One Text Process
Iterate one neutral proposal until neither side can improve it alone
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 99%
The One Text Process replaces dueling proposals and serial concessions with one evolving, mediator-owned draft. The mediator first separates each side's declared position from the interests beneath it, then produces a deliberately low-status proposal intended for criticism rather than acceptance. Each party identifies defects; the mediator revises the same text to address those concerns and circulates it again. This cycle converts resistance into useful design input while avoiding the status cost of making the first concession. When further improvement for one party would harm the other, the mediator presents the mature text as the best available package. Each side then makes one decision, at the end, while seeing exactly what it receives in return.
Origin
William Ury and Roger Fisher developed a mediators' guide drawing on the Law of the Sea negotiations. Cyrus Vance used their memo at Camp David, where the Americans iterated 23 drafts in 13 days.
Core principles
- 01Interests are more negotiable than positions
- 02Criticism is easier than concession
- 03A neutral draft can carry collective progress
- 04Delay the final decision until the full exchange is visible
How to run it
- 1
Separate positions from interests
Record what each party demands, then ask what it really wants, fears, or needs beneath that demand.
Pro tip Listen for concerns such as sovereignty, security, dignity, or freedom.
Watch out Do not treat a stated position as the underlying objective.
- 2
Draft one neutral text
Create a low-status working proposal that attempts to reconcile the interests on both sides. Keep ownership with the mediator rather than either party.
Pro tip Present it as a rough non-paper that is expected to change.
- 3
Request criticism
Tell both sides they need not accept the draft or make a decision. Ask only what is wrong with it and what concerns it fails to address.
Pro tip Lowering the decision pressure makes candid feedback easier.
Watch out Do not ask for concessions during this stage.
- 4
Revise repeatedly
Redraft the same proposal to address the criticism, then return it for another round. Continue until the remaining trade-offs are explicit.
Pro tip Preserve gains for both sides rather than alternating ownership of the text.
- 5
Present the best package
When the proposal cannot be improved for one side without worsening it for the other, state that limit clearly. Ask each party for one final yes-or-no decision.
Pro tip Show exactly what each side gets in return before asking.
Watch out Do not force a premature decision before the package is mature.
In the wild
At Camp David, Egypt demanded the Sinai while Israel prioritized security. The Americans reframed the issue as Egyptian sovereignty plus Israeli security, then iterated a demilitarized-Sinai proposal through 23 drafts. Only at the end did President Carter ask Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin whether they would accept the best available text.
→ Both leaders agreed, producing a peace treaty that remained in force decades later.
Common mistakes
Trading concessions too early
Asking one side to move first creates a visible weakness cost and invites positional resistance.
Treating the first draft as an offer
A working text should invite criticism, not force immediate acceptance or rejection.
Solving positions instead of interests
A compromise line can miss the deeper needs that make a durable package possible.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for mediated negotiations where parties distrust concessions but can explain their interests and criticize drafts.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal when no neutral drafter exists or a party refuses to reveal even basic interests.
From the transcript
“don't make any concessions we understand what your positions are just tell us what your interests are”
“we're not asking you to accept it we don't want you to make any decisions all we want you to do is criticize it”
“there were 23 drafts over the course of 13 days”
From the episode
#721: Master Negotiator William Ury — Proven Strategies and Amazing Stories from Warren Buffett, Nelson Mandela, Kim Jong Un, Hugo Chávez, and More
William Ury