Understanding the Concept of Six Thinking Hats

What is the Six Thinking Hats Technique?

The Six Thinking Hats technique is a decision-making and problem-solving method where participants metaphorically wear six different hats, each representing a distinct type of thinking. It is often used to promote balanced, collaborative, and comprehensive consideration, helping teams avoid conflict and reach consensus more effectively.

History

The six thinking hats method was developed by Dr. Edward de Bono —a Maltese physician, psychologist, and philosopher—and first introduced in his 1985 book titled "Six Thinking Hats." It builds his earlier work on lateral and parallel thinking, both designed to to organize thinking processes in a structured and collaborative way.

Dr. de Bono believed that most  thinking challenges boil down to confusion, when people try to do many things all at once. As such, he designed this method to help people focus on one type of thinking at a time, represented by metaphorical colored hats. This approach allows people to explore different perspectives systematically, improving decision-making and problem-solving effectiveness in meetings and discussions.

Key Benefits

Since its inception in the 1980s, the concept of the six thinking hats has helped various organizations worldwide. In what ways, you might ask? Here are the main factors where using this thinking process can be highly beneficial:

Organization

Using the six thinking hats technique promotes a highly organized process of thinking. This is because every angle of the problem needs to be considered, which helps further weigh information and remove unnecessary details, promoting streamlined decision-making.

Creativity

With team members assuming various roles during the thinking process, they are encouraged to probe situations and suggest ways to address them, going beyond the obvious ways to do so. This, in turn, lets groups and individuals challenge their own capabilities, get more innovative ideas, and combine various perspectives to come up with new ones throughout the process.

Productivity

Since the technique strengthens key skills such as organizational skills and creative thinking, people achieve more in fairly less time. This is because they’re more empowered to work together, knowing the direction of the problem-solving process. This shared structure makes collaboration easier, keeps discussions on track, and leads to more productive and efficient outcomes.

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Quality decision-making

Ensuring that the context of the discussion is well-defined to a group is integral to reducing conflict and encouraging a more proactive way of thinking. Using one hat at a time, the members of the group can focus on one perspective then move to the next. This leads to quality decisions brought about by the positive impact of the process.

Inclusivity

As the group takes on a role by assuming a common hat in the process, any preconceptions may be set aside so that the group can collectively focus on one perspective at a time. With minimal conflict and shared understanding, everyone can feel heard and included in the discussion.

Interpersonal skills

The six thinking hats technique also improves one’s listening and communication skills. This methodology helps people become more persuasive as they pitch ideas, more aware of when to support others during the discussion, and more confident with the way they present solutions and resolve conflicts that may occur.

What the Six Thinking Hats Represent

To make the most of this technique, it’s important to understand what each hat represents and how it shapes the way a group approaches discussions. Here’s a quick guide to help you get started:

Dr. Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats

1. Blue hat

Responsible for when the group is focused on managing the overall decision-making, the blue hat mode is when the discussion’s agenda and goals are formed.

Sample questions to ask while using the blue hat:

• What needs to be resolved?

• How should we define the problem?

• What are the goals or desired outcomes?

• How will the process of using each hat go?

• What kind of decision shall we arrive at?

2. White hat

Representing the process of gathering information, the white hat doesn’t just tackle the details that are available for the team’s reference, but also identify other pieces of information that are lacking and need to be collected.

Sample questions to ask while using the white hat:

• What data is available?

• What information is required?

• What information is missing?

• What needs to be done to gather such information?

• What questions need to be asked?

3. Green hat

Used to spark novel and creative ideas, wearing the green hat allows for a free-flowing, think-outside-the-box process where any idea can be looked into, discussed, and noted.

Sample questions to ask while using the green hat:

• Are there thought experiments we can do?

• Is it possible to explore new ideas or opportunities?

• What are the other options we have to carry this out?

• Are there any other scenarios we can consider based on this idea to come up with new insights?

• What kind of risks are we willing or able to accept?

4. Yellow hat

Typically covering the potential benefits of ideas, the yellow hat allows people to look at issues using the lens of optimism, further probing the insights gained during the green hat process.

Sample questions to ask while using the yellow hat:

• Are there any opportunities for the green hat to expand on to show a clearer way of achieving the desired outcomes?

• How can we lay down the factors that would make this idea beneficial or successful?

• How do we define success?

• How does this idea make our processes better?

• What are the potential long-term benefits?

5. Red hat

Combining instincts and feelings, the people engaged in the red hat are free to express their feelings toward the ideas passively, without having to explain or justify their fears or dislikes in a logical way. It is meant to encourage transparency and prevent passive aggressiveness during later conversations.

Sample questions to ask while using the red hat:

• How do we feel about the possible choices we will make?

• What are our gut feelings about the idea we are proposing?

• What are our initial reactions?

• What kind of emotions does this idea bring out?

• What does our intuition say about the solution?

6. Black hat

Often regarded as the “negative yet logical” type of thinking hat, the black hat aims to represent the act of looking at the possible scenarios that may be far from or opposite to the desired outcome, along with the risks associated with the ideas.

Sample questions to ask while using the black hat:

• What are the possible failure scenarios?

• How do we identify the idea’s fatal flaws?

• What are the potential risks and consequences we are likely to face?

• What are the reasons why we should not proceed?

• What might be the challenges along the way?

The use of the six thinking hats may be tailored-fit to suit the needs of the individual or group using it, but you might be wondering: what is the order of the six thinking hats? As described by TSW Training, this is the recommended order:

1. Blue hat

2. White hat

3. Green hat

4. Yellow hat

5. Red hat

6. Black hat

It’s best to remember that facilitators or even team members can suggest using a different hat at any point in the discussion that seems more relevant or appropriate.

How to Use the Six Thinking Hats Technique

Using the six thinking hats can vary depending on business needs and other stakeholder factors that need to be discussed. However, it generally follows a process such as:

1. Define the focus: Clearly state the problem, idea, or topic the group will discuss or solve at the start of the session.

2. Explain each hat: Ensure all participants understand the meaning and perspective of each hat. This is important for a clear discussion, as everyone knows their roles.

3. Rotate through the hats: Proceed by "wearing" each hat one at a time in a set order, with the group focusing only on that style of thinking during each round. This step can follow the traditional order suggested by TSW Training or it can be determined independently.

4. Encourage participation: Invite everyone to share their thoughts, ideas, or concerns strictly from the perspective of the current hat without criticism or debate.

5. Use visual aids: Capture key points using notes, charts, or post-its to keep ideas organized.

6. Summarize insights: When all hats have been used, the facilitator (often the Blue Hat) reviews the key takeaways and conclusions.

7. Develop an action plan: Identify next steps, assign responsibilities, and set timelines based on the integrated perspectives from all hats.

8. Wrap-up: Review decisions and schedule any needed follow-ups to maintain momentum.