The conflict coaching challenge: design and evaluation of an online conflict coach

Purpose This article reports on the development and evaluation of an online conflict coaching system. The authors develop and test a broadly applicable yet tailored Conflict Coach that extends the current practice of coaching. It provides diagnostics and advice across several emotions and dimensions of conflict drawn from research and conflict management practice. Design/methodology/approach The coach engages coachees through five emotions, divided into three levels of conflict intensity and ten dimensions of conflict to deliver analysis and advice “packets” derived from both research findings and practice. A Prolific survey used as a proxy for the coaching system was administered to 341 respondents. A variety of closed and open-ended questions were asked about the respondents’ chosen conflict, the packets of advice and about their overall experience. Findings The coach was judged as somewhat helpful, quite understandable, quite implementable and providing sufficient advice. A sampling of the findings signals the importance of dealing with anger and dislike and finding ways to communicate more effectively. Longer-term assessments indicated that the advice continued to be helpful and worth recommending to others. There are opportunities to further develop the prototype including through field testing and use of artificial intelligence. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the Conflict Coach is a first attempt to provide a widely available yet tailored online system for responding to conflict. It promises positive social and practice implications that extend upon and complement existing conflict management through increased accessibility to information and advice based on published research findings and practice. Research opportunities accompany its possible further development.