Understanding Mediators' Orientations, Strategies, and Techniques: A Grid for the Perplexed

Abstract

This Article begins with a review of previous efforts to categorize mediation and their shortfalls, including the lack of any widely-shared comprehensive method for describing the various approaches to mediation practice. The Article then offers a new "grid" system for classifying mediator orientations, strategies, and techniques and describes the potential utility of the grid, particularly its effectiveness in selecting mediators.

Keywords: mediator, mediation, alternative dispute resolution, grid, mediator orientation, facilitative, evaluative