Developing Relationship with Experts

• Creating the right impression: The knowledge developer must learn to use psychology, common sense, technical as well as marketing skills to attract the experts respect and attention.

• Understanding of the expert's style of expression:

  
  

  Experts are usually found to use one of the following styles of expression:

  • Procedure type: These type of experts are found to be logical, verbal and always procedural.

  • Storyteller type: These type of experts are found to be focused on the content of the domain at the expense of the solution.

  • Godfather type: These type of experts are found to be compulsive to take over.

  • Salesperson type: These type of experts are found to spend most of the time dancing around the topic, explaining why his/her solution is the best.

• Preparation for the session:
  • Before making the first appointment, the knowledge developer must acquire some knowledge about the problem and the expert.

  • Initial sessions can be most challenging/critical.

  • The knowledge developer must build the trust.

  • The knowledge developer must be familiar with project terminology d he/she must review the existing documents.

  • The knowledge developer should be able to make a quick rapport with the expert.

  Deciding the location for the session:

  • Protocol calls for the expert to decide the location.

  • The expert is usually more comfortable in having his/her necessary tools and information available close to him/her.

  • The meeting place should be quiet and free of interruptions.

• Approaching multiple experts:
  • Individual approach: The knowledge developer holds sessions with one expert at a time.

  • Approach using primary and secondary experts:
    • The knowledge developer hold sessions with the senior expert early in the knowledge capture program for the clarification of the plan.

    • For a detailed probing, he/she may ask for other experts' knowledge.

  • Small groups approach:
    • Experts gather together in one place, discuss the problem domain, and usually provide a pool of information.

    • Experts' responses are monitored, and the functionality of each expert is tested against the expertise of the others.

    • This approach requires experience in assessing tapped knowledge, as well as cognition skills.

    • The knowledge developer must deal with the issue of power and its effect on expert's opinion.