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GHF 0033

THINKING SKILLS

28. EDWARD DE BONOS

6 THINKING HATS

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The Colors of the Hats

What do these colors represent? Can youguess?

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Background

Early in the 1980s, Dr. de Bono invented the

Six Thinking Hats method.

The method is a framework for thinking andcan incorporate lateral thinking helps

people lay out all views side by side in

parallel and then design a way forward.

Separate out different aspects of thinking

focus together on risks, then benefits then

feelings.

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We can ask a person to put the hat on or takea hat off It is a polite way to encourage

thinkers to apply each thinking process with

equal effort & in the same mode (same color

of hat).

Organizations such as Prudential Insurance,

IBM, Federal Express, British Airways,

Polaroid, possibly the world's largestcompany, use Six Thinking Hats.

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The Hats Concept Why Hats?The Six Hats method is a convenient way ofputting into practice Parallel Thinking, whichis so very different from argument. The hatsand colors are designed to make thinkingprocess practical, easy to remember and putto use. Lets all put on the yellow hat and see if we can

find some benefits to this idea.

(Everyone wears the same hat at the sametime.)

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There is a traditional link between thinking &

hats.

Put on your thinking cap

The hat is also a piece of clothing that you

can easily put on or take off. This is an

important part of the image because it is

necessary to be able to switch from one

thinking process to another easily.Are there anymore green hat ideas? If not,

lets switch to the white hat.

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Represent six modes of thinking and are

directions to thinking rather than labels forthinking.

Separates ego from performance".

Hats also indicate a certain role. We talkabout wearing different hats to indicate ourroles or responsibilities.

Wearing my parent hat, I do not like that

idea.In the same way, wearing one of the thinkinghats is a sort of role-playing because youcarry out the role indicated by the hat.

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Why Six?Fewer than six hats would not adequately coverthe different types of thinking required.

From time to time, people suggest additionalhats. Sometimes these suggestions have merit.But 6 is the most people can remembercomfortably.

REMEMBER the hats are not categories ordescriptions of thinkers. Each hat specifies adirection and focus for thinking. E.g. golfer usesdifferent clubs for long shots or a putter.

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AdvantagesEnabling the evaluation of ideas and topicsquickly yet thoroughly

Improving the output and productivity eitherwhen working individually or alone

Constructively challenging current thinking

Developing a cooperativeculture/climatewhen used in group settings.

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Advantages

Enables team-working by separating egofrom performance

Provides an equal opportunity for all teammembers to make a valuable contribution.

Encourages the reticent to take part and

optimizing individual strengths.Overcoming cultural differences.

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SIX THINKING HATS

CONCEPT AND USAGE AS A THINKINGTOOL

PART 2

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White Hat Thinking

Think of white paper. The white hat, likepaper, is concerned directly with data and

information.White Hat questions:

What information is available?

What information would we like to have?

What information do we need?

How are we going to get the missing information?

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White Hat key points:

Notes both views (without judging/arguing)when there is conflicting information

Assesses the relevance and accuracy of the

informationSeparates facts from speculation

Pinpoints action needed to fill gaps

Report on someone elses feelings BUT notyour own feelings

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Experience the WH (use white hat questions):

Think of five white hat comments on thefollowing topic. What information do youhave? What would you like to know?

People are going to be charged forgarbage removal by the weight of theirgarbage.

Individual Thinking:

1. 2.3. 4. 5.

Share ideas with a partner.

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Red Hat Thinking

Think of a red fire in a grate. Think of warmth.

The red hat is concerned

with feelings, emotions, andintuition.

Red hat questions:

What are my feelings right now?

What does my intuition tell me?

What is my reaction?

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KEY POINTS:

Should be limited to 30 seconds or less.Gives us full permission to express feelings,hunches, and intuitions.

Does not require us to justify or explain thereasons for our feelings.

Can be used as part of the thinking that leads to adecision.

Can be used after a decision has been made.

Feelings can be based on experience andcannot always be analyzed because they arenormally neither logic nor facts but can bevaluable for exploration of a subject.

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Red hat is a brief, immediate comment that

tells right at the moment. Prepare to give redhat responses to these proposals:

We should have a Coffee Bean orMcDonalds in the campus.

Male students must wear shirt and tie tolectures.

Students do not have to attend classes inthis university to pass.

Off days in UTP should be changed toTuesdays and Wednesdays.

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Black Hat ThinkingThink of judges robes. Judges

are influential people and they

usually wear black.The black hat is powerful, effective, and anessential ingredient in the thinking process.

The role is to point out the weaknesses inyour thinking.

It highlights the point of caution, existing andpotential downsides and concerns.

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Black Hat questions:

What could be the possible problems?What could some of the difficulties be?

What are points for caution?

What are the risks?

Black Hat key points:Helps us make good decisions

Points out difficulties

Explores why something may not work

Assessment tool used after the yellow hatSupplies a road map for improvement before thegreen hat.

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Overuse:

It is easy to overuse the black hat

This habit arises from the western tradition ofplacing so much emphasis on critical thinking

Some people feel that it is enough to becautious all of the time. Whenever an ideacomes up, they think only of the difficultieswith that idea.

Think of food. Eating food essential. Withoutfood, we could not exist. But overeating canlead to health problems.

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Experience (use the BH questions)

Think of 5 black hat comments about thefollowing topic.

Exploring a too good to be true

advertisement. Choose an ad.Individual thinking

1. 3.

2. 4. 5.Share ideas with a partner

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Yellow Hat ThinkingThink of sunshine and optimism

The yellow hat represents the logical, positive

aspects of thinkingLooks for benefits, feasibility and values

Yellow hat questions:

What are the benefits?

What are the values?

Can this be made to work?

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Yellow Hat key points:

Requires a deliberate effort

Is less natural then the black hat

Complements the black hat

Reinforces creative ideas and newdirections

Must give reasons why an idea is valuable

or might workIs a powerful assessment tool when usedwith the black hat

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Use yellow hat questions to think of 5

yellow hat comments about the topic:

Only university graduates are allowed toapply for a drivers license.

Individual thinking1. 3.

2. 4. 5.

Share ideas with a partner

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Green Hat ThinkingThink of vegetation and growth

Think of natural energy

The green hat is the creativity hatGreen hat questions:

Are there other ways to do this?

What else could we do here?

What are the possibilities?

What will overcome our difficulties?

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Green Hat key points:

Encourages a search for new ideas andalternatives

Seeks to modify or remove faults in existing ideas

Sets up a micro culture for creativity

Makes time and space for a creative effort.Allows us to balance the natural dominance of theblack hat.

GH is for possibilities even if they are remote.

Permits suggestions to be made even if theyare illogical will check upon the value later

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Do some creative thinking about the

following topic:

Reducing the problem of shoplifting in agrocery store.

Individual thinking1. 3.

2. 4. 5.

Share ideas with a partner

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Blue Hat Thinking

Think of blue as the blue sky.

The blue hat is concerned with process control.

The blue hat manages the thinking processitself.

The thinker stands back and looks at thethinking that needs to take place or is taking

place.Is concerned with meta-cognition- thinkingabout thinking. E.g. conductor of an orchestra

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Blue Hat questions:

What is our agenda?What is our next step?

Which hat are we using now?

How can we summarize our discussionnow?

What is our decision?

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Blue Hat key points

Is usually the role of the facilitator

Can be worn by any member of the group

Focuses and refocuses thinking

Handles request for certain types ofthinking

Points out inappropriate comments

Asks for a summary of thinking

Makes/calls for decisions.

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Blue Hat and Facilitation Skills

Discipline of Focus: What are we thinkingabout at the moment? What do we want tohave at the end of our thinking?

Discipline of the hat: Which hat are wewearing? Are we staying within this hat?

Discipline of time: How much time shall we

allow for this hat? Who is going to watchthe time? When the time is up, do we needto extend it?

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6 Thinking Hats A Simple Summary

White Hat Information available andneeded

Red Hat

Intuition and feelings

Black Hat Cautions

Yellow Hat Benefits

Green Hat

Creativity and alternativesBlue Hat Managing the thinking

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COMPULSORY READING

Edward de Bono. (1993). The Six ThinkingHats. In Teach Your Child How to Think.

London: Penguin Books. (pp. 74 - 100).

Edward de Bono. (1993). The Six ThinkingHats. In SERIOUS CREATIVITY: Using the

Power of Lateral Thinking to Create NewIdeas. London: HarperCollinsPublishers. (pp.77-85).