Effectively preparing to interview a Subject Matter Expert (SME) is crucial for extracting the detailed, nuanced, and accurate information you need for your project or understanding. It involves thorough research, strategic question planning, and a clear understanding of your objectives.
Understanding the SME Interview
An SME interview is a focused conversation designed to gather in-depth knowledge from an individual highly proficient in a particular field, process, or technology. Unlike a job interview, the primary goal here is knowledge acquisition.
Key Phases of Preparation
Preparing for an SME interview can be broken down into distinct phases, ensuring you maximize the value of your interaction.
1. Define Your Objectives
Before approaching a SME, clarify what you need to learn.
- Identify the scope: What specific areas of their expertise are relevant to your needs?
- Pinpoint the problem: Are you trying to solve a specific problem, understand a process, or gather insights for a new initiative?
- Desired outcomes: What information, insights, or data points do you hope to walk away with?
2. Conduct Background Research
Demonstrating that you've done your homework builds credibility and ensures you don't waste the SME's time on easily discoverable information.
- Research the SME: Understand their background, specific areas of expertise, publications, or contributions. LinkedIn and company websites are good starting points.
- Research the topic: Familiarize yourself with basic terminology, current industry trends, and any existing documentation related to the subject matter. This allows you to ask more sophisticated questions.
- Identify knowledge gaps: Pinpoint what you already know and, more importantly, what specific information you don't have and need the SME to provide.
3. Craft Effective Questions
The quality of your questions directly impacts the quality of the information you receive. Prepare a mix of open-ended, specific, and probing questions to encourage comprehensive responses.
Here are types of questions that are particularly effective in eliciting detailed insights from experts:
- Perspective Questions: Ask for their point of view on a specific topic or challenge. This helps you understand their unique angle and expert opinion.
- Example: "From your perspective, what's the biggest misconception about [topic]?"
- Status Quo vs. Alternative Questions: Explore the current state of affairs and then prompt them to consider potential improvements, alternative approaches, or future possibilities. This helps uncover pain points and innovative solutions.
- Example: "Given how [current process] works today, what alternative approach do you think would yield better results, and why?"
- Real-Life Example Requests: Ask for concrete illustrations of concepts, processes, or challenges. Examples make abstract information tangible and easier to understand.
- Example: "Can you share a real-life example of a time when [specific scenario] played out, and what the outcome was?"
- Simplification (ELI5) Questions: Encourage them to explain complex concepts in simple, accessible terms. This helps you grasp the fundamentals and identifies how well they can distill intricate knowledge.
- Example: "If you had to explain [complex concept] to someone completely new to the field, how would you put it in the simplest possible terms?"
- Pain Point Questions: Inquire about the biggest challenges, frustrations, or inefficiencies within their area of expertise or the industry. This reveals critical areas for improvement or innovation.
- Example: "What's the biggest pain point you've encountered when dealing with [specific system/process]?"
- "Doing Wrong" Questions: Ask about common mistakes, misconceptions, or what others in the industry often do incorrectly. This can uncover critical gaps in common understanding or practice.
- Example: "In your opinion, what are people in this industry commonly doing wrong when it comes to [task or strategy]?"
- Industry Journey Questions: Understand their personal journey into the industry or how they developed their expertise. This can provide valuable context, uncover passion points, and sometimes even reveal overlooked historical insights.
- Example: "How did you originally get into this industry, and what led you to specialize in [their area of expertise]?"
Consider organizing your questions into themes or a logical flow to maintain structure during the interview.
4. Logistics and Tools
- Schedule Appropriately: Respect the SME's time. Be clear about the interview duration and stick to it.
- Choose the Right Medium: Decide whether a face-to-face meeting, video call, or phone call is most suitable.
- Prepare Recording/Note-Taking Tools: Obtain permission to record the interview (audio/video) if desired, and ensure your note-taking method is efficient.
- Share Your Agenda: Provide the SME with a brief agenda or a list of topics you wish to discuss beforehand. This allows them to prepare and gather any necessary information or data.
During the Interview
- Active Listening: Pay close attention to the SME's responses.
- Flexibility: Be prepared to deviate from your prepared questions if the conversation leads to a more valuable or unexpected insight.
- Follow-up Questions: Don't hesitate to ask clarifying or probing questions to dig deeper into an answer.
- Respect their time: Keep track of the time and manage the conversation efficiently.
After the Interview
- Review and Organize Notes: Immediately after the interview, review your notes and recordings.
- Synthesize Information: Extract key insights, facts, and actionable information.
- Follow Up: Send a thank-you note, and if appropriate, share a summary of the insights you gained or how their input will be used.
