Six Thinking Hats

Training Programme

Benefits Of The Six Thinking Hat Framework

Parallel

Adversarial Improve Exploration Save Time

Improve Creativity & Innovation Foster Collaborative Thinking

What is parallel thinking?

At any moment everyone is looking in the same direction.

So the six hats are?

Six colors of hats for six types of thinking

Each hat identifies a type of thinking Hats are directions of thinking

Hats help a group use parallel thinking

You can put on and take off a hat

Uses for Six Hats

Problem solving Strategic planning Running meetings Much 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

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

The blue hat

Thinking about thinking Instructions for thinking The organization of thinking Control of the other hats Discipline and focus

The blue hat role

Control of thinking & the process Begin & end session with blue hat Facilitator, session leaders role Choreography
open, sequence, close Focus: what should we be thinking about Asking the right questions Defining & clarifying the problem Setting the thinking tasks

Open with the blue hat

Why we are here what we are thinking about definition of the situation or problem alternative definitions what we want to achieve where we want to end up the background to the thinking a plan for the sequence of hats

and close with the blue hat

What we have achieved Outcome Conclusion Design Solution Next steps

White Hat Thinking

Neutral, objective information Facts & figures Questions: what do we know, what dont we know, what do we need to know Excludes opinions, hunches, judgements Removes feelings & impressions Two tiers of facts
Believed Facts Checked Facts

Red Hat Thinking

Emotions & feelings Hunches, intuitions, impressions Doesnt have to be logical or consistent No justifications, reasons or basis All decisions are emotional in the end

Yellow Hat Thinking

Positive & speculative Positive thinking, optimism, opportunity Benefits Best-case scenarios Exploration

Green Hat Thinking

New ideas, concepts, perceptions Deliberate creation of new ideas Alternatives and more alternatives New approaches to problems Creative & lateral thinking

Black Hat Thinking

Cautious and careful Logical negative why it wont work Critical judgement, pessimistic view Separates logical negative from emotional Focus on errors, evidence, conclusions Logical & truthful, but not necessarily fair

Six hats summary

Blue: control & organization of thinking White: objective facts & figures Red: emotions & feelings Yellow: hope, positive & speculative Green: creativity, ideas & lateral thinking Black: cautious & careful

Managing The Thinking

Blue Hat

Neutral & Objective Checked & Believed Facts Missing Information & Where To Source It

Information & Data

White Hat

Setting The Focus Making Summaries Overviews Conclusions Action Plans

Why It May Not Work

Cautions Dangers Problems Faults Logical Reasons Must Be Given

Black Hat

FOCUS Why It May Work

Yellow Hat

Values & Benefits (Both Known & Potential) The Good In It Logical Reasons Must Be Given

Possibilities Alternatives New Ideas New Concepts Overcome Black Hat Problems & Reinforce Yellow Hat Values

Creative Thinking

Green Hat

Emotions Or Hunches At This Point No Reasons or Justification Keep It Short

Feelings & Intuition

Red Hat

Managing The Thinking

Blue Hat

Neutral & Objective Checked & Believed Facts Missing Information & Where To Source It

Information & Data

White Hat

Setting The Focus Making Summaries Overviews Conclusions Action Plans

Why It May Not Work

Cautions Dangers Problems Faults Logical Reasons Must Be Given

Black Hat

FOCUS Why It May Work

Yellow Hat

Values & Benefits (Both Known & Potential) The Good In It Logical Reasons Must Be Given

Possibilities Alternatives New Ideas New Concepts Overcome Black Hat Problems & Reinforce Yellow Hat Values

Creative Thinking

Green Hat

Emotions Or Hunches At This Point No Reasons or Justification Keep It Short

Feelings & Intuition

Red Hat

Asking the right question

We cant get the right answer if we ask the wrong question Crucial blue hat skill One technique: five whys

Case Study
Students are talking while others are talking or teaching.
White: State the facts Students are talking when the teacher is talking The noise distracts others so they cannot hear Students do not know what the directions are Many students get silly or off task

Red: State the emotions The teacher feels offended Students feel frustrated when they cannot hear directions Students who have the floor feel like others do not care Those talking enjoy joking around and being heard

Case study
Black: State the negatives Time is wasted Learning is compromised Classroom is chaotic Yellow: State the positives Everyone gets to say what is on their mind It can be fun You dont forget what you were going to say Not just the smart kids get to speak

Case Study
Green: State creative ideas from seeing the problem in a new light The teacher will be more aware of the time she talks The teacher will include more students Students will reflect on whether their comments are on topic Students will think about whether their comments interfere with others The 6 Hats chart will stay up so we can remember these ideas.

Blue: State a summary of what was learned The teacher will limit the amount of time she uses talking teaching. The teacher will involve all students in the discussion. The teacher will allow for think time. Students now realize they make others feel foolish and unappreciated when they talk over them. Students realize that getting a laugh compromises the learning of others. Students learned that speaking whenever they want shows a lack of self-discipline.

Creative Problem Solving

Traditional CPS

Mess-finding Data-finding Problem-finding Idea-finding Solution-finding Acceptance-finding

Common idea-finding methods

Brainstorming Mind Maps Free writing Incubation

Six hats & problem solving

A more deliberate process than Problem Solving Like Problem Solving, uses creativity (green hat) Unlike PS, provides a mechanism for evaluating ideas & making decisions

Hypothetical problem solving program using the hats - 1

Blue hat
Organize the process

Red hat
Emotional issues & feelings

White hat
What do we know, need to know

Yellow hat
Proposals & suggestions; what ifs, why nots

Hypothetical problem solving program using the hats - 2

Blue hat
Focus on the areas that need new ideas

Green hat
Generate new ideas & concepts

Blue hat
Organize ideas & process for evaluation

White, yellow & green hats

Constructive thinking

Hypothetical problem solving program using the hats - 3

Yellow hat
Positive assessment of viable alternatives

Black hat
Screening for impossible, unusable Challenge the alternatives

Yellow & green hats

Overcome objections, correct faults, remove weaknesses, solve problems

Black hat
Further scrutiny; point out risks, dangers

Hypothetical problem solving program using the hats - 4

Blue hat
Overview of achievements so far Organize choice of route

Red hat
Express feelings about the choices

Yellow & black hats

Looking for the best alternative

Blue hat
Strategy for implementation