Aligning Strategy: How Subject Matter Experts and Project Teams Work Smarter Together

Maximizing Collaboration to Drive Efficiency, Innovation, and Results

Working as a team, collaborating with the experts, and exchanging ideas are the foundation to making great content. Efficiency is imperative in writing content that is clear, engaging, and impactful, ensuring the message resonates with the audience while maintaining a smooth and cohesive flow.

Subject matter experts (SME) and project team members require a proactive approach to learning and collaboration. One important tip is to listen and learn from the experts before providing your feedback and opinion(s). Remember, that the experts provide the knowledge and the technical writers initiate and shape the documentation to effectively communicate that expertise.

Being proactive is key to building the relationships with SMEs and project team members (we’ll call them project team experts or PTEs from here on out). Start by scheduling regular weekly meetings with the PTEs to gain insight into their knowledge and core technical concepts that need to be conveyed. While in these discussions, ask specific questions to clarify any complex topics to make sure your understanding aligns with the industry standards.

I recommend getting familiar with published project documents, specifications, reports, etc., to build your knowledge before you draft any documentation. This will allow you to gauge if your content meets the required house style(s), best practices, and alignment with current documentation.

It's important to actively connect with PTEs by attending planned meetings and/or scheduled sessions to track project milestones and receive new deliverables you will be responsible for. If you have a project manager (PM) driving the initiative, work closely with them to stay on task, meeting timelines and milestones. They are the leaders and know every aspect of their project. Whatever number of meetings you are involved in, go to each one so that you keep up with any new developments that may affect your content. Typically, the PM, if one is assigned to your project, will establish clear communication channels, whether it is impromptu meetings, scheduled conversations, stand-ups, or one-on-ones, to collaborate, share, and discuss tasks and assignments. This will keep PTEs and the technical writer(s) on the same page and help streamline content revisions and feedback loops. It's imperative to keep an open dialogue with your team so you can refine technical documentation to meet your team's expectations.

Another recommendation, from my perspective, is to leverage PTEs reviews to validate technical accuracy. Most companies that I have worked for have a Product Lifecycle Management system, or PLM, that will organize, track, coordinate approvals, and manage documentation prior to and after publication. I would also suggest technical writers encourage PTEs to provide constructive feedback and revisions for clarification while it's being "shaped".

Lastly, building strong relationships with PTEs can help create clear, accurate and impactful content. Continuous communication will ensure that ideas are exchanged smoothly. This will lead to faster problem-solving and help improve content efficiency. When your team works closely, you can brainstorm new ideas that will help drive innovation and creativity. Building good relationships makes projects run smoother, helps to create high quality content that meets industry standards, project goals, and timelines, as well as meets your audience expectations. The best results come from team collaboration efforts.