Three-dimensional negotiation is a negotiation framework introduced at Harvard Business School that accounts for the nuance required by public-private partnerships. The three relevant dimensions are tactics, deal design, and setup.
3-D negotiation is not a method for capitalizing on an adversarial negotiation. Rather, it is a method for arriving at a unique structure that benefits all parties and ultimately ensures the sustainability of a PPP over long periods of time. In other words, the goal of a 3-D negotiation is to produce win-win agreements, not winners and losers.
In three-dimensional negotiation, effective setup and deal-design enable successes at the negotiating table, decreasing the emphasis on traditional zero-sum negotiating strategies and tactics. Engaging in effective setup away from the table allows parties to change the underlying design of the negotiation at the table, creating more value for all parties.