I'm no expert.
I once saw an episode of "Dirty Jobs", where the host worked at an alligator farm. The farmers had claws to handle the gators, instruments to test for good eggs, special protective clothing, and a process that is unknowable by anyone outside the profession. Someone looking to improve that line of work would need to ask the farmers. Innovations in alligator farming are only going to come from the experts, who are the practitioners. The same is true for any activity.
Rather than assuming the role of "expert as designer", I am interested in discovering what stakeholders want and need to drive innovation. Instead of designing for them, we should design with them. I am always studying how to employ research to this end more effectively, so that when I meet an alligator farmer, I can offer my help.
