SME Interview Guide

Walk out of one meeting with a subject matter expert holding the steps, decisions, mistakes and examples you need to build the training, without weeks of follow-up requests.

Who it is for

• Business owners who need to get what a long-time employee knows written down before that person leaves or retires.

• Managers and shift leads who now train new hires and have to learn a task from the person who does it best.

• Office and operations managers who write checklists, how-to guides and onboarding material.

• HR and learning professionals who build training on topics they do not know firsthand.

• Consultants and freelance course builders who interview client experts.

The problem it solves

A subject matter expert (SME) is the person who knows a task, system or policy best. They are also usually the busiest person in the building. Most interviews with them drift: a general chat, pages of notes, no clear steps, then more meetings to fill the gaps until the expert stops replying. This guide shows you how to prepare so one focused hour is enough, what to ask for each kind of content, how to listen for the steps experts skip without noticing, and what to do when the expert is busy, vague or off topic.

What is inside

SME Interview Guide (PDF, 22 pages)

• What an SME is and why one good meeting is enough (2 pages)

• Preparation with a worked example, and a sample booking email with checklist (2 pages)

• A one-hour meeting plan with opening and closing scripts (1 page)

• Five question sets, each with "listen for" notes, a vague answer turned specific, and what the answers turn into: process, software, policy, soft skill, troubleshooting (5 pages)

• Active listening techniques and how to avoid leading questions (1 page)

• Recording, privacy and a simple note-taking code (1 page)

• When the expert is busy, with a worked example from an auto repair shop (1 page)

• When the expert is vague, with a worked dialogue from an accounting office (1 page)

• Seven other difficult situations and what to say (1 page)

• From notes to sign-off in seven steps (1 page)

• Interview note template and filled-in example (2 pages)

• Follow-up email, busy-expert email, review request and sign-off confirmation, each with a template and example (2 pages)

• One-page interview checklist (1 page)

SME Interview Templates (Word, 13 pages): preparation worksheet, booking email, meeting plan and scripts, all five question sets with space for answers, interview note template, and the four emails, ready to edit.

How to use it

1. Read the "Before the meeting" pages and fill in the preparation worksheet.

2. Book the meeting with the sample email and pick the question set that fits your topic.

3. Run the meeting with the one-hour plan and take notes on the note template.

4. Send the follow-up email within one business day, then request one focused review and a written sign-off.

Formats and file types

• PDF (US Letter, print or screen), 22 pages

• Microsoft Word (.docx), 13 pages, opens in Word, Google Docs and LibreOffice

• Licensed for use within your organization

Frequently asked questions