When two schemas both hold after evidence review, build…

When schema conflict persists after examining evidence, build a conditional routing rule specifying the exact conditions under which each schema applies rather than attempting to pick a universal winner.

When This Fires

When two valid schemas conflict and evidence review hasn't resolved the conflict
When both sides of a contradiction have genuine merit in different contexts
After exhausting Steel-man both sides of a contradiction before resolving… (steel-manning both sides) without finding a clear winner
When you keep oscillating between two approaches depending on mood rather than conditions

Common Failure Mode

Building vague routing conditions: "Use intuition when it feels right and analysis when it doesn't." This is mood-based routing, not conditional routing. The conditions must be specific and externally observable: "Use intuition when: I have 5+ years in the specific domain AND time-to-decision is <10 minutes AND the stakes are reversible."

The Protocol

When persistent schema conflict doesn't resolve: (1) Accept that both schemas may be correct in different conditions. (2) For each schema, specify: "This schema applies when [specific, observable conditions]." (3) Verify the conditions are non-overlapping (MECE): no situation should trigger both schemas. (4) Write the router: "IF [conditions A] THEN [Schema A]. IF [conditions B] THEN [Schema B]." (5) The router replaces the conflict with a context-dependent system that uses both schemas appropriately.