Why can't exceptional consultants reliably transfer what makes them exceptional?
I'm conducting an independent research study exploring why experienced experts struggle to transfer the judgment, decisions, and expertise behind their best work. The study deliberately speaks with three different groups. Who feels this problem most sharply — and where it becomes most expensive — is one of the questions this research is trying to answer, not something I've assumed in advance.
Who this study is for
If you recognise yourself in any of these three, your experience belongs in the study.
Boutique consulting and advisory founders
You have a small team and you remain involved in delivery quality.
Independent experts building leverage
You want to convert your expertise into products, methods, licensing, training, or AI assets.
Organizational leaders managing critical experts
You face succession risk, inconsistent performance, slow onboarding, or knowledge loss.
Choose the format that works best for you.
Self-Guided Research Conversation
Complete the study whenever it fits your schedule.
- Listen to each research question
- Respond by speaking or typing
- Pause and return anytime
- Average completion: 15–20 minutes
Sessions open by invitation. Request one below and I'll send your private link.
Live Research Conversation
Prefer talking it through? Book a live Zoom conversation. Same research. More discussion.
Why this format?
Expertise rarely emerges through surveys or multiple-choice questions. This guided research experience is designed to uncover the reasoning, judgment, and decision-making behind exceptional work. Every group in the study answers the same set of questions, so responses can be compared across founders, independent experts, and organizational leaders. You can participate whenever your schedule allows.
Why participate?
Participants will:
- Contribute to original research
- Help shape a new methodology for transferable expertise
- Receive a summary of the research findings
- Influence future thinking about expertise transfer
Research Progress
- Founder dependency
- Tacit judgment
- Inconsistent delivery
- Expertise transfer gaps
Field Notes
Field Notes shares observations emerging from the research. Every edition documents patterns discovered during Research Conversations—not generic thought leadership.
The intellectual framework
The knowledge experts struggle to articulate.
The research method. How invisible expertise is uncovered.
Expertise that others can reliably execute.
About the Researcher
Shannon D. Smith is a Certified Professional in Talent Development with dual graduate degrees in Instructional Design and Industrial-Organizational Psychology.
Participation in this study is by invitation. If your best work depends on judgment that's hard to teach or explain — whether you lead a boutique firm, work independently, or manage the critical experts inside an organization — submit a brief introduction below. I review every submission personally and will send your private research conversation link if your experience fits the current study.