Building Successful L&D Projects: The Vital Role of Subject Matter Experts

Jerry Zandstra (JZ) – Senior Director of Learning
Lonna Jobson (LJ) – Project Lead and Instructional Designer

(JZ) We hear from Learning and Development (L &D) teams and Instructional Designers all the time about this topic. Let’s lay the groundwork by first defining the role. What is a Subject Matter Expert (SME)? And why is this relationship critical to the success of your learning project?

(LJ) An ideal SME is one who is a credible expert in their area. They should be an inside person who has experience applying the content within your organization, so not only should they know the content well, but they should also have used it effectively in context. You can think of this person as a warehouse of experience and information that is necessary for the L&D team to access in order to design effective learning experiences. And a good relationship with your SME is your first step toward accessing that warehouse. In fact, relationships can make or break the success of your project, impacting quality, timeline, budget, and morale. 

(JZ) That sounds a bit weighty. If the relationship with a SME has the potential to derail your project, then why use them at all? What is an L&D team hoping to gain? 

(LJ) Oh, I didn’t mean to scare you! There is definitely the potential for a bad SME relationship to derail a project, but our best ID work is only done through them. I mean, ChatGPT can only take us so far. You are choosing someone as your expert who has been able to learn from mistakes and apply what they learned. Not everyone can do that, and it usually takes significant time. By gleaning from an experienced SME’s perspective, you are shaving off literal years that it might take for a novice to stumble along on their own. And some people would never be able to learn and apply what a SME has learned. That’s the beauty of choosing a good SME! You want to choose the best in order to gain the greatest impact for your learners. 

(JZ) Let’s say you have a new SME, and they’re looking at you like a deer in the headlights. Give me your top tips to help them adjust to their role? What do you do first?

(LJ) I start by telling them why they’ve been chosen to fill the role. Because something comes easy to them, successful people don’t always notice what they’ve accomplished. Let’s say your SME is a Project Manager with eight years in your organization. What have they acquired in those eight years? Process details, forms, old PowerPoints, gut instincts, key phrases that they say without thinking to settle a dispute, etc. 

1. Get the SME thinking about what they have to offer.
2. Point out the SME’s buy-in. Will having more people trained in this area relieve pressure from your SME? Will it make the organization more successful? What are the business objectives for this training and how will they impact your SME personally?
3. Paint a picture. Who is the learner? Are they new to the company or someone who is transferring from a different department? The better you can depict a few typical learner profiles, the more honed in your SME will be with their content delivery. Go ahead and find images and descriptions and refer to them often. 
4. Create your learning objectives. Learning objectives define the tasks the participant will be able to accomplish when the training or learning event is completed. If the SME is a warehouse of experience and information, then these objectives can be viewed as the order slips for the kind of inventory the SME needs to get ready for transfer. 

(JZ) Good analogy. I would think that working together to create those order slips would be helpful as you interact with the SME. 

(LJ) That’s right, Jerry. And here’s why.  SMEs often operate either by way of flash flood or by drought. What I mean is, they either give too much information and expect a new learner to retain it all OR, because the content is familiar to them, they leave out significant key content, creating a drought for the learner. Working closely with defined learning objectives helps to set the parameters for a SME and relieves some anxiety about what they are supposed to do.

(JZ) What advice would you give to help an ID coax out the information they need from a SME?

(LJ) A SME needs to know that they don’t have to worry about how to teach the content or what the finished materials will look like. Their job is to make sure the content is accurate and specific to the defined task, including everything a novice will need to complete the objective and nothing more. What an ID doesn’t want is for the SME to back the dump truck up to the warehouse. Believe me, I’ve been the recipient of a few information dumps, and it’s not pretty. So, working from your learning objectives, create an outline and then ask the SME good questions to help them transfer relevant information and experience in order to flesh out the outline. 

(JZ) Have you discovered a variety of ways to work with a SME? Do you find that some methods may work well with one expert, but not with another?

(LJ) Definitely. Here are some of the ways I have gained access to the information and experience of a SME. And it really is up to the personal preference of the SME how they want to most effectively get you the information needed. The L&D team member needs to be flexible to cater to the SME. 

1. Recorded Interviews where we work together during regularly scheduled meetings using question and answer
2. Stream of consciousness. The SME talks through everything that comes to mind in a random stream of consciousness. This is a great way to get a lot of content fast. 
3. A detailed outline. For some training, all that is needed is a detailed outline. The SME writes this on his own or with the assistance of the ID.
4. Word-for-word writing. The SME writes out a rough script, and the ID edits and revises into something polished. 
5. Highlighted materials. The SME highlights applicable sections of company PowerPoints, articles, and/or Web resources and the ID works from there to start creation of learning materials. 

(JZ) Lonna, you’ve wrangled a lot of SMEs over the years. How do you keep ahead of deadlines?

Yes, wrangling is a good word! I try to remember that many SMEs are not relieved of any of their usual responsibilities, and this is an addition to their normal work. So, it’s hard. And the work can be draining. We are asking them to think through what they do in such a way that others can copy. Because of this, from the beginning, SMEs must establish uninterrupted time to work on the project. It is helpful if they share this work time with you as the ID, so you know when they plan to work. Then, you will want to set a recurring check-in rhythm where together you are pushing the project forward and updating deadlines. Gentle weekly email or text reminders of deadlines are helpful as well. And beware of mental roadblocks of a SME not knowing where to start. Give them manageable assigned tasks. Ask them to start each session by reviewing the objectives and the learner persona, and then dive in. Get something typed up or highlighted even if it’s not in final form. Momentum is your friend. Just get something done because the ID can always clean it up later. 

(JZ) We’ve already mentioned that the relationship between an ID and a SME is critical. What are some obstacles that you’ve seen? And what can you do if the project starts to head south? 

(LJ) Sure. One obstacle is when a SME is too far removed from the learner. If the SME hasn’t been a novice for 30 years and has lost the ability to relate to the learner, it makes the design process much more difficult. In this case, along with the true expert, I like to bring in someone who can fill in the gap. Someone able to relate well to the learner. So, one expert in content and one expert in relating. 

Or maybe no one in your organization is an expert. Let’s say that you are installing a new procedure, software, or piece of equipment. You may have to go outside the company to find an expert. Just know that you will probably want to move up the revision cycle, so that you revisit and make improvements to the learning material early since you are lacking a true SME.

But, anytime when a SME is not performing as desired, I try to get to the bottom of it by “sifting” through four main culprits: Lack of Confidence, Interest, Focus or Time. If a SME feels equipped for the task, sees value in it, has good direction, and has the time, then they are set up for success. If one or two of these are lacking, they become obstacles.  The obstacles can show up as a reluctance to move forward, missed deadlines, or missed meetings. When this happens, it is crucial to call them out and alert those who are responsible for the project. You can also:

• Advocate for dedicated time for your SME. 
• Remind the SME of their buy-in.
• Alongside the learning objectives, talk about what is and is NOT within your scope
• Bring in more SMEs to share the burden.
• Create a directed workshop, such as an afternoon or whole day, to make great progress together in one extended time. 

Your relationship with your SMEs can be beneficial and rewarding to both of you. Use these tips and watch the SMEs in your life become successful.  

Learn about Lonna

Lonna Jobson is a Project Lead and Instructional Designer at Ingenuiti. Throughout her career, she has mentored instructional designers, led process improvement and professional development initiatives, and launched new products. Her work in consulting services has allowed her to strategize with clients from corporations, local institutions, and non-profit groups on how to best establish and accomplish their training goals. Lonna’s passion for helping people learn is unmistakable.