+

Edward de Bono’s
Six Thinking Hats
A tool for
decision
making &
problem
solving
+ 8

 M.D., Ph.D., (philosophy, medicine &

psychology), Rhodes scholar
 World-renowned consultant to business,
governments, schools and industry
 Author of 62 books in 40 languages
 Originator of Six Thinking Hats, Lateral
Thinking and Direct Attention Thinking Tools

The Originator
Dr. Edward de Bono
+

C reative
Problem
Solving
+
“Traditional” CPS

 Mess-finding

Data-finding

 Problem-finding

 Idea-finding

Solution-finding

 Acceptance-finding
+
Six hats & problem solving

 A more deliberate process than CPS

 Like CPS, uses creativity
 More flexible and easy to use
 Unlike CPS, provides a mechanismfor
evaluating ideas & making decisions
 Encourages parallel thinking and explores
all sides at the same time
+

Six hats is parallel thinking

+
THINKING
“The Ultimate Human Resource”

 We can always improve our thinking skills

 Confused thinking arises from trying to do too

much at once.

 We should emphasize what can be, & not

what is.
+ Benefits Of 10

The Six Thinking Hats Framework

Parallel Adversarial

 Improves Exploration
 Saves Time
 Improves Creativity & Innovation
 Fosters Collaborative Thinking
+ Results Around The World 11

 Since 1993 over 200,000 trained

 In use by many large and successful
organizations worldwide
 Works well in different cultures
 Applies at all levels & across
disciplines
+ The Basics
12

 There are six different imaginary hats that you can put
on or take off.
 Think of the “hats” as thinking icons.
 Each hat is a different color and represents a different
type or mode of thinking.
 We all wear the same hat (do the same type of
thinking) at the same time.
 When we change hats - we change our thinking.
+
So the six hats are…?
 Six colors of hats for six types of thinking
 Each hat identifies a type of thinking
 Hats are directions of thinking

 Hats help a group use parallel thinking

 You can “put on” and “take off” a hat
+
Uses for Six Hats

 Problem solving
 Strategic planning
 Running meetings
 Much more
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Six colors…

 White: neutral, objective

 Red: emotional, angry

 Black: serious, somber

 Yellow: sunny,positive

 Green: growth,fertility

 Blue: cool, sky above

+
…and six hats
 White: objective facts & figures

 Red: emotions & feelings

 Black: cautious & careful

 Yellow: hope, positive & speculative

 Green: creativity, ideas & lateral thinking

 Blue: control & organization of thinking

The White Hat

 The information
seeking hat.
 What are the facts?
 What information is
available? What is
relevant?
 When wearing the
white hat we are
neutral in our
thinking.
The Red Hat

 What do you feel

about the suggestion?
 What are your gut
reactions?
 What intuitions do you
have?
 Don’t think too long or
too hard.
The Black Hat

 The caution hat.

 Inblack hat the
thinker points out
errors or pit-falls.
 Whatare the risks or
dangers involved?
 Identifies
difficulties
and problems.
The Yellow Hat

 The sunshine hat.

 It is positive and
constructive.
 It is about
effectiveness and
getting a job done.
 What are the benefits,
the advantages?
The Green Hat

 This is the creative

mode of thinking.
 Green represents
growth and
movement.
 In green hat we look
to new ideas and
solutions.
 Lateral thinking wears
a green hat.
The Blue Hat

 The control hat,

organising thinking
itself.
 Sets the focus, calls
for the use of other
hats.
 Monitors and reflects
on the thinking
processes used.
 Blue is for planning.
+ Six Thinking Hats

Informative
Intuitive Constructive

Reflective Creative

Cautious
 Blue Hat
Managing The Thinking
Setting The Focus
Making Summaries
Overviews  Conclusions
White Hat Action Plans
Black Hat
Information & Data Why It May Not Work
Neutral & Objective Cautions  Dangers
Checked & Believed Facts Problems  Faults
Missing Information & Logical Reasons
Where To Source It Must Be Given

FOCUS

Yellow Hat Red Hat

Why It May Work Feelings & Intuition
Values & Benefits Emotions Or Hunches
(Both Known & Potential) “At This Point”
The Good In It No Reasons or Justification
Logical Reasons Keep It Short
Must Be Given Green Hat
Creative Thinking
Possibilities  Alternatives
New Ideas  New Concepts
Overcome Black Hat
Problems & Reinforce Yellow
Hat Values
+
General Hat issues
 Direction, not description
 Set out to think in a certain direction
 “Let’s have some black hat thinking…”

 Not categories of people

 Not: “He’s a black hat thinker.”
 Everyone can and should use all the hats

 A constructive form of showing off

 Show off by being a better thinker
 Not destructive right vs. wrong argument

 Use in whole or in part

+
Benefits of Six Thinking Hats

 Provides a common language

 Experience & intelligence of each person (Diversity of thought)

 Use more of our brain

 Helps people work against type, preference

 Removal of ego (reduce confrontation)

 Saves time

 Focus (one thing at a time)

 Create, evaluate & implement action plans

+ Using the hats

 Use any hat, as often as needed

 Sequence can be preset or evolving

 Not necessary to use every hat

 Time under each hat: generally, short

 Requires discipline from each person

 While using it, stay in the idiom

 Adds an element of play, play along

 Can be used by individuals and groups

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Results of Six Hat Thinking

 Derives power from focused thinking

 Saves time

 Removes ego from decisions

 Helps do one thing at a time

+
Results of Six Hat Thinking

Decisions Seem to
Fall into place..
Themselves!
+ What if it’s not possible to make
a Decision...?

 May Need More Information

 Can’t Reconcile Values

 May depend on Future

Information
+
Role of the Chairperson/Presiding
Officer/Facilitator
 Define the focus of your thinking
 Plan the sequence and timing of the thinking
 Ask for changes in the thinking if needed
 Handle requests from the group for changes in the
thinking
 Form periodic or final summaries of the thinking for
consideration by the team
+ Role of the member/participant

 Follow the lead – a trained Six thinking

Hats facilitator
 Stick to the hat (type of thinking) that is
in current use
 Try to work within the time limits
 Contribute honestly & fully under each
of the hats