At the 2012 Alberta Institute of Agrologists conference, Dr. Ernest Thiessen gave a presentation about using an online negotiation system called Smartsettle as a means of collaborative watershed management.
Dr. Thiessen covers the basics of negotiation theory and then introduced the participants to an eNegotiation system that changes the paradigm so that collaboration becomes superior to adversarial methods, even in situations where there are power imbalances. Thiessen showed how any number of decision makers with conflicting objectives can participate collaboratively in a process that quickly produces outcomes that are both fair and optimal.
