Purpose
Positive, effective thinking is vital in any organisation. Six Thinking Hats is a tool to aid such thinking among individuals and teams.
Dr Edward de Bono invented the concept. His purpose was to make the process of thinking fast, upbeat and detailed. Six Thinking Hats is ideal if you want a team to think in an innovative way to reach a defined goal.
How To Use Six Thinking Hats
Underlying the principle of Six Thinking Hats is a simple idea. The brain works in six separate ways. If you can identity these and use them in a structured manner, you can create systems for effective thinking about any topic.
The six ways are the Six Thinking Hats. Each of these hats has a colour and a function:
- Blue – the overall thinking process
- White – asking questions
- Red – showing emotions
- Black – identifying problems and obstacles
- Yellow – identifying advantages
- Green – being creative
In a team discussion, you act as a facilitator. You metaphorically place the hats on everyone’s head at the same time. You do this in a certain order and for a certain time. The order and time depends on the subject under discussion.
For example, a team may begin by wearing blue hats. For an agreed period of time, you consider the purpose of the Six Thinking Hats session and what you intend to achieve.
You then move on to white hats. You present the data and information the team needs, and prompt the team to ask questions about it.
After this, you all wear red hats. Each team member gives his or her gut reaction to the issue under discussion.
Black hats are next. Team members raise objections to points raised so far and identify difficulties.
Following this, you switch to yellow hats. Everyone looks for benefits in a practical and optimistic way.
The green hats stage is when you come forward with fresh thinking and new ideas.
Finally, you come full circle and end with blue hats. The team considers the Six Thinking Hats process and the results.
Limitations
To work well, Six Thinking Hats needs an experienced facilitator. The facilitator ensures a discussion follows an agreed, timed sequence.
This isn’t hard, but the team must stick to the rules. Once everyone sees the benefits of Six Thinking Hats, facilitation is straightforward.
Related Subjects
- Innovation. In the UK, innovative thinking is a vital part of the economy. New ideas and inventions have created a thriving intellectual property sector. This sector uses Six Thinking Hats as one of its tools.
- Team building. In team situations, Six Thinking Hats can help create a sense of purpose. The technique can help build team morale.
- Parallel thinking. This is another of Edward de Bono’s ways of creating alternatives to conventional thinking patterns. Most people discuss an issue by taking opposing views. With parallel thinking, you explore an issue rather than debate it. This falls in line with the Six Thinking Hats approach.
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