A mediation is a confidential, facilitated negotiation. It can be described as assisted communications for agreement.

A mediation is voluntary, and either party may leave the mediation at any time. Decision-making power remains with the disputing parties, and mediating parties are encouraged to work together to reach the best agreement possible.

A neutral third party, a trained mediator, maintains procedural control, but the process is substantively controlled by the parties involved in the dispute.

The mediator acts as a facilitator, reconciliator, educator, interpreter, and aids the parties in testing solutions and expectations against reality. A mediator can also expand resources available to the parties.

Mediations are completely confidential to the extent agreed by the mediating parties, and materials developed for a mediation are not admissable in any subsequent proceeding, except for a finalized, signed agreement.

The mediator has an equal responsibility to assist each mediating party and cannot favor the interest of one over the other. The goal of a mediator is a conclusion where an agreement is reached in a voluntary, informed manner.

A mediation usually begins with the mediator's opening, after which the issues are identified and statements are made by each party. An exchange and dialogue can then result in generating options, some of which may be new to the parties involved.

These options can be clarified and evaluated, solutions can be selected, and an action plan developed to resolve the dispute. A successful mediation process can save time, money, and raise the level of understanding between parties.

The choice to mediate a dispute offers an opportunity to actively resolve a conflict. Additionally, research has found that participant satisfaction and the likelihood of compliance are much higher through mediation.