Participants work together to reach agreement by sharing information and remaining creative and flexible, instead of taking adversarial positions.

IBPS can be hampered by lack of trust, support, information or training. Once you eliminate these barriers, IBPS resolves issues quickly, enhances relationships and builds trust. It helps create a more constructive work environment and can improve services and health care affordability. If you discover your team is unable to move forward because of relationship issues or lack of trust, one option is to recommend your team engage in IBPS. This process is best led by a neutral facilitator. You can help the team get this resource, if needed.

The process follows these steps:

Define the problem

• Develop question
• Contains issues
• Begins "How might we?"
• No "yes/no" answers
• No solutions
• No accusations

Determine interests

• Separate interests
• Needs
• Concerns
• Identify common interests

Develop options

• Brainstorming
• Best practice
• Expert panel
• Straw design

Select a solution

• Screen options
• Shorten list
• Develop standards
• Test options to standards
• Decide on solutions

To find out how your team can receive training in Interest-Based Problem Solving, visit the Training section of this site.