The SME Connection: Your Roadmap to Success

Ever wish SME reviews didn’t drag on forever? We map a simple route for turning expert knowledge into learner performance—without meetings that sprawl or feedback that never lands. We’re talking clear roles, crisp outcomes, and a steady cadence that keeps momentum high and stress low.

Grab the one-page route card at the end: destination, three must-do tasks, two artifacts, a short cadence, and an alpha–beta–gold review plan. If the framework helps you ship faster and teach better, subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a quick review—then tell us which mile marker helped you most.

🔗 Episode Links:

Please check out the resources mentioned in the episode. Enjoy!

The SME Connection Infographic

Working with Subject Matter Experts: The Ultimate Guide

📑 References:

Pappas, C. (2023, November 24). Working with subject matter Experts: The Ultimate guide. eLearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/working-subject-matter-experts-ultimate-guide

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Chapters

• 0:00 Setting the Destination and Roles
• 2:15 Scouting the Terrain with SMEs
• 3:18 Cadence and Clear Communication
• 4:18 Turn Expertise into Real Performance
• 5:27 Fast, Focused Review Process
• 6:32 The Compliance Crunch Case Study
• 7:43 Potholes to Avoid
• 8:42 Your One-Page Route Card
• 9:39 Resources, Closing, and CTA

Transcript

Jackie Pelegrin: 0:00

Hello, and welcome to the Designing with Love Podcast. I am your host, Jackie Pelegrin, where my goal is to bring you information, tips, and tricks as an instructional designer. Hello, instructional designers and educators. Welcome to episode 71 of the Designing with Love Podcast. In this episode, we're unpacking how to build strong, respectful partnerships with subject matter experts so your projects move smoothly and your learning outcomes shine. Here's our route for today's drive. Set the foundation, scout the terrain, set cruise control, turn expertise into practice, and move reviews quickly. Then a quick example, pothole roundup, and a route card you can use on your next project. So grab your notebook, a cup of coffee, and settle in as we explore this topic together. Alright, first stop on our route. Let's lay the roadbed. Who owns what and where we're headed? Mile marker one, laying the roadbed, roles, outcomes, and scope. This is where we agree on responsibilities and define success so the project has a clear destination. Here's something you could say to your subject matter expert. As the instructional designer, I'll own the learning design and the project timeline. As our subject matter expert, you'll own the technical accuracy and feasibility. Together, we'll make the decisions that help learners perform on the job. Tip one, set the destination. Name the learner, the job tasks they must do, and how you'll recognize success. This could be accuracy, time, and satisfaction. Why is this important? Clear outcomes prevent rework and keep tools from steering the project. Tip two, keep the scope light. Start with the most common situations, save rare edge cases for later releases or coaching. Why is this important? Narrow focus speeds delivery and builds early wins. With our destination set and roles clear, it's time to scout the terrain so we gather the right details fast. Mile marker two, scout the terrain. Prepare like a journalist. Now we collect just enough real world input to design with confidence. Tip one, send a short prenote. Share who the learners are, your draft goal, and topics you'll cover. Ask for two or three real artifacts, such as a checklist, a screenshot, or a sample. Why is this important? Prepping the subject matter expert focuses the conversation and reduces meetings. Tip two, use a simple question funnel. Here you could ask, what are the key steps? What decisions matter most? Where do beginners slip? And how do we spot it early? Why is this important? Funnels turn expertise into teachable steps and decision points. Now that the map is marked, let's set cruise control with a simple meeting rhythm and clear communication. Mile marker three, cruise control, cadence and communication. Small steady check-ins keep momentum without burning time. Tip one, keep it light and steady. Hold a twenty to twenty five minute weekly check-in until the first draft is approved. Why is this important? Predictable touch points prevent last minute scrambles. Tip two, end with three things. State decisions made, owners and due dates. Then, send a three-line recap, which includes the goal, what's due, and an open question. Why is this important? Written clarity avoids email spirals and lost decisions. Cadence locked in. Next, we turn the map into pavement by translating expertise into on the job performance. Mile marker four, from map to road, translate expertise into performance. We design practice that mirrors real work so learners can act, not just recall. Tip one, build around one real task. Create a single clear scenario that looks and sounds like the job. Why is this important? Realistic practice transfers to the workplace faster. Tip two, give turn by turn directions. Offer a tiny decision guide, such as if X happens, do Y, otherwise do Z, and use common mistakes as practice choices. Why is this important? Decision cues and authentic errors strengthen judgment. Tip three, add complexity later. Master the basics first, then save common cases for a follow-up. Why is this important? Layering complexity prevents overload and boosts confidence. Once the road is paved, we need checkpoints so reviews move quickly without surprises. Mile marker five, toll boosts and checkpoints, reviews that move. Clear criteria and short review windows keep the project on schedule. Tip one, share a one-page review checklist. Include accuracy, clarity, risk or compliance, learner fit, and policy alignment. Why is this important? Criteria turn vague feedback into actionable edits. Tip two, time box the review with a friendly default. Here you could say, if I don't hear back by Friday at 5 PM, I'll mark this as approved so we keep momentum. Please reply if we should adjust anything. Why is this important? Deadlines prevent stallouts and keep accountability kind. Tip three, use three small passes. Alpha equals structure, beta equals content and clarity, and gold equals final polish. Why is this important? Focused passes shorten cycles and reduce rework. Let's pull into a scenic overlook and see how this plays out in the wild with a real life example. Scenic overlook, the compliance crunch. Here's the short version of how this route works in practice. A team needed training fast. Instead of starting with a big manual, we did the following. Step one, set a simple destination. Who, what they must do, and how we'll recognize success. Why this worked? Everyone was aligned fast. Step two, collected two real examples and one short checklist. Why this worked? We designed with reality, not assumptions. Step three, built one realistic scenario with a tiny decision guide. Why this worked? Learners practice what they'll do on the job. Step four, reviewed with a one page checklist in two quick rounds. Why this worked? We shipped on time with fewer edits. The result learners finished faster, made fewer mistakes, and felt more confident. From that view, a few potholes stand out. Here's a fast roundup so you can steer around them. Rest stop, quick pothole roundup. These are the common bumps that slow teams down. Bump one, make it engaging without a clear destination. Why it hurts? You can't measure success. Bump two, treating the subject matter expert like a content dump. Why it hurts? You'll get slides, not performance. Bump three, teaching rare edge cases first. Why it hurts. Beginners stall before they start. Bump four, endless reviews with no criteria or deadline. Why it hurts? Projects drift and trust drops. Bump five. Letting tools steer instead of outcomes. Why it hurts? Shiny objects replace results. So are you ready to drive this on your next project? Here's your route card to keep in the glove compartment. Next turn, your route card. Here's a one page guide you can use before your very next kickoff. Destination. Who? What they must do and how you'll recognize success. Why this matters? Anchors every decision to a measurable outcome. Three must do tasks, the everyday moves that matter most. Why this matters? Prioritizes impact over nice to have content. Two artifacts to request a checklist, a sample, or a screenshot. Why this matters? Reality checks your design early. Cadence. One short weekly check-in with a three line recap. Why this matters? Keeps momentum without meeting fatigue. Review plan. One page checklist along with alpha, beta, then gold. Why this matters? Faster approvals, fewer surprises. If this helped you, please share the episode, leave a quick rating, or send me a voice message on the podcast page. Make sure to tell me which mile marker helped you most. Before we wrap this section, I want to point you to a great resource from Christopher Pappas over at the eLearning Industry. He walks through five frequent challenges we run into with subject matter experts. Everything from I already know it all to resisting change to fondness for very linear content. And he pairs each one with concrete tips. Over the years, I've faced every single one of these, and I'm sure a few will sound familiar to you too. Whether you've been designing for decades or you're brand new to the field, I've included the link in today's show notes so you can check it out after the episode. Also, if you would like to take your learning further, you can reference the interactive resource, which is linked in the show notes. As you head out, remember, strong partnerships get learners to the destination with confidence. Destination reached. Conclusion. Strong learning starts with strong partnerships. When you set the destination, scout the terrain, and keep steady cruise control, your subject matter experts feel valued and your learners arrive confident. As I conclude this episode, here's an inspiring quote by Helen Keller. Alone we can do so little. Together, we can do so much. Thanks for designing with love. I'll see you on the next drive. Thank you for taking some time to listen to this podcast episode today. Your support means the world to me. If you'd like to help keep the podcast going, you can share it with a friend or colleague, leave a heartfelt review, or offer a monetary contribution. Every act of support, big or small, makes a difference, and I'm truly thankful for you.