INKOVEMA Podcast „Well through time“

#19 – Synchronous online mediation. Development needs, experiences, implementation tips and future prospects. In conversation with Nora Sevbihiv Sinemillioglu.

Well through time. The podcast about mediation, conflict coaching and organisational consulting.

Nora Sevbihiv Sinemillioglu, mediator and trainer specialising in intercultural settings and online mediation, talks with Sascha Weigel about her Experience with synchronous online mediation and how this form of mediation has developed abruptly with the coronavirus pandemic. They also look at the future prospects for this form of conflict resolution – and are in no way of one mind on this.

Nora is co-founder of frameshift berlin and the Mediationswerk Berlin and works as a research assistant in the Master's programme Mediation and Conflict Management at the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder).

Contents:

  • Synchronous online mediation

    • Experience during the summer of 2020

  • Preparations

      • technical possibilities: Zoom, Blizz, MS Teams, Skype, FaceTime, Adobe Connect, Webex, BigBlueButton, Jitsi

      • Visualisation options: Conceptboard.com, Mural.com, Miro.com, Padlet.com

  • Realisation

    – Trust in the setting, with each other, with themselves -> initiate trust between the parties in themselves.

    – Confidentiality and fears of secret video recordings

      • „Varoufakis“-Move: Even in offline face-to-face meetings, audio recordings cannot be prevented

      • 100% confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.

      • Mistrust here is a litmus test for the uncertainty as to whether the process takes those involved seriously. In other words, it is not about data protection and confidentiality, but about the concerned and protective reaction when fears are expressed and concerns are raised

      • Software tools for synchronised online tools (Zoom, Blizz, MS Teams, Skype, FaceTime, Adobe Connect, Webex, BigBlueButton, Jitsi)
      • Use of a second application helpful? e.g. Conceptboard.com (Germany)
  • What does the future hold for synchronous online mediation?
    • Enhancing the value of face-to-face meetings so that significant conflicts are likely to arise.
    • Benefits of the  soM for bulk mediation – consumer dispute resolution, legal expenses insurance etc.
    • Consideration: Conflicting parties will also argue via video call...so that the medium is also perceived as a conflict arena.
    • Order clarification becomes more important – with regard to this aspect...what has already happened where? What is helpful now? Violent conflicts...social counselling...family counselling...
    • Support for mediators through software/artificial intelligence?   

Further reading:

  • Gläßer, U./Sinemillioglu, N./Wendenburg, F.: Online-Mediation – Part 1. Technical possibilities and practical procedural design of mediation in virtual space, in: ZKM 3/2020, 80-85.
  • Gläßer, U./Sinemillioglu, N./Wendenburg, F.: Online Mediation – Part 2: Opportunities, Challenges, Perspectives, in: ZKM 4/2020, 133-138.