atw: Re: Dealing with SMEs?

Thanks for the helpful advice everyone. I'll see if I can get a copy
of the book. When I said the SMEs appeared hostile, I didn't mean it
in a negative manner as such, just a general observation or vibe  I
get when I interact with them. It seems that the common advice is to
develop research and mapping skills - will definitely look into that
;-) Thanks austechies


On 3/11/09, Stuart Burnfield <slb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Good advice so far. Some more thoughts:
>
> - It's better to go in with a tentative understanding and get the SME to
> correct or elaborate it. Ideally you shouldn't go into a session just to be
> pumped full of new information. It's very hard to understand complex
> material without having time to go over it in your mind.
> - Try to develop a 'big picture' that you gradually expand and refine as you
> find out more. Early on it might just be a one-page diagram or a few sets of
> bullet points. As you learn more you might expand each bullet point or blob
> in the diagram into a paragraph. After a while it should cover things like
> the purpose of the project/product; its main features/functions; main
> industries/markets/competitors; main users; their tasks and goals. Think of
> this as the overview or plan of attack that would have liked to have when
> you started on the project--a survival guide for your younger self. From
> time to time, check this understanding with your manager and the SMEs. This
> will be your solid ground when you go on to drain new areas of swamp.
> - Remember that your SMEs have probably been immersed in the project for
> some time and they may have been grappling with complex, low-level details
> when you come to see them. It's hard for anyone in that situation to step
> back and give the to someone who's new to it.
> - Don't try to chase down every unfamiliar concept while you're talking to
> an SME. There will always be jargon that you don't understand. You need to
> develop a sense of when to jot down an acronym and keep listening, when you
> need to stop the SME and ask for clarification, and when something unfamilar
> is probably not relevant to you so you can just ignore it.
> - A lot of people pooh-pooh Wikipedia but it's a great resource for
> technical concepts when you're starting from zero.
>
> I can recommend this excellent book:
> _User and Task Analysis for Interface Design_, by Hackos and Redish
>
> Plenty of guidance on how to gather and organise information. Don't be put
> off by the name--it's equally applicable to tech writers.
>
> Good luck.
>
> Stuart
>
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