Description Long

The Six Thinking Hats method was developed by Dr Edward de Bono in the early 1980s. It enables parallel thinking processes in group settings or individual reflection, allowing a situation to be examined from multiple perspectives and helping to develop new solutions. Participants gain broader viewpoints by stepping outside their usual patterns of thought.

In this method, thinking is divided into six symbolic hats, each representing a specific role or function:

• White Hat (neutrality and facts): Focuses on existing information and data from a neutral and objective standpoint.

• Red Hat (fire and warmth): Represents immediate emotions, intuitions and gut reactions, without the need for justification.

• Black Hat (stern judge in black robes): Identifies risks, weaknesses and potential obstacles.

• Yellow Hat (sunshine): Considers the positive aspects, benefits and opportunities of a proposal.

• Green Hat (vegetation): Stands for creativity and lateral thinking, focusing on change, innovation, new ideas and alternative perspectives.

• Blue Hat (sky and coolness): Oversees the thinking process, facilitates the discussion and ensures that all viewpoints are taken into account.

Illustration

Preparation

• Set up the room in a way that allows for small-group discussions.
• Clearly and visibly write down which characters or viewpoints each hat represents.
• Online: Ensure that clearly labelled virtual breakout rooms are available, which participants can enter and leave at any time.

Execution

1. Explain the problem or topic to be addressed.
2. Divide participants into groups and let them choose a hat colour. Alternatively, all groups can work on the same colour at the same time.
3. Each group should have a facilitator to guide the discussion and help keep it productive.
4. Make sure that each group is thinking from the perspective assigned to them.
5. Groups should document their insights so that the results can be further analysed.
6. Each group selects one person to present their proposed solutions to the whole group.
7. Create a summary of the results.

Hints from experience

• Instead of hats, you can also use T-shirts, coloured cards or similar items.
• It is important that the group has had a chance to get to know each other during a warm-up. In role-play activities, participants need to feel comfortable.
• The workshop facilitator should clearly explain that this is a role-play exercise and that participants are representing the perspective of a particular hat at all times.
• If any participants struggle to engage with their assigned role, it is possible to switch to another one if necessary.

Tools list

• Hats, colored
• Flipchart or Whiteboard
• Copies of role descriptions (six hats)
• Writing utensils, pen, pencil

References

Creatingminds.org. Six Thinking Hats. Retrieved 28 October 2015, from http://creatingminds.org/tools/six_hats.htm

De Bono, E. (1985). Six thinking hats: An Essential Approach to Business Management. Boston: Little, Browne and company.

De Bono, E. (1999). Six thinking hats. Boston: Back Bay Books.

Entrepreneurial Insights. (2015). Brainstorming - Techniques for Idea Generation. Retrieved 29 October 2015, from http://www.entrepreneurial-insights.com/brainstorming-techniques-for-idea-generation/