Role Descriptor: Subject Matter Expert

The Subject Matter Expert (SME) is responsible for defining the business processes, the business policies and the application requirements. He leads the business rules acquisition activities as a domain expert and uses the Rules Management Application as reviewer.

The SME has the following responsibilities:

Support the definition of business processes
Determine and manage the implementation of a business policy, generally by providing
- the contents for the business rules that enforce the policy and
- the process contexts in which the rules are applied.
Oversee the execution of that policy via business rules applied. Such oversight includes confirming that the implemented rules fully and faithfully correspond to the intended policy.
Once Rule Writers have created the first set of rules, the SME reviews the rules, and the rule flow to give feedbacks on the logic and pattern used.
Review the results of testing and simulation
Manage business vocabulary
Resolve business issues relating to business rule execution.
Be accountable for the quality of the business rule
Approve major changes to business rule

In term of skill and competencies, the Subject matter Expert has a strong business knowledge and experience, some management skill, effective communication, leadership, decision making skills.