It is based on the work of the Harvard Negotiation Project. Founded in 1983 as a special research project at Harvard Law School, the Programme on Negotiation (PON) is a university consortium comprising faculty, student and staff from Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Tufts University.

The authors have been working together since 1977. Roger Fisher teaches negotiation at Harvard Law School and William Ury co-founded Harvard’s PON, where he directs the Negotiation Network. Both authors have written a few books on the topic area.

This book essentially began as a question : What is the best way for people to deal with their differences? The material is divided into four chapters, covering the problem, the method, other challenges and the conclusion. In the second edition, the authors chose not to tamper with the main text. Instead, they added new material in a separate section at the end – ten questions people ask about Getting to Yes.

The thrust of the argument is that problems in negotiation result from our bargaining over positions. This simply means that we tell the other side what we want and it eventually will result in an agreement. However, the authors assert that when you bargain over positions, you also tend to lock yourself into those positions. And the more you do so, the more committed you get about it, which therefore means that you lock your ego into that process. You then identify with your position and that makes it harder for you to achieve a result that works for both sides. So, the authors advise a new approach, one that allows you to change the game itself.

The authors assert their method as follows :-
1. Separate the people from the problem
2. Focus on interests rather than positions
3. Invent options for mutual gain
4. Insist on using objective criteria.

While undoubtedly this book is great for business relationships, it is clear that anyone can apply these principles – to their marriage, with their kids and with neighbours. It is written in a clear easy style but could use more story-telling for added impact. Overall, it is recommended for those wanting to improve their negotiation efforts.