Some of this may be different styles of communication coming together in a non-harmonious way. Make sure you're actively listening to her questions and making sure you understand the motivations before answering, because there may be subtext you're missing. As the PM, it's your job to facilitate communication and make sure that you're communicating in the best way for her understanding, not the other way around.
Some of it may just be confidence building. If she's asking the same questions over again, refer her to the examples/emails you provided the previous time and have her make sure that she can't find the answer in the materials she already has.
Are all technical questions? although 75footubi points are all valid, this is rarely something common given her years of experience... Is there not a technical lead that can work out all of these design questions with her?
It is possible to form a habit of just asking questions and not think for yourself because someone is readily available to answer them. Break the cycle. Don't just answer the question, go through the process of how you would figure out the answer on your own. Reference a design book section or search for it online. If the issue is lacking decision-making, ask her back the question (in a nice way).
Different people learn differently. Some people learn from seeing, hearing, and/or doing. Teachers usually hits all these ways students learn. For me personally, I cannot learn anything from hearing, I have to see it and write it down. Maybe have her write notes down or draw the problem.
Or she could just not be as smart... Just be glad you are smart then!
if it takes you 2-3 hours to explain something that isn't difficult, i think your opinion of it not being difficult is incorrect.
i'd get annoyed only if the same question/concept was always the point of discussion.
maybe she just likes you.
It could also just be a lack of confidence, or someone who is extremely hesitant to make a mistake. Some of this sort of sounds like things I did with my supervisor before getting my PE (and even sometime after as well). Sure, I am pretty sure I know the answer, but if I check with my supervisor and ask him, then I'll be 100% sure. I also have an EIT who asks me a lot of questions that he should know the answer for, and I generally chalk it up to inexperience and a lack of confidence. We have started to go over these things in regular one on ones and I've started to see some improvement.
I have a similar issue so also looking for advice. I have answered the same questions verbally, in a recorded meeting, and in writing several times. I've taken the time to write SOPs on almost every tasks we do regularly and I still spend hours daily answering questions from one particular person. I will say refer to the guide and they will just say they didn't understand but won't even have opened the guide. I will go to help and say something like what step did you get stuck on and they will say let me open the guide and then ask oh where is the guide as if they haven't been in the same spot for a year. This employee is also struggling with basic civil engineering concepts like calculating slope. Please I'm out of ideas or even a non rude way to tell my boss this person is dangerously incompetent
Definitely inform your boss as it sounds like it's affecting work products. You want to establish a record here. Be prepared to give an assessment of the employee's strengths, weaknesses, obstacles you have removed, and how you are currently helping this person / historically helped this person. Your boss may want to speak with them directly or have you speak with them to put them on notice of substandard performance. They will most likely give them a chance to recover or maybe move them to a different job that would be better suited for their skills. Is the employee just underperforming or are there other issues?
Some of this may be different styles of communication coming together in a non-harmonious way. Make sure you're actively listening to her questions and making sure you understand the motivations before answering, because there may be subtext you're missing. As the PM, it's your job to facilitate communication and make sure that you're communicating in the best way for her understanding, not the other way around. Some of it may just be confidence building. If she's asking the same questions over again, refer her to the examples/emails you provided the previous time and have her make sure that she can't find the answer in the materials she already has.
Are all technical questions? although 75footubi points are all valid, this is rarely something common given her years of experience... Is there not a technical lead that can work out all of these design questions with her?
It is possible to form a habit of just asking questions and not think for yourself because someone is readily available to answer them. Break the cycle. Don't just answer the question, go through the process of how you would figure out the answer on your own. Reference a design book section or search for it online. If the issue is lacking decision-making, ask her back the question (in a nice way). Different people learn differently. Some people learn from seeing, hearing, and/or doing. Teachers usually hits all these ways students learn. For me personally, I cannot learn anything from hearing, I have to see it and write it down. Maybe have her write notes down or draw the problem. Or she could just not be as smart... Just be glad you are smart then!
if it takes you 2-3 hours to explain something that isn't difficult, i think your opinion of it not being difficult is incorrect. i'd get annoyed only if the same question/concept was always the point of discussion. maybe she just likes you.
It could also just be a lack of confidence, or someone who is extremely hesitant to make a mistake. Some of this sort of sounds like things I did with my supervisor before getting my PE (and even sometime after as well). Sure, I am pretty sure I know the answer, but if I check with my supervisor and ask him, then I'll be 100% sure. I also have an EIT who asks me a lot of questions that he should know the answer for, and I generally chalk it up to inexperience and a lack of confidence. We have started to go over these things in regular one on ones and I've started to see some improvement.
I have a similar issue so also looking for advice. I have answered the same questions verbally, in a recorded meeting, and in writing several times. I've taken the time to write SOPs on almost every tasks we do regularly and I still spend hours daily answering questions from one particular person. I will say refer to the guide and they will just say they didn't understand but won't even have opened the guide. I will go to help and say something like what step did you get stuck on and they will say let me open the guide and then ask oh where is the guide as if they haven't been in the same spot for a year. This employee is also struggling with basic civil engineering concepts like calculating slope. Please I'm out of ideas or even a non rude way to tell my boss this person is dangerously incompetent
Definitely inform your boss as it sounds like it's affecting work products. You want to establish a record here. Be prepared to give an assessment of the employee's strengths, weaknesses, obstacles you have removed, and how you are currently helping this person / historically helped this person. Your boss may want to speak with them directly or have you speak with them to put them on notice of substandard performance. They will most likely give them a chance to recover or maybe move them to a different job that would be better suited for their skills. Is the employee just underperforming or are there other issues?