Page 14 - Enclosure Fall-Winter 2023-24

Thoughts from Newman

The Subject Matter Expert

By: John T. Newman, P.E.

hat in the heck is a Subject Mat- would be only relative to you, not ev- ask, but they seem to be worshiped
Wter Expert (SME)? Is this an offi- erybody. And, what makes a skill spe- like gods by most people in the orga-
cially appointed position or a self-pro- cial, or when is something considered nization. When an SME makes a de-
claimed position? Does one have to to be mastered? Does that mean I can cree, it is to be followed without ques-
pass a test, meeting some minimum do it with my eyes closed? See, there tion by all. Obviously, this is a problem
requirements of an SME Standards are all these questions. for me. Ha ha, read the previous para-
Association? I’m totally confused? My definition of an expert was al- graph again.
When I got my Professional Engi- ways this; A has-been that gives a When you work on a project for
neer’s license, I had to prove that I had spurt under pressure. Kind of a slang these organizations, the scope of work
achieved the minimum required for- definition and sort of true, but it will usually includes a long list of data sub-
mal engineering degrees, prove that usually get a chuckle. Besides, I always mittals that go along with the project.
my many years of related work experi- thought running around proclaim- These submittals are mostly about
ence met the minimum requirements, ing to be an expert about something proving the integrity of the equip-
accumulate multiple professional seemed to be a little arrogant. ment that you are shipping and prov-
peer references, pass an excruciating- ing conformance to the long list of
ly hard test, and then be approved by Why am I even talking about this? Codes and Standards, also included
national and state committees. Only Well, it’s always been in my nature in the specification, as requirements
then was I officially allowed to call my- to question authority. I’m not sure for the project. Once submitted, most
self an Engineer. where it came from, but I’ve been of them must be reviewed and ap-
that way all my life. Deep down, I did
How does one reach the status of proved by the Subject Matter Expert
becoming an SME? I don’t know. In not trust authority to be right without for the subject of the submittal. The
question. I never could just blindly
fact, what does it take to become con- job of these experts is to verify that
run off and do something just be-
the said submittal meets the require-
ments dictated in the specification for
the project. Unfortunately, this usually
My definition of an expert was always this; evolves into meeting all the intimate
details of one or all the listed Codes
A has-been that gives a spurt under pressure. and Standards instead of meeting the
actual functional requirements for the
project. You see, the SMEs know these
sidered an expert in anything? The of- cause someone in authority told me Codes and Standards inside and out,
ficial definition of an expert from the to. Thus, is why I figured I could never way more than any normal human.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary is: “one survive in the military. Submittals routinely get rejected for
with the special skill or knowledge not meeting code requirements that
representing mastery of a particular Nowadays, every large organization do not even apply to the project. Then
subject.” I guess if you add Subject has a whole staff of SMEs. They come it turns into a back-and-forth process
Matter in front, then it would mean in all shapes and sizes. There are SMEs of submittal and re-submittal that can
expert in a specific subject. Hmmm, for just about any conceivable subject, take weeks/months and countless
it sounds a bit nonquantifiable to me. including all the major disciplines: me- hours to get through. This can be-
Or perhaps relative would be a bet- chanical, electrical, structural, piping come a daunting process, to say the
ter word, meaning that I’m better than (ASME B31,3), welding, quality, etc. I least. The SMEs don’t seem to have
you at a particular skill, so that would don’t know how these organizations any budget restrictions and have no
make me an expert, maybe? But that choose an SME and never bother to
qualms about spending endless time
continued on page 16
14