The mediator helps the parties determine what the most realistic alternatives will be in order to resolve the issues. It is here that the mediator directs the parties to consider all of the possible solutions they generated during the "Brainstorming" phase. By examining these solutions, the parties can then determine the specific solutions that will work best for them. The parties know themselves better than a third-party neutral, so it makes the most sense that they should be the ones who come up with a plan to assist in fixing the problem that warranted mediation in the first place.

During this portion of the process, the mediator takes the solutions that the parties agreed upon and memorializes them into a Mediation Agreement. The Mediation Agreement is the document that is essentially generated by the parties after the mediation process has been facilitated. The Mediation Agreement will be signed and dated by all parties to the mediation. Each party will get a copy of the Mediation Agreement, so they will be able to clearly see and remember the solutions that they generated. Once the Mediation Agreement has been drafted and signed, the mediator will often thank the parties for their cooperation, and congratulate them on a job well-done.

Finally, let’s take look at some main points to remember from this article.