Let’s face it – we, as Instructional Designers, aren’t masters of all aspects of course design and development. It takes a team to put together a successful course, and it takes aligning ourselves with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to make success happen. However, because of the differing perspectives they bring to the instructional design team, working with SMEs can sometimes be challenging. But it needn’t be. In this article, I'll tell you how you can forge win-win relationships with your SME partners, and explain some tips and tools to use in order to make success happen. What SMEs Bring to the Team Before understanding how to build exceptionally productive relationships with SMEs, it may be prudent to take a step back to understand who SMEs are, and how they add value to a course design and development project. It may sound redundant, but it’s worth repeating: SMEs are not instructional design specialists – that’s the role of IDs. However, subject matter expertise – be it in … [Read more...] about Working with SMEs for Better Instructional Design Outcomes: How to produce win-win relationships and reduce stress on a project
Working with Subject Matter Experts
Working with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). Part II
In this post, we will continue talking about Subject Matter Experts. Effective communication plays a crucial role when dealing with SMEs. Just like everyone else, Subject Matter Experts have busy schedules. Sometimes, they are not even part of the team and have many other on-the-job responsibilities. Instructional Designers should ensure the SME’s time is not wasted with multiple meetings and meaningless questions. Prior to the meeting with the SME, some preparation work must be done. The goal is to get quality content, not to waste the SME’s time by asking rudimentary questions. Researching the topic before the meeting to become acquainted with basic concepts and terminology can help instructional designers achieve that goal. Meetings with SMEs will be much more productive if instructional designers inform them of the goals and objectives ahead of time. It is also helpful to prepare questions and send them electronically to the SME. Then, if there are additional questions or … [Read more...] about Working with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). Part II