Six Thinking Hats: A Tool For Decision Making & Problem Solving

+
Edward de Bonos
Six Thinking Hats

A tool for
decision
making &
problem
solving
FREDERICK MARS UNTALAN MD
+
Creativ
e
Proble
m
Solving
Traditional CPS
Mess-finding
Data-finding
Problem-finding
Idea-finding
Solution-finding
Acceptance-finding
Common idea-finding methods

Brainstorming
Mind
Free
Maps
association
Free-writing
Incubation
Six hats & problem solving
more deliberate process than CPS
Like
CPS, uses creativity (green hat)
Unlike
CPS, provides a mechanism for evaluating ideas &

making decisions
Plato: See
Shadows of the
Truth
Socrates:
Focused on the
Negative
Aristotle:
Concerned with
What Is-
Analysis,
Judgment,
Argument
Six hats is parallel thinking
The Originator
M.D., Ph.D., (philosophy, medicine &

psychology), Rhodes scholar
World-renowned consultant to business,

governments, schools and industry
Author of 62 books in 40 languages
Originator of Six Thinking Hats, Lateral

Thinking and Direct Attention Thinking Tools
Dr. Edward de Bono
THINKING
The Ultimate Human Resource
We
can always improve our thinking skills.
Confused
thinking arises from trying to do too

much at once.
We
should emphasize
not what is.
what can be,
&
Benefits Of The
Six Thinking Hat Framework
Parallel
Adversarial
Improve Exploration
Save Time
Improve Creativity & Innovation
Foster Collaborative Thinking
10
Results Around The

World
Since
1993 over 200,000 trained
In
use by many of the largest & most

successful organizations worldwide
Works
well in different cultures
Applies
at all levels & across disciplines
11
The Basics
There
12
are six different imaginary hats that you can put

on or take off.
Think
of the hats as thinking icons.
Each
hat is a different color and represents a different

type or mode of thinking.
We
all wear the same hat (do the same type of

thinking) at the same time.
When
we change hats - we change our thinking.
So the six hats are?

Six
colors of hats for six types of thinking
Each
Hats
Hats
You
hat identifies a type of thinking

are directions of thinking
help a group use parallel thinking

can put on and take off a hat
Uses for Six Hats

Problem
solving
Strategic
Running
Much
planning
meetings
more
Six colors
White: neutral, objective
Red: emotional, angry
Black: serious, somber
Yellow: sunny, positive
Green: growth, fertility
Blue: cool, sky above
and six hats
White: objective facts & figures
Red: emotions & feelings
Black: cautious & careful
Yellow: hope, positive & speculative
Green: creativity, ideas & lateral thinking
Blue: control & organization of thinking
The Red Hat

What
do you feel
about the
suggestion?
What
are your gut

reactions?
What
intuitions do
you have?
Dont
think too long

or too hard.
The White Hat

The
information
seeking hat.
What
are the facts?
What
information is
available? What is
relevant?
When
wearing the
white hat we are
neutral in our
thinking.
The Yellow Hat

The
sunshine hat.
It
is positive and
constructive.
It
is about
effectiveness and
getting a job done.
What
are the
benefits, the
advantages?
The Black Hat

The
caution hat.
In
black hat the

thinker points out
errors or pit-falls.
What
are the risks

or dangers
involved?
Identifies
difficulties
and problems.
The Green Hat

This
is the creative
mode of thinking.
Green
represents
growth and
movement.
In
green hat we look

to new ideas and
solutions.
Lateral
thinking
wears a green hat.
The Blue Hat

The
control hat,
organising thinking
itself.
Sets
the focus, calls

for the use of other
hats.
Monitors
and reflects
on the thinking
processes used.
Blue
is for planning.
Six Thinking Hats
Intuitive
Reflective
Informative
Constructive
Creative
Cautious
24
Blue Hat
Managing The Thinking
White Hat
Setting The Focus

Making Summaries
Overviews Conclusions
Action Plans
Information & Data
Black Hat
Why It May Not Work
Neutral & Objective

Checked & Believed Facts
Missing Information &
Where To Source It
Cautions Dangers
Problems Faults
Logical Reasons
Must Be Given
FOCUS
Yellow Hat
Red Hat
Why It May Work
Values & Benefits

(Both Known & Potential)
The Good In It
Logical Reasons
Must Be Given
Feelings & Intuition
Green Hat
Creative Thinking
Possibilities Alternatives
New Ideas New Concepts
Overcome Black Hat
Problems & Reinforce Yellow
Hat Values
Emotions Or Hunches
At This Point
No Reasons or Justification
Keep It Short
General Hat issues
Direction, not description
Set out to think in a certain direction
Lets have some black hat thinking
Not categories of people
Not: Hes a black hat thinker.
Everyone can and should use all the hats
A constructive form of showing off
Show off by being a better thinker
Not destructive right vs. wrong argument
Use in whole or in part
Benefits of Six Thinking Hats
Provides a common language
Experience & intelligence of each person (Diversity of thought)
Use more of our brains
Helps people work against type, preference
Removal of ego (reduce confrontation)
Save time
Focus (one thing at a time)
Create, evaluate & implement action plans
Using the hats
Use any hat, as often as needed
Sequence can be preset or evolving
Not necessary to use every hat
Time under each hat: generally, short
Requires discipline from each person
While using it, stay in the idiom
Adds an element of play, play along
Can be used by individuals and groups
Results of Six Hat Thinking
Deriving power from focused thinking
Saving time
Removing ego from decisions
Doing one thing at a time
Use Preset Sequence

Discipline
Timing
Guidelines
Results of Six Hat Thinking
Decisions Seem to
Make
Themselves!
+ What If Its Not Possible to Make

a Decision...?
May
Need More Information
Cant
May
Reconcile Values
Depend on Future Information
35
Role
of the Chairperson/Presiding
Officer/Facilitator
Define
Plan
Ask
the focus of your thinking
the sequence and timing of the thinking
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
x
Role of the
member/participant
Follow
the lead of trained Six Thinking Hats

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

current use
Try
to work within the time limits
Contribute
hats
honestly & fully under each of the
36
+
Edward de Bonos
Six Thinking Hats

A tool for
decision
making &
problem
solving
FREDERICK MARS UNTALAN MD

Six Thinking Hats: A Tool For Decision Making & Problem Solving

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Six Thinking Hats

FREDERICK MARS UNTALAN MD

Common idea-finding methods

Six hats & problem solving

more deliberate process than CPS

CPS, uses creativity (green hat)

CPS, provides a mechanism for evaluating ideas &

Six hats is parallel thinking

M.D., Ph.D., (philosophy, medicine &

World-renowned consultant to business,

Author of 62 books in 40 languages

Originator of Six Thinking Hats, Lateral

Dr. Edward de Bono

can always improve our thinking skills.

thinking arises from trying to do too

what can be,

Results Around The

1993 over 200,000 trained

use by many of the largest & most

well in different cultures

at all levels & across disciplines

are six different imaginary hats that you can put

of the hats as thinking icons.

hat is a different color and represents a different

all wear the same hat (do the same type of

we change hats - we change our thinking.

So the six hats are?

colors of hats for six types of thinking

hat identifies a type of thinking

help a group use parallel thinking

Uses for Six Hats

White: neutral, objective

Red: emotional, angry

Black: serious, somber

Yellow: sunny, positive

Green: growth, fertility

Blue: cool, sky above

and six hats

White: objective facts & figures

Red: emotions & feelings

Black: cautious & careful

Yellow: hope, positive & speculative

Green: creativity, ideas & lateral thinking

Blue: control & organization of thinking

The Red Hat

are your gut

think too long

The White Hat

are the facts?

The Yellow Hat

The Black Hat

black hat the

are the risks

The Green Hat

green hat we look

The Blue Hat

the focus, calls

Six Thinking Hats