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3/16/2018 5 Types of SMEs

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5 Types of SMEs
By Chuck Hodell

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While SMEs hold countless different responsibilities in the world in general, in our training
world SMEs play specific roles that merit our attention and focus. For our purposes, we divide
them into five categories: technical, hybrid, instructional, functional, and sentinel SMEs. Each
of these classifications has specific characteristics and contributes to our work in unique ways.
Not all SMEs are created equal, and this is a real advantage for trainers.

Technical SMEs
First in our categories of SMEs is the technical SME. This group is primarily focused on
technical content and isn’t overly involved or concerned about other aspects of the
instructional design process such as implementation. Technical SMEs are brought into the
process to provide content knowledge and to make sure that every detail related to content is
correct. These SMEs often work in groups, and the larger the scale of a project, the more of
these experts you can expect to be involved.
Examples of technical SMEs include OEM (original equipment manufacturer) representatives,
engineers, scientists, lawyers, medical professionals, skilled trades workers, and many others.
This group is expected to have documented proficiency in the content area, and these SMEs
usually have certifications, degrees, or other professional standing.
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Hybrid SMEs
This unique category of SME embodies someone who is both a content expert and an
implementation expert. These SMEs are expected to provide support both in the content of a
course or program and in the best ways to deliver it. This, of course, assumes substantial
documented expertise in both areas.

In most but not all cases, this combination is a very good thing, but there are exceptions that
you need to be aware of as you consider a SME’s qualifications. For example, a college
professor who has never taught or designed a course for online implementation may not be a
good choice for both content and implementation expertise if you are designing online college
courses. In fact, a SME’s combination of depth in content and lack of applicable
implementation knowledge can be a source of friction when designing implementation, since
his or her views will likely not resonate with the views of the more experienced design team
members relating to online course design. Be careful in these situations.

Instructional SMEs
The roles of facilitator, mentor, coach, and teacher are all included in the instructional subject
matter expert category. While this group may possess some degree of subject matter expertise,
its primary role is to enhance the instructional aspects of the training during implementation. It
is likely that someone who does not participate in the design, development, or management of
the training will teach a technical course. Having this group’s input about the best way to
implement the content is often valuable.

Examples of instructional SMEs include a teacher who has


considerable online course experience but doesn’t possess any
relevant content knowledge. There are also a number of talented
skilled trades instructors who can assist with classroom and shop-
level implementation course development. Both of these experts
offer considerable value to the course design process.
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Functional SMEs

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Within your design team, you often have experts in areas who are not content or
implementation related, but are nonetheless vital to your project. This might include
programmers, software designers, photographers, artists, writers, and a wealth of other non-
content expertise. In most cases, we don’t consider these valuable assets as SMEs, but they are
in every way subject matter experts in their professions. To treat them in the same manner as
our content experts will almost always work to the design team’s advantage.

Sentinel SMEs
The final classification of SMEs is reserved for those in our world who manage and monitor
many of our projects, yet may possess less relevant or dated content knowledge. These
sentinel SMEs are most often members of governing boards, grant committees, or highranking
organizational leaders, or they may sit on oversight or technical committees. While they may
not be contributing directly to the content, they may feel compelled to comment on various
aspects of the technical side of a content area.
Sentinel SMEs may sit in judgment of programs and courses and expect their knowledge to
influence content decisions. Their input may be a distraction to the process if they insist on
making their influence felt on decisions that the design team and other SMEs are in a better
position to make. In other situations, technical and hybrid SMEs may sit as sentinels on
projects to which they can serve as a real plus in moving positive momentum and direction
from the perspective of both a technical expert and a sentinel leader for the project.

As you identify the different types of SMEs in your work, don’t get trapped into thinking that
one individual can only play one SME role in your work. There are the rare and talented
individuals who are perfectly capable of contributing in multiple was. Just be sure you have
identified their roles in each situation to best use their abilities.

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Note: This article is excerpted from ASTD Handbook for Training & Development,
2nd Edition (ATD Press, 2014). Comprehensive. Insightful. Definitive. The second
edition ASTD Handbook is the most valuable resource you can own as a training and
development professional. Written by 96 of the best and brightest thinkers in the field, its 55
chapters cover everything you need to know about the profession today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chuck Hodell
Chuck Hodell is the author of the bestselling ATD book ISD From the Ground Up and has been involved
in the worlds of training and education for more than 30 years. He has written extensively on instructional
design and training-related topics for ATD, including several Infolines. He has enjoyed stints as a
musician, police officer, telephone company repair technician, trainer, teacher, and academic
administrator. Like many talent development professionals, his first exposure to training and instructional
design was as a subject matter expert. He currently serves as associated director of the graduate program
in instructional systems development at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He is also the
senior program director for instructional design at the Transportation Learning Center and academic

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adviser to the International Masonry Institute. Hodell has an undergraduate degree from Antioch
University and an MA and PhD from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

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