Negotiation and strategic planning of a Change Laboratory intervention

This article discusses the planning and negotiation of interventions with the Change Laboratory (CL) methodology, highlighting its application in diverse organizational contexts. CL, grounded in the Cultural Historic Activity Theory and expansive learning, requires a careful process of strategic, methodological, and operational alignment. Negotiation with strategic decision-makers, such as managers and politicians is presented as a continuous process of shared learning, essential to ensure adherence, institutional support and sustainability of the proposed changes. The text emphasizes the importance of the social construction of demand, in which researchers, managers and workers collectively identify problems and possibilities for development. Negotiation strategies in different organizational contexts are explored, from rigid hierarchical structures to more horizontal environments, highlighting the challenges of engagement and the need for methodological adaptation. It is concluded that the success of a CL depends on mutual trust, constant communication and the protagonism of the participants, ensuring lasting and significant transformations.