations for good working relationships with subject matter experts.
Brys, Catherine M. Intercom (2001). Careers>Workplace>Collaboration>SMEs
#14146
Establishing and Building Mutual Respect with Technical Team Members 
As a technical writer, are you finding yourself wishing for just a bit of respect from the engineers, SMEs (Subject Matter Experts), or other technical people you work with? Are you finding that these folks seem to stonewall you on every question you have or every goal you're trying to achieve? Are they obstreperous? Difficult? Or just plain unhelpful? When I hear technical writers complaining about--er, describing--such troubles when working in a team environment, my first reaction is to want to sit and observe how they actually interact with those seemingly impossible team members. In my experience, I've found that the problem isn't always with a surly SME or with an engineer who lacks communication skills. Certainly, there are cases where other team members just don't value any contribution other than their own; however, most often, I have found the problem is with the technical writer's approach to the team environment--and have found that the problem began from the very start of that writer's involvement with the team.
Ray, Eric J. TECHWR-L (2002). Careers>Collaboration>Workplace>SMEs
#13487
Feng Shui for the Tech Writer's Workspace
It sounds like something from a late-night infomercial: Enhance your productivity by cranking out online help files in half the time! Increase your prosperity by being promoted to head of the documentation department! Improve your interpersonal relations so that Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) are just waiting to review your documents. Ensure a long and healthy life, despite the stress of vaporware product launches! If an advertisement lurking in your emailbox claimed to have an ancient secret to give you all the above, you'd likely press Delete faster than you can say 'looming deadlines.' But what if millions of people--some as well-known and successful as Donald Trump--and major corporations, such as Virgin Airlines, The Wall Street Journal, and Citibank, attested to this 'magic' secret's power? In that case, you just might sit back in your office chair and listen.
Chroust Ehmann, Lain. TECHWR-L (2002). Careers>Workplace>Ergonomics>SMEs
#19638
A Field Guide to Technical SMEs
Although not rare birds in urban high-tech environments, technical subject matter experts (SMEs) are a fascinating species to observe—and a challenging breed for corporate communicators to manage. This tongue-in-cheek field guide identifies four common sub-species, and explains how to spot each by its distinctive markings and how to cope with its behaviors for companionable nesting.
Lange, Penny L. Intercom (2003). Careers>Writing>Technical Writing>SMEs
#30116
How to Interview Subject Matter Experts
While technical writers may interview subject matter experts on a daily basis to gather information for a project, very few training courses address how to conduct these interviews. Singer's article provides suggestions.
Singer, Warren. Intercom (2007). Articles>Interviewing>SMEs
#28176
Improving technical reviews, when subject matter experts, or SMEs, review content for technical accuracy, is a challenge every technical communicator faces sometime during their career. Every year, journal articles are published, presentations are made, and discussions are initiated on this very topic. Most of them conclude that SMEs are difficult. It's your job to bribe, cajole, or coerce a better review out of your SME. I don't agree.
Idoura, Alexia. Carolina Communique (2004). Articles>TC>Collaboration>SMEs
#30326
Listening: the Often Forgotten Ingredient
If listening isn't in the mix when developing documentation, then the project may not cook.
Allen, Clare. Boston Broadside (1992). Articles>Documentation>Collaboration>SMEs
#30005
Location is Everything When it Comes to Getting Information from SMEs
A 20 minute monologue about the best way to get information from SMEs--sit by them, permanently if possible. Many IT organizations station the writer remotely from the developers, programmers, and other SMEs, but nothing could be more damaging to getting the information you need. Increasing your proximity also increases the communication you receive.
Johnson, Tom H. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>TC>Collaboration>SMEs
#31719
Managing SMEs - Part 1: A Primer for Success
Just the thought of dealing with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) can create stress in the life of any documentation manager. Philip Rastocny provides in-depth insight on how best to deal with SMEs.
Rastocny, Philip. Writing Assistance (2006). Articles>Management>Documentation>SMEs
#31720
Managing SMEs - Part 2: Selling the Concept to Management
Part 2 switches the focus to members of your management team and what you can do to sell your team’s professionalism. Also included are hints on how your writers can individually sell themselves to gain cooperation from SMEs.
Rastocny, Philip. Writing Assistance (2007). Articles>Management>Collaboration>SMEs
#24358
Managing the Communication Between Writers and SMEs
The development of a modern software product is a complex process involving a variety of disciplines, including that of the technical writer. It is essential that the writers establish close relationships with all other groups in the process and that they build effective and efficient systems of communication between them. The job of the writing manager is to ensure that the writing team obtains the information it needs in a timely manner and that the group interacts effectively with other groups in the process. This can be achieved by a blend of intergroup communication, background research, documentation and schedule planning and a well organized documentation review process.
Morgan, Sharon. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>TC>Collaboration>SMEs
#13602
'What do technical communicators do?' asks the ambitious question on the Society for Technical Communication's FAQ Web page (STC 2001). The answer lists typical job titles for technical communicators and then says, 'All these professionals take technical information and make it understandable to those that need it.' This description is consistent with the way that many technical communicators describe their role, that of transferring information from those who have it (subject matter experts or SMEs) to those who need it, and they define the value of the technical communicator as packaging that information to be more accessible and more readily understood by the user. This article first reviews the current literature that addresses the value of the technical communicator. Whereas those discussions focus on what is delivered to the user (reader), this article examines the value the technical communicator adds by creating organization (internal) knowledge. The article then examines the philosophical underpinnings that support any discussion of knowledge and defines the role of technical communicators as creators of knowledge. Finally, it offers an expanded value proposition for technical communicators and examines its practical implications.
Hughes, Michael A. Technical Communication Online (2002). Design>Information Design>Content Management>SMEs
#31039
Putting Limits on Subject Matter Expertise
At nearly every conference I attend someone is talking about the need for Subject Matter Expertise for Business Analysts. The rationale is that someone versed in the language, ideas, and systems of a given organization or product will ask better questions and elicit better requirements from stakeholders.
Vincent, Cameron. BA Collective (2007). Articles>Business Communication>Workplace>SMEs
#30597
The Role of Double Agents in Writing Projects
Double agents on writing teams provide benefits to both product developers and technical writers with their unique skills and perspectives. You'll be more likely to get the information you need when you need it because your double agent has already set the stage for success. Learn the benefits of having a double agent working with technical writers as a part of the product development team. Discover valuable secrets never before divulged to the public that you can use to work with your product developers. Take out your magnifying glass and look for the clues.
Mobley, Karen L., Kathryn L. Turk and Judith R. Fisher. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Writing>Collaboration>SMEs
#14910
The Role of the Professional Technical Communicator
To meet the challenge of addressing the needs of subject matter experts (SME) and non-experts, alleviating fears, and keeping the public informed requires knowledge of communication theory, subject-matter expertise, and adherence to a code of ethics. A model illustrating the professional technical communicator's knowledge base and relationship with the SME and non-expert is presented.
Gilliland, Gail. Orange Journal, The (2002). Articles>TC>Professionalism>SMEs
#21407
I admit that I don't know everything about subject-matter experts or SMEs (rhymes with please). But I do know that there are some things that you should avoid asking SMEs, the main ones being 'Does the user know this already?' and 'Do I need to explain this to the user?' The problem with these questions is that the SME is likely to reply 'No!' to both of them when in fact the answer is most definitely 'Yes.' SMEs tend to believe that everyone knows as much about technology as they do. Never, never, never let the SMEs tell you how to write the documentation. A SME is the subject matter expert, not the documentation expert (that's you).
Docsymmetry (2003). Articles>Documentation>Collaboration>SMEs
#30587
Most companies want to be recognized for producing usable products, for the quality of products must be high if they are to be accepted into today's competitive market. However, usability planning relies on interaction with other departments and their members. In other words, the most successful way to ensure product usability is to set up a test team consisting of representatives from various departments. This paper details the members of that test team and discusses their overall responsibilities in the testing process.
Dorazio, Patti A. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Usability>Collaboration>SMEs
#10415
Almost a decade ago, Walkowski's (1991) study of the interaction between subject-matter experts (SMEs) and technical writers focused on the perceptions of software engineers toward technical writers. Her findings gave technical writers insights on how to improve critical relationships with these organizational colleagues. This study partially replicates Walkowski's (1991) study of technical writer-SME interactions, but instead of collecting data from SMEs, we surveyed technical writers themselves. We report perceptions collected from 31 technical writers and contrast them with Walkowski's original findings, offering interpersonal and organizational recommendations for addressing tensions between these groups. By examining both the SMEs' and the technical writers' perceptions of their relationship, we are able to provide a two-sided view of a dynamic and complex interaction. We also argue that participants in the SME-technical writer interaction cannot fully alter their relationship without the strategic supp
Lee, Martha F. and Brad Mehlenbacher. Technical Communication Online (2000). Articles>Collaboration>Technical Writing>SMEs
#14631
Techniques for Successful SME Interviews
Lambe offers tips for gathering information from SMEs.
Lambe, Jennifer L. Intercom (2000). Articles>Interviewing>Collaboration>SMEs
#29896
All of us have suffered the consequences of expensive, unasked questions both in our professional lives and our personal lives. As technical communicators, we need to ask good questions to elicit information, but many of us lack adequate training in this skill. Add to that the natural reticence of some technical communicators, and it's no wonder that we walk away from SME interviews or department meetings wishing we'd remembered to ask X, Y, or Z. This paper offers information as to why questions are so important, who needs to improve discovery skills, what process you should use to develop your questions, what types of questions are useful, how to strategize your questions, how to ask good questions, how to handle people answering the questions you ask them, and how to answer questions that are asked of you.
Frick, Elizabeth A. 'Betsy'. STC Proceedings (2004). Articles>Interviewing>Knowledge Management>SMEs
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