Before the parties can constructively address the core substantive issues they must limit the distracting effects of procedural disputes. While people do not always expect to be victorious, they do expect to be treated fairly. Violations of generally-accepted principles of fairness can easily divert attention from the core, substantive issues and become the central focus of a controversy. This may also broaden the scope of the conflict considerably as others, who feel their procedural rights are threatened, are drawn into the dispute.
Some procedural problems involve excluded parties.
If parties to a conflict are excluded from the decision-making process, or their concerns are overlooked and not addressed, they may get upset with the process, regardless of what decision is made. At other times, people are supposedly involved in the process, but they do not feel they are being represented adequately, or they may not be listened to respectfully, or their ideas considered. Other procedural problems involve issues of power. Power, by definition, means the ability to get something done. So high power groups generally have more ability to design procedures to their liking, and to press for outcomes that favor themselves.