Following are some of the many ways that negotiators may choose to communicate with each other as they follow the Smartsettle process.

Smartsettle Joint Sessions
Smartsettle Joint Sessions is a catchall term to describe any of the many ways that parties may choose to meet together. One goal of the initial joint sessions is to create a Single Negotiating Framework.

Instant Messenger
If strict privacy is not a major concern, an Instant Messenger is useful for brief messages, e.g. “It’s your turn.” or “R u free for a call?”. ICQ is our favorite so far. Mobile phones can be used for exchanging short messages.

Voice Mail
Reliable voice mail is good for brief messages when the other person may not be near a computer or if the message is not easy to express in a short text message.

Email
Email is an efficient way of exchanging relatively long detailed messages when a text format is adequate. Documents may be attached when other formats are desirable.

Discussion Forums
Some chat facilities are good for detailed messages that would benefit from synchronous interaction. These forums can also be used very well asynchronously.

Telephone
The telephone is well adapted for conversations when immediate feedback is important, e.g., discussion of the content of a detailed email message.

Video Conferencing
Good quality video conferencing is excellent for conversations that would benefit from smiles and other visual cues.

Face-to-face Meetings
When time and space constraints permit, there is no substitute for face-to-face meetings, especially if your interaction with others would benefit from smiles, handshakes, hugs and a certain other elements of a physical setting that are conducive to producing a relaxed atmosphere. On the other hand, face-to-face meetings are better avoided in certain difficult situations.

Smartsettle Negotiator
The Smartsettle Negotiator is for eliciting and analyzing preferences, exchanging packaged proposals, multivariate blind bidding and for optimizing results.