Expert Sourcing Framework (3E Framework)

Sourcing and Using Expert Advice

Visibility and reputation do not establish that someone has the expertise a decision requires. Even a well-qualified risk specialist may know insurance underwriting rather than claims management, risk estimation, or risk transfer. Start with the question you need answered, then look for relevant knowledge and experience.

The process has three stages:

1. Expert search:

   1. Define the information you need. Write specific questions or identify the topics on which advice would help. Do this before choosing people.
   2. Set and disclose selection criteria. Describe the relevant domain and the education, experience, or demonstrated work that would establish expertise in it.
   3. Choose knowledgeable evaluators. People assessing prospective experts need enough understanding of the domain to recognize relevant skills and distinguish depth from an impressive title.

2. Expert evaluation:

   1. Check educational relevance. A PhD, MD, or JD can establish training, but the field of study must fit the question. A degree alone does not establish expertise in every neighboring area.
   2. Examine applied and research experience. Look at demonstrated skills and work, rather than broad labels. Qualitative threat identification and quantitative risk modeling, for example, require different experience; assess the specific capability you need.
   3. Confirm interest and availability. A qualified person still needs the time and willingness to consider the problem carefully. Establish what contribution is feasible before relying on it.
   4. Identify conflicts of interest. Financial relationships and commitments to particular theories or methods can influence advice. Disclose those interests and consider how to manage them. A conflict does not automatically make an opinion false, and its absence does not guarantee an unbiased answer.

3. Expert utilization:

   1. Agree on the task and working arrangements. Define the informational goals, expectations, and rules for participation. Accomplished individuals do not automatically form an effective panel.
   2. Structure and pretest the questions. Check whether people understand each question as intended. A pretest can expose ambiguities before the panel answers them.
   3. Provide context. Explain the relevant circumstances and constraints so experts can judge which parts of their experience apply. Ask them to state assumptions and limits rather than rely on apparently shared meanings.

Selecting a panel takes work, as does interpreting its advice. Iterative methods such as Delphi can help organize repeated judgments and feedback, but they still depend on suitable participants and questions. Within the broader 3E framework, expert judgment contributes external evidence alongside other sources of knowledge.