Transferring expert knowledge: how to interview an expert before building a knowledge base
Capture practical knowledge from an expert interview: real cases, decision cues, exceptions, and a test with a newcomer. Includes an interview plan and a knowledge card.
Experts often skip the most important detail
An experienced employee says, “You can immediately tell this needs clarification.” A newcomer may miss the cues behind that judgment. Ask about the reasoning as well as the sequence of actions.
An interview can lead to an instruction, an error analysis, a decision map, or a reference card. Before combining them into a large document, identify the situation that actually causes trouble for new employees.
Interview around examples
Choose one difficult situation
Ask for a recent case where the usual response fell short. Clarify the starting conditions and outcome. Compare it with a routine case to reveal cues the expert notices automatically.
Pause at the decision point
Ask what the expert knew at that moment, what they considered, and what they ruled out. Keep hindsight separate. Ask which cue would have led them to take a different path.
Find the limits of the advice
Ask for a case where it does not work. Record constraints, when to ask a more experienced colleague, and what to do when information is missing. The card should show when to stop making the decision alone.
Test the transfer with another person
Give a colleague a similar practice scenario and ask them to explain their choice using the material. Note what they had to infer. Take those questions back to the expert and revise the card. Gaps in the material should not count against the newcomer.
An expert reviews an incomplete request
This fictional example uses names, conditions, and results solely to illustrate the method.
When a customer writes “same as last time,” I first check the installation address. The dimensions might match even when the mounting method needs to change.
The hidden knowledge is the link between the installation site and the mounting choice. “Repeat the previous order” omits that check.
Name the cue, action, and reason on the card. When an old order is referenced, compare installation conditions. The same dimensions do not guarantee the same solution.
| Question for the expert | What to capture | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| What made you stop and check? | Observable cue | A newcomer can find it |
| Why didn’t you repeat the order? | Reason for the choice | A contrasting case exists |
| When should you ask a colleague? | Limit of independent action | A condition for stopping is stated |
Card for one piece of practical knowledge
Use one decision per card. Split independent situations into separate cards.
Work situation: Observable cue: What to check first: Options: Why this option was chosen: When the rule does not apply: When to ask an expert: Example and counterexample: Source and timecode: How a newcomer demonstrated understanding:
Confirm that the knowledge was transferred
- The advice is linked to an observable situation.
- The reason for the choice is explained plainly.
- There is an example where the rule does not apply.
- Someone new to the decision has tested the material.
A closer look
Is recording a long interview enough?
The recording preserves the source. After the interview, extract individual situations, decisions, and exceptions and check whether people can use them.
How is this different from an instruction?
Instructions describe the steps. An interview for knowledge transfer reveals why the expert chooses those steps and when they do something different.