Characteristics of a good SME
- Works to provide a technical writer with every possible bit of information necessary to complete their job.
- Provides the necessary information on the assignment day.
- Works with technical writer in advance of assignment date to establish an acceptable deadline.
- Makes time to answer technical writer's questions no less than twice per week.
- Treats the technical writer as a customer.
- Provides markups that are clear and concise.
- Helps defend agreed-upon deadlines.
- Prepares technical writer for planned short-deadline releases in advance of assignment date.
- Helps protect documentation quality by providing deadline extensions when engineering changes are necessary and before scheduled deadlines.
- Accepts responsibility for deadline extensions when engineering changes are necessary.
- Is never difficult to reach or unwilling to take your calls.
- Can verbalize complex subject matter in simple terms.
- Respects the technical writer's role as the document's format, grammar, and style manager.
- Follows established process to suggest format, grammar, and style changes.
- Add your own characteristics below:
