8.5.3 Negotiate the option to be taken forward

In many contexts problem-solving activities will involve other people. You may need to seek permissions, advice, support and resources from a range of people, such as your tutor, manager, group or team colleagues, or others who may have authority over or be affected by your work.

Some aspects of negotiation are:

• gaining the co-operation of colleagues, as necessary;

• establishing the availability of resources, including staffing;

• agreeing the roles of others based on their experience and expertise; and

• agreeing your schedule and deadlines.

You may need to explain to others who do not share your expertise or interest what you are setting out to achieve. To help you do this, make sure that your main goals are clear to yourself and are not obscured by technical detail. You should be able to explain clearly how you will demonstrate your problem's solution, perhaps to a non-specialist audience.