The document describes Edward de Bono's "Six Thinking Hats" method for structured thinking and discussion. The six hats represent six different perspectives or thinking styles: White Hat focuses on objective facts; Red Hat focuses on emotions and intuition; Black Hat focuses on caution and potential problems; Yellow Hat focuses on benefits and optimism; Green Hat focuses on creative ideas and possibilities; Blue Hat focuses on organization, process, and summary. The method can be used individually, in conversations, in meetings, and for reports to encourage comprehensive yet compartmentalized thinking from multiple perspectives.
2. Blue Hat
Managing The Thinking
Setting The Focus
Making Summaries
Overviews • Conclusions
White Hat Action Plans Black Hat
Information & Data Why It May Not Work
Neutral & Objective Cautions • Dangers
Checked & Believed Facts Problems • Faults
Missing Information & Logical Reasons
Where To Source It Must Be Given
FOCUS
Yellow Hat Red Hat
Why It May Work Feelings & Intuition
Values & Benefits Emotions Or Hunches
(Both Known & Potential) “At This Point”
The Good In It No Reasons or Justification
Logical Reasons Keep It Short
Must Be Given Green Hat
Creative Thinking
Possibilities • Alternatives
New Ideas • New Concepts
Overcome Black Hat
Problems & Reinforce Yellow
Hat2 Values
10. “Idea Killers”
Good idea, but it’s the same as…
We tried that before.
That’s not how we do it here.
Who will pay for that?
Management will never go for it.
Name some more…?