Protocol --- I find this quite interesting. The term itself eludes to a system of rules governing interactions and harks back to classic diplomacy where two sides meet with a specific frame of reference to guide them. I imagine much humanitarian diplomacy in the field is a messy affair, where people can prepare as much as they can but must adapt to the situation. Is there another term that describes operating inside a loose set of parameters that would be more useful.

Source author: Joe Cropp joe.cropp@ifrc.org