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Six Thinking Hats  // Edward de Bono

Edward De Bono’s Six Hats method is a powerful and creative approach for communication and problem solving. The Six Thinking Hats® technique is a model that can be used for exploring different perspectives towards a complex situation or challenge. Seeing the problem in various ways is a good idea in helping you to formulate the right strategy or the decision-making processes.

The Six Thinking Hats® technique is designed to help individuals or groups adopt a variety of perspectives on a subject or problem. In wearing a particular thinking hat, people play roles, and they are pushed to move outside their habitual ways of thinking from a particular perspective. For instance, one could play the devil’s advocate, even if only for the sake of generating discussion. The purpose of devil’s advocacy is to deliberately challenge an idea: be critical, look for what is wrong with it.


Hat Colour
Lead-in
Significant Role
Thinking Attributes
Benefits
Facts? Neutrality Facts, figures, neutrality, objectivity Logic
The White Hat calls for information known or needed. "The facts, just the facts."
Where do you stand? Emotion Emotion, intuition, hunch feelings Legitimises emotion
The Red Hat signifies feelings, hunches and intuition. When using this hat you can express emotions and feelings and share fears, likes, dislikes, loves and hates.
It won't work Negativity Devil's advocate, risk, won't work Tests thinking
The Black Hat is judgment - the devil's advocate or why something may not work. Spot the difficulties and dangers; where things might go wrong. Probably the most powerful and useful of the Hats but a problem if overused.
Make it happen! Positivity Contruction, generative, dreamer, visionary Energising, optimises teamwork
The Yellow Hat symbolizes brightness and optimism. Under this hat you explore the positives and probe for value and benefit.
Better way? Fertility, creativity Creative, movement, new, different Best process, surfaces ideas
The Green Hat focuses on creativity; the possibilities, alternatives, and new ideas. It's an opportunity to express new concepts and new perceptions.
Let's think about it Big picture Focus, control, rational, think about thinking Best use of time
The Blue Hat is used to manage the thinking process. It's the control mechanism that ensures the Six Thinking Hats® guidelines are observed.

Warning:
Not all ideas are suitable for the Six Hats method of Creative Communication. The Six Hats method is a way for making a comprehensive analysis of a subject. It may not be suitable for issues that are not important enough or too basic. Also, if you insist on using it too often, your audience might get tired of the lengthy discussion of a matter which could be explained in a much simpler manner.

For more information on The Six Thinking Hats technique, visit: www.edwarddebono.com

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