Using Visualization Software to Facilitate Negotiations for Fair Division

The fair division problem addresses the frequently encountered situation in which a set of resources must be fairly divided between two or more stakeholders. Dividing possessions after a divorce, assigning tasks to workers, and determining the terms of contracts or treaties are all examples of the problem. Algorithms have been developed to provide solutions that optimize for various metrics, but for many reasons, including the lack of agreement on what constitutes fairness, algorithms cannot provide a definitive result. Visualizations, rather than providing a single candidate solution, can be used effectively to browse the search space and generate a pool of candidate allocations that are likely to be appealing to all parties. Candidate solutions can be used by stakeholders, either separately or cooperatively, as the basis for negotiation. We will demonstrate prototype software that provides this capability.