nonexperts

Nonexperts are individuals who lack specialized training or formal credentials in a given domain. The term is used across fields to describe people who do not hold expertise such as advanced degrees, professional licenses, or recognized authority on a topic. Definitions of nonexpert and its boundary with expert status vary by discipline and context; some contrast nonexperts with professionals, while others distinguish between formal credentials and practical experience.

In science communication and policy, nonexperts commonly refers to the general public, patients and caregivers, end users, or lay researchers. Nonexperts can contribute to knowledge production and decision making through citizen science, public consultation, usability testing, and participatory design. Their inputs are often valuable for identifying real-world needs, misconceptions, or unintended consequences that specialists may overlook.

Challenges arise from information asymmetries, cognitive biases, and the risk that nonexpert input may be given inappropriate weight. Effective engagement requires translating complex information into accessible formats, validating contributions, and ensuring that participation is representative and meaningful rather than tokenistic. Collaboration between experts and nonexperts is framed in some approaches as co-production of knowledge, not a hierarchy of authority.

See also terms such as layperson, non-specialist, amateur, and general public. The label nonexpert is neutral in some contexts but can be perceived as diminishing in others, so careful usage is common in scholarly and professional writing.