What are the best strategies for negotiating data privacy with partners?

1 Define your goals

Before you enter a negotiation, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and what you are willing to compromise on. For example, do you want to retain ownership and control of your data, or are you willing to grant your partner some rights and access? Do you want to limit the scope and duration of data sharing, or are you open to expanding it over time? Do you want to impose strict security and confidentiality standards, or are you flexible on some aspects? Having a clear vision of your goals will help you communicate them effectively and avoid confusion or conflict.

2 Understand your partner's needs

Besides knowing your own goals, you also need to understand your partner's needs and motivations. Why do they want to partner with you and access your data? What are their expectations and concerns? How do they value and use data? What are their legal and ethical obligations? By doing some research and asking questions, you can gain insight into your partner's perspective and interests, and identify areas of alignment and divergence. This will help you build rapport and trust, and find mutually beneficial solutions.

3 Establish a framework

A framework is a set of principles and guidelines that define the scope and purpose of data sharing, as well as the roles and responsibilities of each party. A framework can help you structure your negotiation and address key issues such as data ownership, access, quality, security, confidentiality, consent, governance, and dispute resolution. A framework can also help you set boundaries and expectations, and avoid ambiguity or misunderstanding. You can use existing frameworks, such as the Data Sharing Framework Initiative (DSFI), or create your own, depending on your context and needs.

4 Negotiate the details

Once you have a framework, you can negotiate the details of data sharing, such as the specific data sets, formats, methods, frequency, duration, and costs involved. You can use various negotiation techniques, such as bargaining, persuasion, collaboration, or mediation, depending on your relationship and situation. You should aim to create a win-win scenario, where both parties benefit from data sharing and respect each other's rights and interests. You should also be prepared to make concessions, trade-offs, and contingencies, as well as handle objections and challenges.

6 Review and monitor

After you sign the contract, you should review and monitor the data sharing process regularly, and communicate with your partner frequently. You should check if the data sharing is meeting your goals and expectations, and if there are any issues or problems that need to be resolved. You should also evaluate the impact and value of data sharing, and collect feedback and suggestions from your partner. You should be open to making adjustments and improvements, as well as renegotiating or terminating the contract, if necessary.