Re: Tips on how to talk to SMEs

Subject: Re: Tips on how to talk to SMEs
From: Chantel Brathwaite <brathwaitec -at- castupgrade -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2011 18:49:44 -0400

"The SME assumes that the project was programmed in a way that everyone
should be able to understand it without documentation, since no one
looks at it anyway."


I've definitely run into SMEs that feel like this and that will express it openly. In my career of about 15 years or so, I've run into this feeling about documentation about 50% of the time. Management tends to be the bellweather for how documentation is viewed and how technical writers are treated initially; at least that is how it has been for me. Sometimes it is easy to overcome this and change the views of the usefulness of documentation and sometimes it isn't. Sometimes you have to know when to cut your losses.

I've personally never done the cookie/brownie thing. I'm not against it, it has just never crossed my mind to do it when I'm in the midst of a problem with getting information from SMEs. For the most part, I spend time getting to know SMEs, just like any other co-worker. I try to figure out what works for each person. A few like to talk, some love little emails with precise questions, some like a very brief interruption, others like you to write something that they can tear to pieces. So, I just adapt. It takes longer than the brownie method I suppose, but I've found it to yield good results over time.

Regardless, most people in general respond if you ask good questions, do your homework, and are concise, consistent, proactive, pleasant, and professional. If you are confident in yourself and carry yourself with respect, that is incredibly helpful. Most technical people value competency also. If you can demonstrate this, it goes a long way. If not, you've got a tough hill to climb.


Chantel


On 7/13/2011 9:04 AM, Dan Goldstein wrote:

I respectfully disagree with:

"The SME assumes that the project was programmed in a way that everyone
should be able to understand it without documentation, since no one
looks at it anyway."

Those two generalizations about SMEs are often false, and they're also
contradictory. I would never project those attitudes onto an SME prior
to discussing the work.


-----Original Message-----
From: Craig Cardimon
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 8:20 AM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Tips on how to talk to SMEs

These suggestions might help:

http://morespecifically.wordpress.com/2011/07/13/play-nice-with-an-sme/





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--
Chantel Brathwaite
Technical Writer
Cole Engineering Services Inc.
Web: http://www.coleengineering.com
Email: Chantel -dot- Brathwaite -at- coleengineering -dot- com
Phone: 407-207-1773 ext. 4138

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References:
Tips on how to talk to SMEs: From: Craig Cardimon
RE: Tips on how to talk to SMEs: From: Dan Goldstein

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