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10 Measuring UCCESS rom OGIS’s start, the Office has faced enormous challenges in measuring F its success. While litigation typically results in judgment for one party or the other, the success of mediation services depends on compromise by the parties, whose participation is voluntary. Experience has taught us that OGIS’s success may not rest in the outcome of mediation services, but in the process of providing mediation services. Mediation is a voluntary alternative dispute resolution process in which a neutral third party, a mediator, assists disputing parties in reaching a mutually agreeable resolution. Mediators do not direct outcomes or resolutions to a dispute; the outcome of mediation depends on the extent to which the parties choose to engage in the process and themselves agree to an outcome. > There may not necessarily be a “correct” answer; rather, the disputing parties may choose to agree to a compromise that both parties can accept, or they may choose to not compromise at all. As such, the outcome of mediation is not an effective way to determine the success of OGIS’s mediation services because OGIS does not determine the outcome. However, OGIS does control 2011 August November 28 OGIS facilitators become certified in Federal OGIS launches its online case management workplace mediation by Northern Virginia system, the OGIS Access System Mediation Service December 7-8 September OGIS staff presents at the American Society of Construction of multiagency FOIA portal begins Access Professionals Annual Symposium October 2-6 Director Nisbet presents at the International Conference of Information Commissioners in Ottawa, Canada HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_025862