FRAMING EXERCICE

Framing has seven elements or steps that you go through in finishing this project (where you detail the frame of a conflict you observed) and some additional parts from the reframing class that are useful in evaluating a conflict.

1. Define the People.
   • Who are the persons in the control group who attends negotiation sessions (the players, the inner circle, the primary parties).
   • Who are the persons in the influence group who affect the negotiators (the actors, the outer circle, the secondary parties).
   • Who are the persons affected by the negotiation (the subjects, the unrepresented, the tertiary parties).
2. Problems -- what are the problems you face?  Ask yourself two questions to define and find the real problems?
   • What do you wish to alter?
   • What created the situation?
3. History
   • Ask have the parties built trust or distrust?
   • Do the parties want to work on the problem?
4. Processes.
   • Ask each party "what is your negotiation style?"
   • "What is the style of the other side?"
5. Outcomes.
   • What does each party expect to accomplish?
   • What are the interests and positions (two different things) and goals that they share?
   • What are they prepared to give?
6. Priorities.
   • Give your goals (your outcomes) priorities.
   • Explore which of your goals are shared goals (which principles do you both agree are vital) -- even if it is just the desire to resolve the conflict.
7. Stakes
   • What are the realities that have developed in the negotiation?
   • What is possible and what is not possible?
   • What is the cost of settlement?
   • What is the cost of not settling?
   • What is the other side offering that you want (good stakes).
   • What are the results of settling that are painful to you (bad stakes).
   • What are the things you might create (opportunity stakes).
     • The pooling and dividing of possible benefits often creates settlements.
     • vandalism, other examples.
   • What is uncertain (good or bad, these are hypothetical opportunity stakes).

Did they reconceptualize?

Did they ask themselves:  What could happen that might cause you to change your mind?  (e.g., what is the option that alters the results of your frame)

Did they understand their BATNAs?

Is there a better metaphor (in retrospect) that the parties could have used?

What socializing did the parties engage in?

Map the conflict, the parties and the negotiation cycles.

Copyright 2000 by Stephen R. Marsh
http://adrr.com/smarsh/