Subject-matter expert

A subject matter expert (SME) or domain expert is a person who is an expert in a particular area or topic. When spoken, sometimes the acronym "SME" is spelled out ("S-M-E") and other times voiced as a word ("smee").^{[citation needed]}

The term domain expert is frequently used in expert systems software development, and there the term always refers to the domain other than the software domain. A domain expert is a person with special knowledge or skills in a particular area of endeavor. An accountant is an expert in the domain of accountancy, for example. The development of accounting software requires knowledge in two different domains, namely accounting and software. Some of the development workers may be experts in one domain and not the other.

Function

In general, the term is used when developing materials (a book, an examination, a manual, etc.) about a topic, and expertise on the topic is needed by the personnel developing the material. For example, tests are often created by a team of psychometricians and a team of subject matter experts. The psychometricians understand how to engineer a test while the subject matter experts understand the actual content of the exam. Books, manuals, and technical documentation are developed by Technical writers and instructional designers 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 accuracy. SMEs are also necessary for the development of training materials.^[1]

Software

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 Subject Matter Expert "exhibits the highest level of expertise in performing a specialized job, task, or skill."^[2]

In software development, as in the development of "complex computer systems" (e.g., artificial intelligence, expert systems, 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 engineers or ontologists. An SME is also involved in validating the resulting system. SME has formal meaning in certain contexts such as CMMs.

See also

• Domain knowledge
• Expert system
• Knowledge Engineer
• Knowledge Engineering
• Subject matter expert Turing test
• System testing
• Usability
• User Acceptance Testing
• User interface design

References

1. ^ Subject matter experts and training
2. ^ "Subject Matter Expert". iSixSigma. http://military.isixsigma.com/dictionary/Subject_Matter_Expert_-_SME-396.htm/SME/. Retrieved 2008-11-24. 

• A Domain Expert, 6/11/06
• Different Types of Systems Users, 2004, University of Calgary
• Bultman, Kuipers, Harmelen, 2005, Maintenance of KBS's by Domain Experts

External links

• A glossary of UML at Usability First
• For computer subject-matter expert
• Supporting the Domain Expert in Planning
• Maintenance of KBS's by Domain Experts
• Domain Expert News and Advice
• Subject Matter Expert Personal Resources Inventory (SMEPRI)

This systems-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.v · Categories: Knowledge engineering Systems theory stubs Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую Domain congéable Domain of Death Look at other dictionaries: Subject Matter Expert — A Subject Matter Expert (SME) is a person who is an expert in a particular area. In software engineering environments, the term is used to describe professionals with expertise in the field of application but without technical project knowledge.… …   Wikipedia Subject matter expert Turing test — A subject matter expert Turing test is a variation of the Turing test where a computer system attempts to replicate an expert in a given field such as chemistry or marketing. This concept was described by Ray Kurzweil in his 2005 book The… …   Wikipedia Subject matter — may refer to:* patentable subject matter (or statutory subject matter), defining whether patent protection is available * subject matter jurisdiction, determining the kinds of claims or disputes over which a court has jurisdiction * Subject… …   Wikipedia expert — One who is knowledgeable in specialized field, that knowledge being obtained from either education or personal experience. Midtown Properties, Inc. v. George F. Richardson, Inc., 139 Ga.App. 182, 228 S.E.2d 303, 307. One who by reason of… …   Black's law dictionary expert — One who is knowledgeable in specialized field, that knowledge being obtained from either education or personal experience. Midtown Properties, Inc. v. George F. Richardson, Inc., 139 Ga.App. 182, 228 S.E.2d 303, 307. One who by reason of… …   Black's law dictionary expert system — noun A type of artificially intelligent software system, which stores expertise concerning some subject matter in a knowledge base and attempts to answer questions or solve problems in a manner which simulates the thought processes of a human… …   Wiktionary Domain expert — A domain expert or subject matter expert (SME) is a person with special knowledge or skills in a particular area. Domain experts are individuals who are both knowledgeable and extremely experienced with application domains… …   Wikipedia Content Expert — VP The subject matter expert versed in the content of a program …   Audio and video glossary Expert — For other uses, see Expert (disambiguation). Cognoscenti redirects here. For the Marvel character, see Cognoscenti (comics). Sociology …   Wikipedia expert testimony — Opinion evidence of some person who possesses special skill or knowledge in some science, profession or business which is not common to the average man and which is possessed by the expert by reason of his special study or experience. Board of Ed …   Black's law dictionary 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”