Re: Tips on how to talk to SMEs

[Ruth Sessions <ruthsessions03051 -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

Chantel:

Thanks for your response. Sounds like you have a challenging position, esp. as a sole writer.

Although your experience is very different from mine, I can certainly see that you have had to develop
an understanding of a complex system that involves seeing the big picture and how the various elements of
the system integrate with one another. You know when you need to research a  part of the product more 
in order to meet doc requirements; you know (or can find out) who you need to rely on when you cannot get
information first hand; and you know where to draw the line in your research (you probably did not read
the 1,000 page manual for that piece of equipment). In addition, you exercise skill to communicate the 
information in a way that the customer can understand. All of these abilities are those of a "true" tech writer. 

I'm not necessarily critical of the term "reporter"; many times in the field, we are expected to be 
like investigative reporters---hunting down information that people are withholding or hiding for reasons
that vary from person to person and from organization to organization. When it's required, the "investigative" 
aspect of the job is no small undertaking... 

My guess is that throughout our careers, most of us will see our role and techniques vary as required by 
the particular company and/or product. It pays to be prepared to do whatever it takes... 

:-)
Ruth 

------------------------------------------------------------
Ruth Sessions
603/886-7355


________________________________
From: Chantel Brathwaite <brathwaitec -at- castupgrade -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2011 2:37 PM
Subject: Re: Tips on how to talk to SMEs

Ruth,

You've raised an excellent point.  I was pondering William's message 
today after I read it.  I was thinking about how to respond or even if I 
should because I do feel as if there is room for both types of writers - 
some who are more "reporter" in approach and some who are more 
technical.  But as I thought about it more, I think that a lot of the 
approach depends on the project and what it demands.

For example, I am the sole writer for a fairly large training system 
that contains many subsystems.  No one person (including the engineers) 
on this project knows every piece of the system intimately, no matter 
how technical they are - although there are a couple who have fairly 
deep knowledge acquired over years.  Part of the reason is because this 
system interfaces with other very large systems that have varying levels 
of documentation available.  Also, some of the equipment is used by 
different members of the military during engagements - much of it is 
designed around specific military doctrine for certain types of positions.

Much of the equipment that it interfaces with is very complex.  For 
example, one compact piece of equipment that interfaces with the system 
has a 1,000+ page documented manual.  On top of that, the system is 
continually evolving with new versions of different pieces of equipment 
at a very fast clip.  We delivered a version 3 months ago - and in 3 
months - 5 different pieces of software changed versions in addition to 
the software the program ourselves.  And I don't only have to keep up 
with software and hardware changes, but all of the changes in buildings 
that relate to this training system.  I'm talking about circuit changes, 
zone changes for networks, even the way clocks are wired - and I've 
never been to any of these facilities (one is halfway around the world). 
Typically, I have to maintain about 14 different pieces of documentation 
per release - and sometimes the releases are a couple of times a year.  
While it would be great to be a technical expert, it is more 
advantageous to be a reporter in this position.

So, I try to hone technical expertise as much as I can, but act as a 
reporter, sometimes like an "in the guts" technical writer, often like 
an editor, and like a graphic artist.  The way in which you approach a 
technical writing project differs depending on the size of the project 
and the number of moving parts, I think.

I think too that we bring SME-level knowledge when it comes to the end 
user. We shouldn't underestimate that.  To change something difficult 
into something  easy-to-understand is a real skill that I think that we 
shouldn't discount - regardless of how we approach the technical writing 
task.

Chantel

On 7/14/2011 1:37 PM, Ruth Sessions wrote:
> William:
>
> I agree that the true tech writer becomes expert in the product. The difference between a tech writer and an engineer is that the writer develops product expertise over time -- gets to know all aspects of the product, rather than just one small piece of it, in the course of documenting that product. Often the engineer walks in to work on a product with a different expertise of his or her own that he or she applies to develop a small piece of the product. The engineer might never become an expert in the entire product the way that the tech writer eventually does.
>
> Because our job as tech writers is to to learn the product as thoroughly as possible, applying previous experience and technical knowledge, we may start out on a product seeming relatively naive, but a good tech writer eventually becomes a respected member of the team. 
>
> Perhaps the term SME is disturbing because use of it seems to imply that the tech writer will never develop any expertise. Your experience and mine both refute that assumption. I still remember considerable information about products I learned more than 15 years ago. I believe we continue to build on what we learn about each product and that the more products we've worked on, the more we have added to our personal technical repository and the more we have honed our ability to learn. So, even if a writer is not an expert in semiconductor manufacturing, the experienced writer can still document products in that field and develop that expertise.
>
> Ruth
>
>  
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> Ruth Sessions
> 603/886-7355
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: William Sherman<bsherman77 -at- embarqmail -dot- com>
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 11:51 PM
> Subject: Re: Tips on how to talk to SMEs
>
> I'm another who doesn't like this use of SME all the time and "tips on how to talk to SMEs" that pop up on various forums and websites.
>
> First, I go back long enough that the tech writer WAS the expert.  The TW picked up the drawings, read the schematics, researched the product, read the code, and so on and learned it on his own.  He would consult the engineer or the programmer on some items, but often few, and for several reasons.
>
> First, it is your job to learn the item you are writing about. Are you a reporter or a technical writer? That word "technical" in the title isn't there for looks.
>
> Second, the engineer or programmer may not be on that program anymore, hence no dollars in his budget to spend time with you.  Even if he does fudge the timecard, does he still remember the project?
>
> Third, the engineer or programmer is often one small cog in the machine. Now there are projects where one engineer handles the entire project or one programmer codes the entire application, but that is often for something small.  So his view frequently is a lot narrower than you think.  In some places, I have seen "system engineers" who are really "subsystem engineers" because their expertise was only one subsystem of the entire project. Frequently, they are one subsystem of the subsystem.
>
> Fourth, if the product is actually in production, or has already been sold in an earlier version, the technician is frequently more of an expert on it than the engineer. He has to make it run, fix it when it is broken, and send his changes so an engineer can get credit when he "redesigns" the faulty parts (that he previously designed but glosses over that fact) to make Rev. 2.0.
>
> Fifth, I am annoyed at my profession being turned into a "reporter". Think about a reporter. He knows nothing about a subject, and basically takes what someone else knows and pretends to somehow understand it well enough to pass off to others. I'm not here to interview anyone, I am here to learn this product inside out and create a document that shows real knowledge of the product and not just regurgitated mumbo jumbo that many of today's writers have no way to validate.
>
>
>
>
> I also find it annoying that the technical writing profession is being dumbed down to being "reporters" who "interview" the experts to produce a document. Once the reason a technical writer was in demand was he had technical knowledge needed to produce the documentation. Usually it was from coming through the ranks, having been in the military and taking the military training schools, and then supplementing it with tech schools or simply hard knocks on the assembly lines and production facilities.
>
> That is why the idea of a technical writing degree baffles the heck out of me. What are they teaching you?  How to assemble/disassemble an F-15 or an F-16? How to build a UHF radio? How to write and read Pascal, Fortran, C, or PERL?  How to troubleshoot a Caterpillar diesel?  How to operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair a Motorola two-way radio? How to build a Mark 48 torpedo? How to assemble and operate a Mercury inboard engine?
>
> No, the idea is to teach you to interview someone who does know that stuff. Why would I pay two people when I can simply hire the one who know it?  No wonder most companies don't want to hire technical writers.
>
> Basically, the industry is turning technical writers into glorified secretaries and the pay is reflecting it. I can't count the number of jobs I've seen for technical writers that fall into the $40,000 range and lower, when real TECHNICAL writers should and can command $80,000 or more.
>
>
> Bringing brownies to the engineers just proves how much lower you are on the ladder than they are.
>
> Even a good office assistant will get miffed if the boss expects her to get the coffee for him.
>
>
>
>
> Rant OFF.
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Craig Cardimon"<craig -dot- cardimon -at- gmail -dot- com>
> To:<techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 8:19 AM
> Subject: Tips on how to talk to SMEs
>
>
>> These suggestions might help:
>>
>> http://morespecifically.wordpress.com/2011/07/13/play-nice-with-an-sme/
>>
>> -- Craig Cardimon
>> "The Duct Tape Writer"
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-- 
Chantel Brathwaite
Technical Writer
Cole Engineering Services Inc.
Web: http://www.coleengineering.com
Email: Chantel -dot- Brathwaite -at- coleengineering -dot- com
Phone: 407-207-1773 ext. 4138

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