The tech-writer’s journal #14 — Tips to maintain a good rapport with your SMEs
This article was originally published on The Communicator in the Spring 2022 edition
Introduction
One of the most important aspects of being a technical writer is being able to extract information that other people don’t know how to get. You can do it in many ways, such as: diving deep into different functional documents or wikis, through trial and error, or even by skimming through code. However, anybody can do that. What sets you apart as a technical writer, is the ability to get information from people who aren’t very forthcoming. It is all about setting up meetings with the appropriate individuals, asking them the right questions, and getting the correct information out of them, which is then used to create your documentation. Maintaining good relationships with your Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and other (human) sources is at the heart of this, and that is what I will address in this article.
SMEs have strong technical/specialist knowledge and technical writers are rich with information design, translational, and communication skills.The purpose of this article is to highlight techniques to maintain a positive relationship with your SMEs; this can have a significant impact on the quality of your documentation.
Why does it matter?
The simple answer to this is, writing can only take you up to a certain level. More often than not, the information that you need to build documentation is not available online. The data that we can extract from research, exploration, trial and error, and internal docs is limited. You cannot write useful documentation if there is a lot about the subject that you don’t know or don’t understand.
The only way to get all the information that you need is from the SMEs; mostly through meetings (otherwise known as SME interviews). It is essential that you identify the right people and ask the right questions to get the information you need. Once you’ve done that, your documentation will have all of the answers, and people will trust it as the source of truth, which is your ultimate aim.
Being prepared for the meetings
The worst thing a technical writer can possibly do in an interview with an SME is say, “OK, describe the feature/product to me.” SMEs appreciate it if you arrive prepared and have tried the product or feature before the meeting. This approach will aid in the development of trust and credibility among your SMEs. It also demonstrates that you value their time and provides a nice starting point for the conversation.
Asking the right questions
When it comes to asking the correct questions, there is always a sweet spot. While it’s important to ask clever, well-informed questions, it’s also not a terrible idea to ask some basic ones (if you are not able to find them through any other means). There may be another user who has the same question as you and would appreciate it if you answered it in your documentation. However, it is important to remember that if you can find the solution to a simple query through research, trial and error, internal documents, functional documents, wikis, or by going through code, it’s not worth taking it to the SME. Also, it is always best to mention your assumptions and the steps you took to arrive at the intended outcome during the meeting.
Establishing focus
It is vital to have a clear understanding of the goal of the meeting with the SME and the desired outcome. When the agenda is unclear, the entire meeting might quickly devolve into a hazy information sharing session. It is critical to understand what information you require, why you require it, and how it will benefit the customer/end-user.
Here is a technique that might be of help: as you are working through your documentation, trying to incorporate everything you know, you will have a lot of questions. You can jot them down and create a list, then, when you have gathered a set of 20–30 questions, you can set up a meeting with the concerned SMEs. You may email them this list of questions while you’re setting up the meeting and tell them you want to go over them in the meeting. People are unlikely to refuse if the aim of the meeting is made crystal clear.
Recording meetings
A technical writer’s work is typically described as converting information from SME’s jargon to plain English. SMEs are well-known for having their own language, and the information they provide during SME meetings is sometimes too overwhelming to grasp. If you are unable to absorb the information shared in the initial meeting, you may need to schedule more meetings with them, which might tire them. It might also be difficult for you, since you may have to rummage through your memory for facts you’ve forgotten or missed.
A simple solution to this is to record the meetings. You may then go over them again and again, carefully piecing them together. If the project is delayed for any reason, the recordings will allow you to refresh your memory even weeks or months later.
All the information that you need to write docs is pretty much inside the SME’s head, but it often comes out in random structures and tangents and in ways that are hard to understand. A recording allows you to shape and control that information. You can then turn to the notes and turn them into documentation.
Being curious
This goes without saying and is self-explanatory. Curiosity for technology and a desire to solve linguistic puzzles are essential qualities for a technical writer. It not only answers a lot of your questions, but it also lets you document and share your journey with your users. When you can explore and uncover as many answers as possible on your own, the quality of the questions you ask SMEs improves, and the quality of the dialogue during SME meetings improves as well.
Responding quickly to emails and messages
The quicker you respond to emails and messages, the more people feel connected and listen to you. Being responsive aids in building rapport and trust. In fact, the faster you respond, the fewer details you need to include about that particular issue or problem. It is essential for a technical writer to be as approachable as possible, and one way to establish that is by being responsive.
Prompt responses encourage SMEs to share additional information. Particularly if they are currently in the middle of a problem, and typically they may share extra information when you ask follow-up questions. Such conversations build a relationship of trust, whereas when you wait days to react, the topic dies and people eventually lose interest.
Conclusion
It is extremely important for technical writers to go above and beyond to maintain a good relationship with other team members such as engineers, developers, project managers, and support specialists since it somehow or other has an effect on the quality of the documentation being produced. Working with SMEs is one of the most important skills that a technical writer will develop over time and as they gain experience.
References
Judgie, A. Halap, C. Chaix, M. ‘SMEs and technical writers: a win-win
relationship’. CDMM. 2014.
https://comtechp7.hypotheses.org/files/2015/11/2014-Chaix-Manon-
Halap-Caroline-Jugie-Aur%C3%A9lie-1.pdf (accessed 19 Jan, 2022)
Johnson, T.’A tip for doc reviews’. I’d rather be writing. 2020.
https://rb.gy/nmpnvc (accessed 19 Jan, 2022)
Johnson, T. ‘How to become a 10X technical writer in the workplace’.
I’d rather be writing. 2019. https://rb.gy/pqwmzc
(accessed 19 Jan, 2022)
