SME Advice: How To Brain Sync With A Subject Matter Expert

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Short of performing a science fiction mind-meld, how can you efficiently transfer content from the brain of a subject matter expert (SME) into a form you can use?

In case you’re new at this, instructional designers often interview subject matter experts to access their stream of knowledge. SMEs will often provide you with content resources and will also review design documents, scripts, media assets and test questions for accuracy. Leveraging the knowledge of SMEs is one reason that instructional designers are content neutral. (Note: At the end of this article is a SME Content Collection Form designed by Abigail Wheeler.)

The Brain of a SME

Working with a SME is unique, because by definition, this individual is an expert and most likely, you are a novice. (See The Expert’s Brain for more on expert-novice differences.) Not only are you dependent on the SME for basic knowledge, the two of you may have conflicting ideas on how a course should be designed and what it should include.

You can think of working with a SME in three phases: Preparation, Interview and Follow-up. Below are guidelines for each phase. Feel free to add your personal guidelines in the Comments section below. And at the end of this article is a SME Content Collection Form you can download.

Phase 1: The Prep Work

At all costs, don’t walk into a meeting with a SME knowing nothing about the subject. Your questions will be more intelligent and you’ll be better able to drill down if you are a little knowledgeable about the content. Guidelines for Preparation:

• Request documentation and resources prior to the interview. Then review these or do research on your own to get some background knowledge prior to the meeting.
• Prepare interview questions ahead of time.
• Request permission to record the interview. Although you’ll be taking notes like a fanatic, the recorded version will be greatly appreciated when you don’t understand your notes.
• Bring a supply of paper and pencils so your SME can diagram processes, procedures and structures. You can also sketch to visually explain your ideas or understanding to the SME.
• Establish what the meeting will accomplish, how it will be run and the types of questions you will ask. Explain this to your expert ahead of time, giving him or her time to prepare if needed.

Phase 2: The Interview

• Be sure your SME knows that you are appreciative of his or her time and busy schedule.
• Remember to record the interview for later reference if you have permission.
• You may want to remind the SME that you know very little about his or her domain of expertise.
• Narrow the focus of the interview to the specific skills and tasks targeted for training. It’s difficult for experts to minimize information—they know so much. You may have to politely ask, “Does a person really need to know that in order to perform the task?”
• You may want to read and use the Five Moments of Need model to avoid getting a brain dump.
• Ask questions that allow you to drill down to the level of content you need.
• Take notes (on a laptop) and at appropriate points, repeat back what you heard in a summary form. You may wish to use a Content Collection Form. See the download link at the end of this article.
• Encourage your expert to draw diagrams and mind maps whenever it will help you better understand the content.
• Ask what types of visuals will be most effective for explaining abstract concepts.
• Use your best listening skills.
• Establish a procedure for contacting your SME with questions.

Phase 3: Follow-up

If your head is not exploding by the end of the interview, something probably went wrong. You will most likely feel a compulsion to get everything organized immediately, before the delicate puzzle pieces fall out of place. Follow that instinct.

• Review your notes and clean them up so the information is clear.
• Organize them into a form that will still make sense to you in a few weeks or months.
• Listen to the recording to catch important details you missed in your notes.
• Indicate where there are gaps in the information. You might be able to fill these in yourself if you have reference sources. Or place these in your question list for the SME (see below).
• Through the design and development process, collect all of your SME questions in one place. Then email or set up a call when you’ve accumulated a good number of them. This minimizes the number of times you disturb your SME.

Download: SME Content Collection Form

This SME Content Collection Form was created by Abigail Wheeler, a learning and development project manager at a firm that consults to government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Follow her on Twitter: @abigrace. Thanks, Abigail!

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DOWNLOAD SME FORM HERE SME Content Collection Form