Ask the Expert Guest Author
HOW TO EFFECTIVELY LEVERAGE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ON A PROJECT
By Michele Mills, PMP
IT Project Manager
University Health Care
Problem:
How many times have you facilitated a meeting with a group of subject matter experts only to find there is
no consensus or "right" way to execute an activity? Does each individual expert have their
opinion regarding how to handle the task at hand? Hopefully the end result is the same when you are
confronted with this situation, but how do you know? How do you know which path will get you there more
efficiently with fewer errors and how do you decide on the best course of action with so many choices and
variables in front of you?
Successful project managers understand that subject matter expert (SME) relationships are vital to ensure
they receive the best and most accurate information possible. They quickly ascertain through
investigation and experience which SME is the best “go to” person for each task or project activity
in question. They create a strong network and leverage the expertise within the project team and
healthcare organization to successfully help manage their way through planning every detail.
Solution:
The best way to execute this is by involving several subject matter experts in your project very early on.
The project initiation and planning phases is the time to “hammer out” the plan, discuss
differences, reasoning, and negotiate agreements on process and review recommendations. As the project
manager, your role is to methodically evaluate all recommendations, weigh the pros/cons, consider the risks
of each option and prepare documentation as a reference for why a specific strategy, path or direction is being
taken.
If you know and trust your SME’s based on previous successful project engagements, you are more likely
to have a successful outcome. So, what happens if you do not know the SME’s you are about to work
with? Then it is time to thoroughly do your homework! Not knowing your entire
team’s strengths and weaknesses, including your SME’s, will undoubtedly affect your project’s
end-result. It is your duty as the project manager to understand and challenge any and all
recommendations you receive. Blindly following what an SME tells you will become a risk in any project you
are managing. Even when working with resources you trust, verifying their information is a very important
step in being a competent and diligent project manager. Keep in mind, accountability is an important
message to send as the project manager, but ultimately project success is your responsibility. When you
receive information that does not sound valid, it should be questioned. Under certain conditions, it is
necessary for the project manager to “dive” into the details. You will most likely find this
creates a strong rapport with your project team members and will positively position them next time to ensure
the information they provide is well researched. This may seem like common sense, but at times, project
managers are so engrained and focused on meeting deadlines the most sensible approach in front of them can get
lost.
Example:
Recently, I worked with someone new to project management and was not confident working with IT subject
matter experts. After assessing the problem, I recognized there was a major gap in communication between
the project manager and SME’s. There were some levels of informal communication occurring, but no
formal communication plan was established. I started with this aspect of the project first because I
fundamentally believe a solid communication plan is one of the most important assets to have for a project
manager. There are so many steps in the process, but missing out on formalizing communication is
definitely not one the project manager wants to forget. Communication throughout the project not only
gives everyone the status’ they expect, but it also gets buy-in from all the stakeholders.
Communication is a way to hold each person accountable and responsible for the project only if the project
manager is keeping them up to date on a continuous basis. Under this scenario, all project participants
are usually more willing to provide information because they feel as though they are a part of the process.
Based on my previous experience, I decided to target the communication gap first.
After further assessing the issues, I realized another key problem was the project manager’s complete
reliance on what the subject matter experts were recommending. There was no real discussion about
each task and recommendation. There was no communication with outside stakeholders and users of the
system to gather pertinent information about usage and workflow. No list of risks for any of the
recommendations had been prepared. Because of this, many incorrect assumptions were
made. This neophyte project manager was following the lead of the SMEs, rather than leading the
team. It seemed simple to me at the time, but for a new project manager, this concept was not accepted
practice yet. Together, we talked with the SME’s and solicited additional details on their
opinions and reasoning. After analyzing the information, we came to the conclusion that some of the
original data was flawed. This “dissection” didn’t require a lot of time, but
just a matter of asking the right questions and documenting the follow-up. Once we accomplished these
fairly simple and straight forward activities, it was not difficult to get the project back on the path to
success. In fact, after the communication plan was put into place many stakeholder expectations
were recognized and accounted for. Prior to this time, the project manager was receiving frequent
complaints about the overall project. With the simple introduction of a communication plan,
consistent communication and a review of the SME recommendations, the project manager received praise for the
work. The project went live without a hitch and the new project manager learned a valuable
lesson about project management.
Conclusion:
The bottom line on any project is that no one person is always right. A high performing and
successful project manager accepts this and will entertain, when applicable, outside opinions to ensure the
best decision is being made. As project managers, we should never assume we know it all, nor should we
believe our SME’s have every answer. Always ask questions, probe the details and educate
yourself. As project managers we are expected to run the project and leverage our SME’s to be
effective. You will undoubtedly stumble on many terms and scenarios that are new. We know this
because by definition every project has a definite start and stop and are typically unique by nature to meet
a new business or market need. Always keep in mind that the best project managers are inquisitive, ask
good questions and know how to drive towards positive, productive, measurable customer focused end-results.