It is often assumed mediation and negotiation are skills readily available to anyone engaged in politics or diplomacy, especially senior government officials and/or employees. But that is not the case. Professional mediation is a specialized, often highly technical tradecraft.

Mediations, multi-party negotiations, and other forms of dialogue turn on critical choices over process design, rules and mandates, supporting architecture, negotiation strategy, sequencing, inclusivity, and implementation.

A wide range of technical tools and models further shape the implementation process.