Getting the best out of experts: a review

Abstract

Skills are abilities to execute particular tasks efficiently and effectively, acquired through training and practice, repetition and feedback (Welke et al. 2009). Expertise, in contrast, refers to judgement and prediction, rather than repetitive, concrete action, and is not necessarily supported by verifiable actions and outcomes. Experts are usually professionals who are considered by their peers or by society at large to have specialist knowledge in a particular domain, and who are consulted to make a judgement or prediction. There is a continuum between skill and expert judgement. An engineer’s skill may be to design a particular kind of bridge. Circumstances may be such that we consult them on related matters in which they have no direct experience, such as building other kinds of bridges. Beyond that, they may also appear to be expert in more distantly related topics such as other structures, but have no repeated exposure beyond the things they have seen in textbooks or heard about from colleagues. At what point does their ability to judge or predict become no better than that of a random person from the street? Do they know, themselves, when their knowledge becomes too thin? Do their peers know? We rely on experts when we have to make decisions and we do not have enough information. Our reliance is greatest when circumstances are unique, the consequences of the decision are significant, the decision is imminent and we have to make judgements about future and uncertain situations