Does your evaluation need a subject matter expert?
June 2025
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Working with subject matter experts (SMEs) can be a game-changer for any project, particularly in evaluation. An SME is a professional who possesses specialized knowledge in their field and is typically external to an evaluator or evaluation team. At Three Hive, we occasionally engage SMEs from the proposal stage by offering them a subcontract to support the evaluation process.
I believe that leveraging the expertise of SMEs can enhance the quality and depth of our work. However, collaboration with SMEs comes with its own set of challenges. I’ll explore some of the potential pros and cons, drawing on my own experiences working with SMEs.
Advantages of Working with Subject Matter Experts
Supporting your Proposal
Sometimes, evaluation requests for proposals will ask that you come with existing knowledge of their field, which can be a hard criterion to meet. We can’t be experts in everything! So, while I have strong opinions that part of an evaluator’s job is to become a ‘moment-in-time’ expert, that doesn’t always sound convincing on a proposal. Bringing an SME on board may add credibility to your proposal, showing that you not only know how to evaluate, but you come with expertise in the field too. This added value can, of course, give you the advantage that results in you winning that contract.
Deep Knowledge and Expertise
Perhaps most obviously, one of the biggest advantages of working with SMEs is their actual expertise. I once worked with an SME who literally wrote the textbook for the field! SMEs can help you understand a complex world more easily and quickly than you could on your own. SMEs can point out key literature for you to become familiar with or help answer your “there-are-no-dumb-questions” questions. They can help you quickly learn any field-specific jargon or terminology.
Credibility and Trust in the Evaluation Process
SMEs can also lend credibility to the evaluation process. Their involvement can increase trust among project team members who may be skeptical about your ability to get up to speed in the field. SME insights may help you to design a more feasible and comprehensive evaluation. They likely have some insights about what processes might work better for certain contexts or situations. They can review your evaluation plan and data collection tools, and help you think of new perspectives.
SMEs can also offer practical support, making introductions or leveraging networks. An SME I worked with helped to facilitate data collection from a lived experience voice at a site that I was unfamiliar with. His connections enabled us to include rich, meaningful data in the evaluation.
Enhanced Data Interpretation and Trust in Findings
SMEs can provide nuanced interpretations of complex data, making it easier to draw meaningful conclusions. Their expertise allows them to identify patterns and trends that might not be evident to those less familiar with the subject matter. This deeper level of analysis can lead to more insightful and actionable recommendations. Importantly, SMEs can also help to build trust in your evaluation findings. When an expert backs you and the findings, it adds an extra layer of validity and reliability.
Improved Engagement
SMEs can improve engagement by demonstrating that the evaluation team values specialized knowledge and expertise. Project partners may be more likely to be cooperative and engaged when they see that experts are involved in the process. This can lead to more comprehensive data collection and a smoother evaluation process overall.
Potential Challenges of Working with Subject Matter Experts
Potential Biases
One of the main challenges of working with SMEs is the risk of potential biases. Experts may have preconceived notions or personal interests that could influence their interpretations and recommendations. It is crucial to ensure that SMEs are objective and that their contributions are balanced with other perspectives, or that any conclusions you draw are backed by your data, and not solely reliant on SME opinions. I worked with one SME who had very strong opinions about what data should, and should not, be collected from participants. Navigating consensus with the rest of the project team was a challenge because of this strong stance.
Resource Constraints
Engaging SMEs can be resource intensive. Experts typically command higher fees, and their availability might be limited. This can place a strain on project budgets and timelines. Careful planning and resource allocation can help to mitigate these challenges.
Communication and Integration
Effective communication between evaluators and SMEs is essential for successful collaboration. SMEs can be arms-length advisors or consultants only, or they can be deeply involved in a project and/or its evaluation. Setting expectations and defining roles and responsibilities early and clearly is important to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Regular check-ins and feedback loops with the SME can aid in communication and integration, but, of course, can also eat up time and budget.
Understanding Evaluation
Just like project teams, SMEs may not always be familiar with evaluation, its processes and goals. It may be important to do some evaluation capacity building with SMEs at the start of your collaboration. Getting on the same page about evaluation can enhance their contribution.
Collaborating with subject matter experts in evaluation projects offers numerous benefits, including enhanced credibility, deeper insights, and improved engagement. However, it is not without its challenges. Have you worked with SMEs before? Tell us how it went!