Technical Writer/Subject Matter Expert Interaction: The Writer's Perspective, the Organizational Challenge    

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

Techniques for Successful SME Interviews  

Lambe offers tips for gathering information from SMEs.

Lambe, Jennifer L. Intercom (2000). Articles>Interviewing>Collaboration>SMEs

That's a Good Question!  

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

A Time-Compressed Methodology for Technical Training Development  

The time-compressed training development methodology involves putting together a team of subject matter experts (SMEs), a designer/facilitator, and one or two scribes, then giving them the time and space required for focused effort in a three-phase approach. The three phases are: prework; development sessions; and, postwork. During the prework phase, a preliminary course outline and formats for the materials are developed. In the development sessions, the outline is refined, objectives are defined, and the content is developed. And, in the postwork phase, the materials are reviewed, refined, published, and distributed.

Bender, Sherieda K., Kathleen M. Fisher, Lola Fredrickson and David T. Scott. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>SMEs

Tips for Tech Writers Interviewing Engineers: Building a Strong Relationship with Developers

Outside of the formal SME interview, a writer's relationship with engineers and experts is built on trust, respect, and a little bit of bribery.

Bryant, Stephanie. Suite101 (2008). Articles>Collaboration>Interviewing>SMEs

Top Ten Worst Things SMEs Say or Do

In this podcast, I interview Brenda Huettner about strategies for overcoming the top 10 Worst Things Subject Matter Experts Say or Do.

Huettner, Brenda P. Tech Writer Voices (2007). Articles>Interviews>Collaboration>SMEs

Using Total Quality Management to Manage Technical Reviews  

The purpose of this workshop is to introduce attendees to Total Quality Management (TQM) techniques and practices. TQM offers common-sense guidance in the quest for quality. Using the example of an out-of-control technical review cycle, the workshop shows attendees how to better manage the technical review process, resulting in accurate, high-quality documents.

Fisher, Charles D., Jr. and Kurt Gustafson. STC Proceedings (1993). Careers>Management>Editing>SMEs

Working with Subject Matter Experts: Strategies to Gain Cooperation and Win Respect  

Working well with SMEs is essential to our success as technical communicators. This article recommends strategies to employ to improve your relationships with SMEs – seeking buy-in, increasing transparency and cross-functional teams, expressing expectations clearly, setting common goals and objectives, and making success a shared accountability.

Mason, Catheryn L. STC Proceedings (2002). Careers>Workplace>Collaboration>SMEs

Writers Guidelines for SMEs

As a programmer or developer, the Subject Matter Expert is concerned about developing code that is bug free and serves the client's purpose. They need to have task wise in-depth technical orientation, which often results in having a limited perspective of the user requirement. But those who wish to swap into the technical writing arena are required to have an in-depth overview and analytical outlook of the user perspective and the project in its entirety. As a Technical Writer, the Subject Matter Expert has to understand the user's mindset. Identifying the target audience, producing a document that will answer their questions readily and meeting their expectations is no easy job.

Suryakantham Ravi. Dot Net Spider (2005). Careers>Writing>Technical Writing>SMEs

Managing SMEs - Part 2: Selling the Concept to Management

Focusing on your professionalism could be the key to successfully managing your working relationships with SMEs.

Rastocny, Philip. TechCom Manager (2007). Articles>Management>Collaboration>SMEs

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. Some SMEs can be self consumed, preoccupied, distant, and even rude. But why do these behaviors exist? This article briefly describes how to interact with people who might be difficult to motivate and how to work with people who have priorities different from yours.

Rastocny, Philip. TechCom Manager (2007). Articles>Management>Collaboration>SMEs

Inspiring Reviewers to Review Your Documents

To obtain good reviews, you must make the process as painless as possible for reviewers.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. TECHWR-L (2008). Articles>Editing>Collaboration>SMEs

Tools and Techniques for Working with Subject-Matter Experts  

Technical editor or writer needs to close the gap between the subject matter expert and the novice. A close collaboration between the technical editor and the expert results in better manuals.

Rosenberg, Nad. TechWRITE (2007). Presentations>Collaboration>SMEs

Tools and Techniques for Working with Subject-Matter Experts to Create Plain Language Manuals  

This paper discusses tools and techniques for editors and writers who need to work with subject matter experts (i.e., engineers, programmers, accountants, etc.) to create plain language manuals.

Rosenberg, Nad. Clarity (2008). Articles>Documentation>SMEs>Minimalism

How to Get Someone to Answer Your Questions

Send the mail to the person or group of people, but rather than asking the question, state what you know is the wrong answer. “I think the way it works is Foo, right Bob?” You'll be amazed at how quickly someone will take the time to correct you, particularly if the question was aimed at more than one person, since it's an opportunity for that person to prove their knowledge in front of others (which is just human nature).

Lemson, K.C. KC on Exchange and Outlook (2008). Articles>Collaboration>SMEs

Policies and Procedures Writer, Analyst, or Subject Matter Expert: Who Do We Need?

Who should you contract to update an outdated policies and procedures manual–subject matter expert or a policy and procedure writer?

Urgo, Raymond E. Policies and Procedures Authority, The (2008). Articles>Writing>Policies and Procedures>SMEs

Asking Questions is Key

I think one of the hardest things in technical writing, especially for new hires, is to be assigned to document a product or feature that you know nothing about.

Technically Speaking (2009). Articles>Interviewing>Technical Writing>SMEs

The Cardinal Rule of Interviewing a Subject Matter Expert (SME) For a Document

A technical writer will periodically need to interview Subject Matter Experts (SME) to gather information about a technical document. More often that not, and especially within the context of software development, most SMEs are engineers and software developers. But they can also be mechanical, electrical and other types of engineers, hardware installers, network engineers, testers, site foremen, call center engineers, field technicians, sales or marketing people, local dealers, etc. One cardinal rule of interviewing an SME is to do your homework well, in advance.

Akinci, Ugur. Technical Communication Center (2009). Articles>Interviewing>Technical Writing>SMEs

What Questions You Should Ask at a SOW Meeting

At times, though, a writer is a bit overwhelmed at the start-of-work meeting. He becomes passive and takes in everything the client lays out without asking for more. That can result in some information that’s very important to the writer being missed.

Adar, Bryan S. Technical Communication Center (2009). Articles>Collaboration>Interviewing>SMEs

Content Templates to the Rescue

Getting even semi-publishable writing from experts is notoriously difficult; they may be immersed in their “real jobs” and too busy to write even a first draft of content, they may not understand why web content matters at all, they may not be fluent in the language(s) in which you publish your website, or they may just be terrible writers. Define a content workflow as early as possible, preferably as part of a unified content strategy that includes a content audit (a detailed analysis of what content you have, what content you need, and how to bridge that gap), voice and tone guidelines, and a schedule for collecting and generating content.

Kissane, Erin. List Apart, A (2009). Articles>Content Management>Content Strategy>SMEs

Unproductive Review Practices: Why They’re Still Around Even Though People Know Better…

I have a theory about why we continually see subject matter expertise for review applied to the task of copy-editing, and why that practice is so hard to change. The theory is built around how we: learn to write, learn to review, and ask for review.

Bernick, Philip. Brainery.net (2009). Articles>Documentation>Editing>SMEs

How To Effectively Communicate With Developers

If you have ever worked with a developer or a development team, this article will probably strike close to home. As designers, we work with dozens of developers across the globe each year. Some of us are fortunate enough to find a gem; a developer that just gets it. A developer that you feel is on your same wavelength in terms of what needs to be accomplished with the user interface, and what it needs to happen. Most often, however, we find developers that we generally don’t see eye to eye with.

Scherf, Ryan. Smashing (2009). Articles>Collaboration>Programming>SMEs

A Few Thoughts on Documentation for the Power User

Power user. It’s a term that I don’t like. But there definitely are people out there who are working with the software and hardware that we document who want more than just basic information. Getting them that information can be tricky.

Nesbitt, Scott. DMN Communications (2009). Articles>Documentation>Audience Analysis>SMEs

IxD and SMEs Working Together

An SME is someone who has been trained and has worked in the area that is being targeted for the new application. At Autodesk, we have found that pairing SMEs with Interaction Designers is the most efficient and successful way of meeting user centered design goals.

Hooper, Ian. Designing the User Experience at Autodesk (2009). Articles>Collaboration>Interaction Design>SMEs