About the method
The Evaporating Cloud
The Evaporating Cloud is a thinking tool from the Theory of Constraints, developed by Dr Eliyahu M. Goldratt. Instead of forcing a compromise, it assumes both sides of a conflict want something valid — and looks for the hidden belief that makes them seem incompatible.
When you find and challenge that belief, the conflict often “evaporates”. Exothink walks you through it and uses AI to suggest a starting point at every step.
AGoal
A product customers love
BNeed A
Win the market window
DAction
Ship this month
CNeed B
Protect our reputation
D′Action
Polish for another quarter
Breakthrough
Launch to 50 design partners now and polish with their feedback — both needs met.
The five parts of a cloud
- AUltimate goal
- The bigger outcome both needs serve. It's what makes the conflict worth solving.
- B & CNeeds
- What each side needs in order to reach the goal. Both are usually legitimate.
- D & D′Actions
- The two things you feel pulled to do. They look impossible to do together — that's the conflict.
- AssumptionsHidden beliefs
- The “because…” behind each arrow. Challenge one, and the conflict can evaporate.
- BreakthroughSolution
- A new action that meets both needs, so nobody has to give up what matters.
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