The following is a proposed Wikipedia policy, guideline, or process. The proposal may still be in development, under discussion, or in the process of gathering consensus for adoption.

This proposal is in the brainstorming stage. Feel free to add new ideas; improve or clarify the ideas already here; and discuss the merits of these ideas on the talk page.

This page in a nutshell: Mediation is a process that creates valid consensus with the aid of a neutral third party skilled in dispute resolution.

Dispute resolution (⇛)
Negotiation
Article talk pages Editor assistance (⇒) Third opinion (⇒) Request comments (⇒) Wikiquette alerts (⇒)
Mediation
Mediation Cabal Mediation Committee Request mediation
Arbitration
Arbitration Committee Request arbitration
Remedies
Editing restrictions General sanctions

Mediation on Wikipedia is provided by two organisations:

1. The Mediation Committee, which provide formal Mediation for advanced content disputes. The Committee's policy on handling Mediation is located at Wikipedia:Mediation Committee/Policy; Requests for formal Mediation can be filed at Wikipedia:Requests for mediation.
2. The Mediation Cabal, which provides informal Mediation for content disputes that have been attempting consensus-building discussion without success.

What is mediation?

Mediation is an activity in which a neutral third party, the mediator, guides and regulates structured discussion to facilitate reaching consensus on a disputed issue.

The aspects of mediation commonly are:

• a difference of positions between the respective parties;
• a desire on the part of the parties to find a positive solution to the dispute and to accept a discussion about respective interests and objectives;
• the intention of achieving a positive result through the help of an independent, neutral third-party not connected with any of the involved parties;
• the intention of achieving a stable result, preferably a long-lasting agreement between the parties.

The mediated agreement is described as the consensus of the parties on a proposal that has been developed with the help of the mediator. The mediator may or may not set out a formal agreement for the parties to accept; some mediators prefer to help guide the parties towards developing their own agreement. Agreement to mediate does not obligate the parties to accept any proposed agreements.

Mediation is best when simultaneously protecting content and community. Mediation aims at working with the users in conflict to incorporate the information or viewpoints of both, while ensuring that the result conforms to all applicable Wikipedia policies. At the same time, it endeavors to produce sufficient peace between the parties to allow amicable discussion and prevent the need for future dispute resolution.

Mediation is,

• intended to achieve a way for people to keep working happily together and build better articles, while growing from the mutual exchange.
• an arrangement for parties who, although genuinely interested in resolving their disputes, cannot find common agreement.

Mediation is not,

• suited for parties who are disagreeing 'for the sake of disagreeing'.

Mediation doesn't need to produce mutual amity between the disputants, though increased tolerance and respect is an important aim of any mediation.

Who are mediators?

Each mediator is granted the freedom to develop his or her own method, and to apply it to the specific case at hand. The method used by any given mediator may differ from the general guidelines set out here.

The role of a mediator is unlike the role of a Wikipedia arbitrator; mediators are facilitators of voluntary discussion, while arbitrators hear evidence and issue binding rulings, including the ability to issue sanctions against users.

Wikipedia mediators are permitted and encouraged to use their own best judgement to recommend a solution to the disputants, one that is in the best interests of the project. Where the position of one disputant is clearly unreasonable, the mediator is not required to subvert the integrity of the encyclopedia in order to reach a resolution.