The Conflict Resolution Diagram (also known as the Evaporating Cloud) is a tool from the Theory of Constraints. It helps you resolve conflicts and dilemmas by challenging the assumptions that make the conflict seem unsolvable.
How to use it
- Define the objective — What common goal do both sides share?
- Identify the two requirements — What does each side need to achieve the objective?
- Identify the prerequisites — What specific conditions does each side insist on?
- Find the conflict — Where do the prerequisites contradict each other?
- Challenge assumptions — For each arrow in the diagram, ask: "What assumptions make this connection necessary?" Then challenge those assumptions.
- Find a breakthrough solution — Once you invalidate an assumption, the conflict "evaporates" and a win-win solution becomes possible.
Example
Conflict: Engineering wants to spend a sprint on technical debt, but Product wants to ship new features.
- Shared objective: Build a successful product
- Requirement A (Engineering): Maintain code quality
- Requirement B (Product): Ship features to customers
- Prerequisite A: Dedicate a full sprint to tech debt
- Prerequisite B: Dedicate the sprint to new features
- Challenged assumption: "Tech debt must be addressed all at once" → Instead, allocate 20% of each sprint to tech debt.
Takeaway
The Conflict Resolution Diagram helps you move beyond compromise to find win-win solutions. By surfacing and challenging hidden assumptions, you can dissolve conflicts rather than just managing them.
Put this tool to practice
Apply the Conflict Resolution Diagramto your own situation. Start with a real problem you're facing and work through the steps above.
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