In public relations and policy parlance, a "trial balloon" is a focused test of a possible messaging or direction intended to generate limited public response, which in turn can help inform one’s next steps. This is sometimes called other things in different countries or contexts ("kite-flying" is more common in the UK and some Commonwealth countries, for instance, and at times you might “run [something] up the flagpole to see who salutes” rather than launching it into the air) but the idea, whichever term is used, is to give one's audience or constituency the outlines of something you're considering so you can garner actual, real-world reactions to that consideration. This then allows you to better predict the response you would likely receive from an actual, full-on commitment to that path.
Trial Balloons
Trial Balloons
Trial Balloons
In public relations and policy parlance, a "trial balloon" is a focused test of a possible messaging or direction intended to generate limited public response, which in turn can help inform one’s next steps. This is sometimes called other things in different countries or contexts ("kite-flying" is more common in the UK and some Commonwealth countries, for instance, and at times you might “run [something] up the flagpole to see who salutes” rather than launching it into the air) but the idea, whichever term is used, is to give one's audience or constituency the outlines of something you're considering so you can garner actual, real-world reactions to that consideration. This then allows you to better predict the response you would likely receive from an actual, full-on commitment to that path.