Knowledge Engineering for Powerful GTM Enablement Training
Many GTM Enablement professionals struggle with the art of knowledge engineering – the process of transforming expert knowledge into actionable training materials. This crucial step is a foundational piece of effective training programs, ensuring your GTM teams have the tools and resources they need to succeed.
Why Knowledge Engineering Matters
GTM Enablement acts as the bridge between Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and customer-facing teams like sales and customer success reps. SMEs possess a wealth of knowledge about products, markets, and internal processes, but they typically lack the time and/or skills to curate that information for training purposes. This is where Enablement’s knowledge engineering expertise comes in.
An Example of Knowledge Engineering From the Field
We often find that both Enablement and SMEs have difficulty defining and engaging in the process. Let’s take a closer look at how it works by using a real example. As part of one of our client projects, we took the lead on creating an effective sales training course focused on an agile development tool. While we had no expertise in agile development, we did have the privilege of collaborating with a renowned SME who had authored a comprehensive book on agile development. His expertise was undeniable, but the challenge for all of us lay in extracting the most relevant knowledge for our sales team that needed to be trained.
As we embarked on the knowledge engineering process, we adopted a learner-centric approach, focusing on the learning objectives related to the specific needs and requirements of our sales representatives. Through a series of dedicated sessions, we asked probing questions, embraced a beginner's mindset, and channeled our inner detective to anticipate potential roadblocks and objections.
Although our SME was initially overwhelmed by the challenge of discerning what information was truly applicable to the sales team, as we progressed through the knowledge engineering process, a remarkable transformation took place. By aligning our efforts with the learning objectives and the needs of the sales team, we were able to guide and focus the conversation to distill the complex concepts of agile development into more easily digestible and actionable insights.
Throughout our collaboration, we maintained open communication, ensuring that the SME was an active partner in the process. Together, we validated the information translation into training content, developed exercises and application opportunities, and created assessment questions.
As we approached the completion of our knowledge engineering endeavor, the SME’s prior feelings of overwhelm were replaced with relief and accomplishment. With a mix of surprise and gratitude, he commented, "That's all you need? Oh wow, that was so helpful. I honestly did not know where to start on my own."
This experience reinforced the critical role of knowledge engineering in GTM Enablement. By bridging the gap between SMEs and the customer-facing teams, we were able to unlock the hidden potential of our SME's expertise and create a training program that empowered our sales team with the necessary knowledge to confidently navigate the marketplace and achieve success.
Where Should You Start?
Knowing who your SMEs are is one of the first steps. Your collaborators will likely include:
Product Managers
Product Marketing
Sales/Success Managers and Reps
Legal and Finance Teams
Industry Experts
These are the people who hold the expertise based on their role and experience, and by effectively "distilling" the information from them, you can transform it into clear, concise, and learner-centric training materials.
The Knowledge Engineering Process
Here's a step-by-step guide to building a strong foundation for your training program:
Schedule Knowledge Engineering Sessions: Don't underestimate the importance of dedicated time with SMEs. Live conversations allow for facilitated dialog and clarifying questions, which ensures accurate content and avoids rework later.
Embrace Beginner's Mind: Coming in with minimal knowledge can be an advantage. Your unbiased curiosity allows you to ask insightful questions and identify areas that might require clearer explanation for the people being trained.
Ask the Right Questions: Focus on understanding both what reps need to know as well as what they need to be able to successfully do to excel in their roles. This guides content creation toward achieving specific learning objectives.
Define Key Terms: Ensure clear and consistent definitions are established with the SME. This avoids confusion and promotes a unified understanding amongst learners.
Channel Your Inner Detective: Ask questions from the learner's perspective. Put yourself in the learner’s shoes and note what questions are coming up for you. Anticipate their potential roadblocks, objections, and areas needing detailed instructions. Be thorough in gathering all the information necessary.
Collaboration is Key
While you lead the knowledge engineering process, involve the SME as a partner, especially if they'll be involved in delivering the training. Once you have the "raw materials," collaborate with the SME to:
Validate the information translation into the training materials
Develop exercises and application opportunities
Create assessment questions
By following these steps and fostering close collaboration with SMEs, you can build a robust knowledge base that forms the backbone of your GTM Enablement training programs. Remember, effective knowledge engineering empowers your sales teams with the essential knowledge they need to confidently navigate the marketplace and achieve success.
Additional resources
Want to maximize your knowledge engineering strategy with expert instructional design? Our team specializes in working with your SMEs to knowledge engineer and then create tailored training courses that empower your GTM teams to excel. Whether you're looking to revamp your existing courses or develop new ones from scratch, we're here to help.
Get in touch here to learn more about Level213’s instructional design consulting services designed to drive the success of your GTM Enablement initiatives.