Preparation Exploration Negotiation Implementation
Researcher: I need to get these deliverables out before the end of the academic school year. The fiscal year end is not convenient because I am just starting classes and getting to know students. I need time to mobilize and be thorough. And I am not able to travel much during the academic year due to my teaching requirements. It's difficult to hire graduate students in the middle of the semester or end their appoitnments half way of the semester unless I have other projects to pick them up.
Practitioner: I need to get these deliverables out before the end of the fiscal year. The academic year end is not convenient, because we won’t have enough time to get our funds in order. I have a very tight scope of work; can you start the design next week, travel to the field, and finish two weeks after that?
Convergence: Summers can be golden, but you have to plan ahead. Seek long-term, multi-year engagements if possible
Questions Researchers Can Ask:
How flexible are the timelines in our collaboration? What deadlines are hard deadlines, and which ones are negotiable?
What is your expected turnaround time for a request? How negotiable is this?
When are key financial and progress reports due?
How much time is required to allow for internal review processes of materials?
Do your donors have any timelines that will influence our collaboration?
How flexible is the timeline? How compatible is the research timeline with the academic calendar?
Questions Practitioners Can Ask:
What is your course load like this semester?
What days and times are you in class?
When are you available and unavailable to travel?
What is a reasonable turnaround time for a given request given the other demands on your time? How much lead time should I give you?
What are the key dates on the academic calendar that we should be aware of (e.g., finals, midterms, breaks, etc)?
What other competing demands do you have? How flexible is your schedule?
Questions Both Can Ask:
What are the key dates in your fiscal calendar that we should be aware of (e.g., dates by which funds should be allocated/expended, performance reviews, audits, etc)? When do you and/or your office tend to take annual leave?
When might students be more or less available to support the collaboration?
What days and times will allow us for regular meetings?