As in negotiation, there are few rules, but the parties have given up some control. The group is no longer completely in charge of the process. The facilitator may be an expert in some form or style of decision making, although the outcome is usually within the total control of the group. Facilitation is appropriate when a group seeks to take on new directions and needs everyone who is a member of the group to be able to participate fully in the group. Facilitation is usually chosen when there are no apparent conflicts within the group or specific positions in a conflict have not emerged.
Mediation is the process used to help two or more parties come to an agreement.
Typically the parties have tried to negotiate on their own, but it has not been successful. At this point, a conflict has escalated and the parties have specific opinions and positions about what should be done to resolve the conflict. The mediator is a neutral third party who assists the conflicting parties to arrive at an agreement through negotiation. The mediator typically sets the stage and ground rules for the working sessions, controls the communications, separates the parties if needed, clarifies any vague aspects of a tentative agreement, leaving the parties free to participate fully in the discussion. A mediator may suggest that participants brainstorm ideas, or argue for each other's positions for example, which are things that two people negotiating for their own interests would have a difficult time doing.