Barrier: Resist sharing knowledge. SME doesn’t want to share knowledge.

• Ways to respond:
  • Understanding SME’s motivation
  • Address the “what’s in it for me” –how will it benefit the SME?
  • Establish a clear path to success.
  • Clearly articulate the business drivers for the project to help get buy in. (Darryl’s suggestion)

Barrier: Lack of commitment and/or accountability to projects, deadlines, etc.

• Ways to respond:
  • Incentives for participation from their leaders and project champion
  • Relationships-prior to project, build a relationship with stakeholders and SMEs to build buy-in. Be sure to show SMEs end results.
  • Project Management-great project structure and consultant planning helps set well understood deadlines.
  • Get the SME’s manager to support the project and encourage the SME to participate. (Darryl’s suggestion)

Barrier: Getting the SME’s Time-True SME is hard to pull out of the “production line” for HPT intervention development

• Ways to respond:
  • Get personal commitment-Be specific about time requirements: Meeting dates, meeting length, time commitments beyond meetings.
  • Always have time requirements listed on email subject line correspondence: example-Module 1 Review>Due 4/18>1 hour needed
  • Offer recognition to the SME
  • Get the SME’s manager’s approval to participate in the project.

Barrier: Finding the right SMEs rather than high performers. Finding the best SMEs.

• Ways to respond:
  • Use social networks to identify best SMEs
  • Evaluate their work product vs. only word of mouth.
  • Specify criteria for selecting SMEs when negotiating the project. Specify criteria for rejecting appointed SMEs.
  • Treat it as if you are hiring someone for a job when looking for an SME (Darryl’s suggestion)

Barrier: Conflict of knowledge among SMEs. Multiple SMEs don’t agree on procedures or criteria.

• Ways to respond:
  • Specify rules (upfront) for dealing with disagreements.
  • Find the “things” they do agree on and work from the commonalities.
  • Present the case then have SMEs vote.
  • Have a lead SME to be the final word for project. (Darryl’s suggestion)