atw: Re: Extracting technical information from SMEs
- From: warren.lewington@xxxxxxxxx
- To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2005 12:29:21 +0800
That can be really hard Debbie. Simply rocking up to a stranger and
attempting to gather complicated information out of them generally won't
work out. But I have found working with SME's can be the most rewarding
part of the job. Hey, you know, we're people, we are meant to be
communicators and the primary form of communication is conversation with
others.
The best (maybe only) way is to create a relationship. Find out about
them, as people, with conversation. One of the things I have found with
many SME's is that they are inherently shy. Shyness will often create a
reticence to communicate with others about anything. To breach these gaps
and make them comfortable with you is the easy way to take liberties with
their time when the pressure is on. SME's are often extremely able to
focus. Breaking that concentration to deal with something extraneous to
them is much easier if you have a basis from which they relate to you.
Showing an interest in what they are doing is absolutely critical too.
Once you have the basic relationship going, you can work out what the best
way to go is when it comes to getting info out of the person. Find out if
they have special things going: Kamala, (the best engineer I have had the
privilege to work with), did 8 hours straight so she could get home to her
kids; consequently, initially giving plenty of notice to her about time I
needed with her initially eventually led to interrupt when I wanted to!
One engineer at Tyco was an afternoon person; so I planned time in the
afternoons. Another was a morning person, so I arranged before lunch
meetings. Here, I have to work in with site engineers who may be away for
weeks, so I need to know when they will be in to pick their brains. One
engineer here is impossibly busy (doing his own and the work of an
un-replaced engineer), so I have to negotiate time from him; while others
are open office, and I interrupt when I want to. One young engineer I know
cannot write; but he orally describes things beautifully logically and so
that is easy, I take hand notes, and he is awesome at mathematical
problems.
Sometimes structured interviews, with questions sent beforehand, and time
for a meeting is required. Sometimes a tape recorder and/or hand notes,
sometimes a series of informal conversations when you get to a show
stopper works; while sometimes, joy of joys, they have various bits of
info already! Often you will have bits sent to you as required. Many times
with extreme software development teams I have had to walk around finding
out what has changed! And that really depends on having a basis from which
to interrupt.
Another thing is getting up from your desk and walking around the place to
see people, rather than ringing someone or Emailing them. I actually get
shirty with people who ring me when they are literally only ten metres
away. The reason? How rude in the first place... If you want something, go
and see the person first. Clarify it with an Email later when you have a
better informal picture, and more often than not, no email is required.
Saying hello to people and engaging with everyone on the floor you may
directly or indirectly have contact with goes a long way towards breaking
barriers down. It is also a good way of finding out about others, the
politics and pecking orders in organisations. One young and out of their
depth project engineer I worked with was indecisive, difficult to please,
and constantly changing their mind. I confirmed my suspicions through the
grapevine that I was not alone with these problems, and changed my
approach to working with the engineer. Without the basic relationships
established, I could not have done that.
Eventually their will be occasions when recalcitrant SME's just don't
help. For whatever reason, that is when gently pushing superiors into
action is required. I usually inform the people affected by recalcitrant
SME's behaviour, very soon after a pattern emerges, so no-one gets
surprises and the problems can be fixed early.
I hope this helps with a few ideas for you.
Warren Lewington
Technical Writer
Metso Minerals
Arndell Park, Sydney.
NSW, Australia.
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