De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats

Dr Sunil GuptaDecember 2011

It is a technique that helps meetings become more productive.

The attendees of the meeting separate thinking into six distinct categories.

Each category is identified with its own coloured metaphorical “thinking hat.”

The hats are red, black, yellow, green, white and blue.

Six Thinking Hats

By mentally wearing and switching "hats," the whole meeting focuses better attention at the problem.

The whole meeting wears one hat at a time and it is the role of all the attendees to come up with information which is relevant during that part of the meeting to the hat being discussed.

The hats can be worn in any order and more than once in a discussion on a particular topic.

The hats can also be used by an individual thinking about a problem.

Six Thinking Hats

Change from adversarial to parallel thinking

More focused thinking Saving time from doing one thing at a

time Removing ego from decisions and more

collaboration More creativity and innovation

Results of Six Hat Thinking

De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats

The White Hat calls for information known or needed

Neutral and objective

The White Hat

The Red Hat signifies participant’s feelings, hunches and intuition

Do not have to give any reasons or justification

Keep it short

The Red Hat

The Black Hat is judgement, the devil’s advocate or why something may not work

Cautious, dangers, problems, faults

Logical reasons must be given

The Black Hat

The Yellow Hat symbolizes brightness and optimism

Why it may work The good points in the idea Positive Thinking Constructive Give logical reasons

The Yellow Hat

The Green Hat focuses on creativity: the possibilities, alternatives and new ideas

How to overcome the Black Hat problems

How to reinforce Yellow Hat values

The Green Hat

The Blue Hat is used to manage the thinking process

Setting the Focus Making summaries Overviews Conclusions Action Plans

The Blue Hat

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

Facilitator’s Role

Follow the lead of the facilitator

Stick to the hat (type of thinking) that is in current use

Try to work within the time limits

Contribute honestly and fully under each of the hats

Participant’s Role

Six Thinking Hats is a useful technique to make meetings more productive.

The whole meeting wears one metaphorical hat at a time.

It can save time, bring about more focused thinking, more collaboration and more creativity.

Summary

Edward De Bono. Six Thinking Hats (1985) ISBN 0-316-17831-4

http://www.debonogroup.com/six_thinking_hats.php

Further Reading