Convene the parties refers to the process carried out by the case manager of a mediation center to initiate contact and facilitate communication between the requesting party (or parties) and the invited party (or parties) with the goal of securing their agreement to commence the mediation process.

Signing the agreement to mediate means formally agreeing to participate in the mediation process by signing a written agreement between all participants and the mediator, which specifies the governing principles, rules and procedures, payment for services, along the parties’ commitment to the mediation process. When the case is managed by a mediation center, the signing process of the agreement to mediate is managed by case managers and it basically reflects the parties’ formal acceptance of and commitment to the center’s mediation rules for their case.

Adopt the mediation rules means agreeing on all procedural, economic, and logistical issues that will govern the mediation process, including how the mediation will be conducted, setting the rules of interaction, and proactively addressing any related logistical or financial issues.

Commencing the mediation process is the first action after the mediator has been appointed; it starts with an undertaking to understand the issues and get the responding party and other
relevant stakeholders involved in the process.

Conducting preliminary meetings refers to the individual preliminary sessions the mediator holds with the participants, whether offline or online, in order to better understand the issues raised by the requesting party, the responding party’s response to those issues, and the parties’ expectations of the process.

Mapping the parties and other stakeholders in the dispute in preparation for mediation is the process of identifying and understanding all the individuals, groups, or entities involved in the conflict, along with their interests and relationships, in order to gain a clear overview of the people affected and their roles in the resolution process.

Confirming the appointment of the mediator takes place after the mediator has thoroughly disclosed any potential conflicts of interest, concerns about the mediator’s knowledge and experience, previous engagements, and relationships with the participants and/or their lawyers.

Check mediation process appropriateness and capacity for engagement refers to the mediator’s responsibility to reconfirm with the parties that choosing mediation as the appropriate method for resolving their dispute is a sound decision and that they are able to engage effectively in the process. This activity involves not only ensuring that the choice of mediation process aligns with the needs and goals of the parties, but also assessing their readiness and willingness to participate in mediation.

Setting up the mediation environment is the process of creating an appropriate neutral space for mediation (physical or virtual) where all parties involved in the conflict can meet and engage in constructive dialogue aimed at resolving the conflict.