noun
sounding out someone's intentions; gauging someone's wishes
Used in business or formal contexts when you discreetly ask about another person's plans, opinions, or willingness before making a proposal or decision.
プロジェクトを始める前に、関係者に意向打診を行った。
Before starting the project, we sounded out the intentions of the people involved.
転勤の話はまだ正式ではないが、上司から意向打診があった。
The transfer hasn't been officially decided yet, but my boss sounded me out about it.
Compound of 意向 (intention) and 打診 (sounding out, originally a medical term for percussion). The figurative use of 打診 for 'testing the waters' is well established in business Japanese.