View source for Subject-matter expert

{{short description|Authority in a particular area or topic}}

A '''subject-matter expert''' ('''SME''') is a person who has accumulated great knowledge in a particular field or topic and this level of knowledge is demonstrated by the person's degree, licensure, and/or through years of professional experience with the subject. For example, a [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] in chemistry could be easily declared as a SME in chemistry, or a person with a [[General radiotelephone operator license|Second Class Radiotelegraph License]] or equivalent issued by the national licensing body ([[Federal Communications Commission]] in the United States,<ref>{{cite web |title=FCC |url=https://www.fcc.gov/ |website=Federal Communications Commission |publisher=United States Gov't |access-date=10 June 2022}}</ref> [[Ofcom]] in the UK,<ref>{{cite web |title=Ofcom |url=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/ |website=Office Of Communications |publisher=HMS Gov't of the UK |access-date=10 June 2022}}</ref> and [[National Telecommunications Commission]] in the Philippines,<ref>{{cite web |title=NTC |url=https://ntc.gov.ph/ |website=National Telecommunications Commission |publisher=3rd Republic of the Philippines |access-date=10 June 2022}}</ref> and other [[List of telecommunications regulatory bodies|authorities around the world]]) could be considered a SME in [[Wireless telegraphy|radiotelegraphy]].  A person with a [[master's degree]] in electronic engineering could be considered a subject-matter expert in electronics, or a person with many years of experience in machining could be considered a SME in [[machining]].

The term is used when developing materials about a topic (a book, an examination, a manual, etc.), and expertise on the topic is needed by the personnel developing the material. For example, [[Test (student assessment)|tests]] are often created by a team of [[psychometrics|psychometricians]] and a team of SMEs. The psychometricians understand how to engineer a test while the SMEs understand the actual content of the exam.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prometric.com/sme-recruitment|title=SME Recruitment|publisher=[[Prometric]]|access-date=May 2, 2020}}</ref> Books, manuals, and technical documentation are developed by [[technical writer]]s and [[instructional designer]]s in conjunctions with SMEs. Technical communicators interview SMEs to extract information and convert it into a form suitable for the audience. SMEs are often required to sign off on the documents or training developed, checking it for technical accuracy. SMEs are also necessary for the development of training materials.<ref name="donclark">{{cite web|url=http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/sme.html|author=Don Clark|title=Subject Matter Experts (SME)|date=February 21, 1999}}</ref>

== By field ==
In pharmaceutical and biotechnology areas, ASTM International standard E2500<ref name="astm">{{cite web|url=http://www.astm.org/cgi-bin/resolver.cgi?E2500|title=ASTM E2500 - 13: Standard Guide for Specification, Design, and Verification of Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Systems and Equipment|publisher=[[ASTM International]]|date=2013}}{{doi|10.1520/E2500-13}}</ref> specifies SMEs for various functions in project and process management. In one project, there will be many SMEs who are experts on air, water, utilities, process machines, process, packaging, storage, distribution and supply chain management.
<blockquote>"Subject Matter Experts are defined as those individuals with specific expertise and responsibility in a particular area or field (for example, quality unit, engineering, automation, development, operations). Subject Matter Experts should take the lead role in the verification of manufacturing systems as appropriate within their area of expertise and responsibility." —ASTM E2500 §6.7.1 and §6.7.2.<ref name="astm" />
</blockquote>

In engineering and technical fields, a SME is the one who is an authority in the design concept, calculations and performance of a system or process.

In the scientific and academic fields, SMEs are recruited to perform peer reviews<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.orau.org/research-reviews-evaluations/expert-network-recruiting.html|title=Expert Network & Recruiting|website=Oak Ridge Associated Universities|access-date=May 2, 2020}}</ref> and are used as oversight personnel to review reports in the accounting and financial fields.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aicpa.org/content/dam/aicpa/interestareas/peerreview/resources/transparency/downloadabledocuments/enhanced-oversight-faqs.pdf|title=Peer Review Program: Enhanced Oversight Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=[[American Institute of Certified Public Accountants]]|access-date=May 2, 2020|date=October 29, 2018}}</ref>

A lawyer in an administrative agency may be designated an SME if they specialize in a particular field of law, such as tort, intellectual property rights, etc. A law firm may seek out and use a SME as an expert witness.<ref name="balance">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebalancecareers.com/subject-matter-expert-2275099|title=What Is a Subject Matter Expert and What Do They Do?|author=F. John Reh|website=The Balance Careers|access-date=May 2, 2020|date=June 1, 2019 }}</ref>

In electronic discovery environments, the term "SME" labels professionals with expertise using computer-assisted reviewing technology and technology-assisted review (TAR) to perform searches designed to produce precisely refined results that identify groups of data as potentially responsive or nonresponsive to relevant issues. E-discovery SMEs also typically have experience in constructing the search strings used in the search. It also refers to experts used to "train" the TAR systems.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalystsecure.com/blog/2013/11/subject-matter-experts-what-role-should-they-play-in-tar-2-0-training/|title=Subject Matter Experts: What Role Should They Play in TAR 2.0 Training?|website=catalystsecure.com|author=John Tredennick|date=November 17, 2013}}</ref>

==Domain expert (software)==
{{More citations needed section|date=May 2020}}

A '''domain expert''' is frequently used in [[expert systems]] software development, and there the term always refers to the [[Domain (software engineering)|domain]] other than the software domain. A domain expert is a person with special knowledge or skills in a particular area of endeavour<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Costabile|first1=Maria Francesca|last2=Fogli|first2=Daniela|last3=Letondal|first3=Catherine|last4=Mussio|first4=Piero|last5=Piccinno|first5=Antonio|date=2003|title=Domain-Expert Users and their Needs of Software Development|url=http://rgdoi.net/10.13140/2.1.4737.6325|doi=10.13140/2.1.4737.6325 |website=ResearchGate}}</ref> (e.g. an [[accountant]] is an expert in the domain of [[accountancy]]). The development of [[accounting software]] requires knowledge in two different domains: accounting and software. Some of the development workers may be experts in one domain and not the other.

In [[software engineering]] environments, the term is used to describe professionals with expertise in the field of application. The term "SME" also has a broader definition in engineering and [[high tech]] as one who has the greatest expertise in a technical topic. SMEs are often asked to review, improve, and approve technical work; to guide others; and to teach. According to [[Six Sigma]], a SME "exhibits the highest level of expertise in performing a specialized job, task, or skill of broad definition."<ref>{{Cite web|url= http://www.isixsigma.com/dictionary/subject-matter-expert-sme/|title= Definition of Subject Matter Expert (SME)|publisher= iSixSigma|access-date = 2012-03-21}}</ref>

In [[software development]], as in the development of "complex computer systems" (e.g., [[artificial intelligence]], [[expert system]]s, control, simulation, or business software), a SME is a person who is knowledgeable about the domain being represented (but often not knowledgeable about the programming technology used to represent it in the system). The SME tells the software developers what needs to be done by the computer system, and how the SME intends to use it. The SME may interact directly with the system, possibly through a simplified interface, or may codify [[domain knowledge]] for use by [[knowledge engineering|knowledge engineers]] or [[Ontology (information science)|ontologists]]. A SME is also involved in validating the resulting system. SME has formal meaning in certain contexts, such as [[Capability Maturity Model]]s.

==See also==<!-- Please A-Z -->
*[[Advisor]]
*[[Consultant]]
*{{annotated link|Domain knowledge}} 
* [[Knowledge engineering]] 
*[[Professional]]
*[[Subject-matter expert Turing test]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* [http://www.cs.vu.nl/~frankh/postscript/IEAAIE00.pdf Maintenance of KBS's by Domain Experts], Bultman, Kuipers, [[Frank van Harmelen|Harmelen]] (2005)

[[Category:Knowledge engineering]]
[[Category:Skills]]
[[Category:Knowledge]]