ABSTRACT
Stage 1 in the OpenStrategies system consists of engaging with end-users in various ways in order to accurately understand what they want to do (Uses) and why they want to do them (Benefits). Ideally, the method of engagement will be in a format the suits the end-users. The engagement may be one-off or iterative. This chapter emphasises what this stage will and must achieve in order to enable the next stage because no stage has any value in isolation from the other stages. The outputs from an engagement process must be Adopted and used to guide strategies so the engagement process must produce outputs (Orphan Results) which will definitely be Adopted by subsequent stages. Stage 1 produces detailed information on Uses and Benefits and these must influence the design and selection of Projects and Results.
