The SME Interviewer is an AI-powered interview assistant that allows you to send a virtual interviewer to your subject matter experts (SMEs). Instead of scheduling live meetings or taking notes during interviews, the AI interviewer gathers information for you and returns a summarized artifact you can use to create your learning experience.

Interviewing subject matter experts is often one of the most time-consuming parts of instructional design. The SME Interviewer helps you:

Use the SME Interviewer during the Discovery phase of your project.

After you've identified the information you need, you can:

Within your project workflow, you'll be prompted by the AI Design Assistant to create an SME interview. Select Create SME Interview when it appears in the suggested prompts.

You'll answer four questions that help the AI generate effective interview questions. If enough project information already exists, the AI Design Assistant may pre-populate some of the answers. You'll be asked:

Based on your responses, the AI Design Assistant generates interview questions. You can:

The AI also generates follow-up questions designed to help the SME provide more complete answers. You can edit, remove, or add follow-up questions as well. When you're finished, select Save Changes.

Once you confirm your interview questions are finalized, you'll create your AI interviewer. From the character editing panel, you can customize:

These settings influence how the interviewer interacts with your SME.

When you completed editing your interview character, you will be prompted to share the interview. When you're ready, select the Share icon.

Enter the email address of each SME you'd like to interview and select Invite. You'll be able to see everyone who has been invited.

From the Share menu, you can also:

As your SMEs complete their interviews, you can monitor progress in real time. You'll be able to:

When an interview is complete a green checkmark appears next to the SME's name.

You will also have an option to download the transcript from the interview after the interview is complete.

After all assigned SMEs have completed their interviews, the AI Design Assistant automatically generates an Interview Summary artifact.

The summary consolidates insights from every interview and can be used to:

If you'd like the Interview Summary included in your Content Map, regenerate the Content Map after the summary has been created.

Each SME receives an email titled: "We'd love your expertise — SME interview inside" The invitation is sent from: [email protected]

When the SME opens the email, they'll see instructions and a Start Interview button. After selecting Start Interview, they'll review a recording consent notice. Selecting Continue begins the interview.

The AI interviewer greets the SME and begins asking the interview questions you created. The SME responds by speaking naturally.

During the interview:

The SME can also open the Responses panel at any time to review the complete transcript of the conversation.

If the SME needs to leave before finishing, they can simply close the interview. Using the original invitation link, they'll return to exactly where they left off.

Once all questions have been answered, the AI interviewer ends the conversation automatically. After completion, the SME can still review their transcript, but they can no longer continue the conversation.

What if my SME didn't receive the invitation?
Ask them to check their spam or junk folder. You can also resend the invitation or copy the interview link and send it directly.

Can I share the interview link myself?
Yes. You can share the interview with yourself the same way you would an SME via sending yourself an email.

Can I revoke an SME's access to the interview?
Yes. From the Share menu, you can revoke access for any invited SME.

Does the SME need to install any software?
No. The interview runs in a web browser using the invitation link.

Can the SME leave and come back later?
Yes. The interview automatically saves progress. The SME can return using the same invitation link and continue where they left off.

Can the SME use the chat to answer the questions instead of talk?

Yes. The SME can use the chat to answer the questions, and it will work the same way as speaking.

How long does the interview take?
The length depends on the number of questions and the detail of each response. Most interviews take between 20–45 minutes.

Are the SME's answers recorded?
The interview captures the SME's spoken responses as a transcript. The SME is asked to provide consent before the interview begins.

Can I interview multiple SMEs at the same time?
Yes. Multiple SMEs can complete interviews simultaneously.

How many SMEs can I invite to an interview?

You can invite as many SMEs as you'd like to complete the interview.

Can I create different interview questions for different SMEs?

Currently, each SME Interview uses one shared set of interview questions. You cannot create separate question sets for different SMEs at this time. Support for creating customized interview questions for different SMEs is coming soon.

The interview won't start. What should I do?
First, verify the SME has accepted the recording consent. If the issue persists, try refreshing the browser or opening the interview link in a different supported browser.

What happens if the internet connection is interrupted?
The SME can return using the original invitation link and continue the interview from where they left off.