Expertise

Here you can learn more about Topic experts, how to become one, and how to ask an expert a Question.

Understanding Topic Experts in AnswerHub

It is important to identify the go-to people within your community. Topic experts do just that and more.

• In an AnswerHub community, users can assign Topics to users who have expertise in that particular subject.
• Users have the option to ask an expert to ensure they are receiving the best possible Answer to a Question.

When you become a Topic expert, your user will automatically begin following that Topic.

• This means, when a Question posts with a Topic within your expertise, you will automatically receive a notification prompting you to provide an Answer.

What You Can Do With Expertise

From the Question User Interface, you can do the following:

• Ask an Expert

Becoming a Topic Expert

There are two ways a user can become a Topic expert:

1. AnswerHub deems a user a Topic expert.
2. The user assigns Topics of expertise to their own profile.

AnswerHub Deems a User a Topic Expert

Organically: By default, if you receive 3 accepted Answers (on 3 separate Questions) that contain a common Topic within 30-days, AnswerHub will deem you a Topic expert.

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NOTE:

The admin can change the default number of accepted Answers and the span of time before AnswerHub automatically deems a user a Topic expert.

Self Assigning Expertise in Topics by the User

Manually: Under a user's expertise settings (My Preferences or Edit when viewing user profile) you can manually add Topics of expertise to your own user profile.

To manually assign Topics of expertise for a use, do one of the following:

1. Through the My Preferences menu:
   a. Log in to your AnswerHub site.
   b. Click on your Avatar and select My Preferences from the drop-down.
   c. Select the Expertise Settings tab.
   Result: The My Preference page | Expertise Settings tab displays.

"My Preferences" in the Avatar drop-down menu.

2. Through the Edit menu on your user profile:
   a. Log in to your AnswerHub site.
   b. Click on your Avatar and select Profile from the drop-down.
   c. Click the Edit drop-down.
   d. Select Expertise settings.
   Result: The My Preference page | Expertise Settings tab displays.

"Edit" in the User Profile

3. Type in the Topics of expertise in the text field below Manually added topics.

Expertise Settings Tab View

Result: The Topic will appear in a gray box with the name of the Topic you entered.

Topic added successfully with the option to delete by clicking on the "x" beside the Topic name.

How to Ask an Expert a Question

Log in to AnswerHub

1. Log in to your instance of AnswerHub.

Locate and select the Question to send to an expert.

2. Select Questions from the Content Tree drop-down menu.

Questions option in the Content Tree drop-down menu.

Result: The All Questions page displays.

All Questions displayed in AnswerHub based on Votes in this example.

3. Select the Question you want to an expert to answer.
   Result: The Question page displays with the ASK AN EXPERT button displaying on the right-side of the page.

Selecting a Question displays the "Ask an Expert" button.

4. Click the ASK AN EXPERT button.

• This widget displays in the right sidebar when viewing a Question.
• It allows users to send a direct message via email notification to a user or group of users requesting their help. You can control the ability to use this feature with permissions.
• The most common use cases are as follows:
  • Time-sensitive situations
  • Extremely specific asks: If the Question is so specific that only a handful of key users will have the Answer, reach out to one of those users to provide the Answer sooner rather than later.

Displays after clicking the "ASK AN EXPERT" button.

4. In the Username text field, type the @ symbol.
5. From the drop-down menu, select the user to ask.

Expert drop-down menu initiated with @ symbol

6. Optional: Repeat as many times as needed.
7. Optional: Enter a custom message into the Message text field.

Example Custom Message

8. Optional: To send yourself a copy, select the Send Me a Copy checkbox.

Send me a Copy checkbox selected

9. Click the SUBMIT button.

Successful Submission Message displayed in green below the "ASK AN EXPERT" button

As an Administrator or Moderator

You can see a tabular view of all identified experts in your admin dashboard.

See the Administrator UI Guide:
Go to Users & Groups Category > Manage Tab > Identified Experts