Re: Difficult SMEs

Subject: Re: Difficult SMEs
From: Gail Taylor <gtaylor -at- ISLANDNET -dot- COM>
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 09:33:54 -0800

Melissa Hunter-Kilmer
mhunterk -at- bna -dot- com (standard disclaimer)
asks:
>Just out of curiosity, what do you guys do when you're
>faced with a difficult SME situation?

chiming in late (I'm on digest)
When I trained some writers years ago, we had to do a great deal of SME
interviewing long-distance. I told the writers it was their job to make it
work - we were never going to whine or go over anyone's head. I suggested
they find out about family life etc. - and as a last resort, to tactfully
ask the non-cooperative SME to suggest a substitute.

Once when the only source of info for some v. difficult subject matter was
never available to talk to me, I asked him to recommend a book on the
subject, so that I could try to come up to speed. He mellowed immediately,
and realized it was a lot more efficient to spare me some time. I was
prepared to wade into whatever he suggested, though. He was VERY high up in
the company.

Gail Taylor (gtaylor -at- islandnet -dot- com)

__________________Gail Taylor__________________
WM Wordsworth & More Ltd.
URL: http://www.pacificcoast.net/wordsworth
home of the Writers' Virtual Bookshelf:
http://www.pacificcoast.net/wordsworth/morebook.html

TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html


Previous by Author: Contents for style manual
Next by Author: Re: Apologies / More on MDJ [Ref:C173562]
Previous by Thread: Re: attatchments
Next by Thread: Verbing nouns


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads