SME stands for Subject Matter Expert — someone with deep knowledge in a specific domain who contributes expertise to guide accurate, relevant, and informed decisions during app development.
Helps ensure your app reflects real-world practices, compliance, or technical accuracy
Reduces risk by guiding decisions with domain expertise
Speeds up product planning by filling gaps in team knowledge
Strengthens user trust by aligning features with actual industry standards
You're building an app in a specialised field like healthcare, law, finance, or education
You're running discovery workshops and need domain input
You're planning content, features, or workflows that depend on expert accuracy
You're verifying regulatory, legal, or procedural elements of your app
In one of our projects, we collaborated with subject matter experts (SMEs) to validate key product assumptions and refine complex feature requirements. Their insights ensured the app met industry standards and delivered real value to end users.
One of the biggest mistakes is skipping SME input early and relying only on assumptions. Bring them in during discovery—not just at the end—so you build the right features from the start.
Impact on Feature Prioritisation – Influence SMEs have on shaping the MVP
Confluence – To document SME input and keep reference material accessible
Notion – Used for structured collaboration between product teams and SMEs
Slack – For fast, ongoing Q&A and clarifications with domain experts
Userback / Maze – Helpful when gathering SME feedback on early prototypes or flows
As industries become more complex, the demand for specialised SME collaboration will grow—especially in health, fintech, AI, and compliance-heavy sectors. Future tools will better integrate SME input directly into design and planning workflows.
Stakeholder Interview – Structured conversations that often involve SMEs
Discovery Workshop – A key phase where SMEs contribute domain insights
UX Writing – Often guided by SMEs for industry-specific terminology
System Model – Where SME input shapes how domain logic is structured
Context Scenarios – Real-world situations often outlined by SMEs
Blog: Strategically Growing SME’s With a Digital Agency
Blog: 5 Ways Mobile App Development Solutions Can Benefit SMEs
Blog: Building Investor-Ready Prototypes Without Technical Skills or Funding
Still figuring out if you need an SME for your project? Book a discovery call and we’ll help you identify the right experts to guide your build.