6 Thinking Hats

Dr. Edward de Bono introduced a simple, but powerful technique called the Six Thinking Hats. The technique outlines different thinking styles that are associated with a different coloured hat. This parallel thinking approach forces each of the participants in a team meeting or focus group to adopt the particular thinking style represented by each coloured hat. By conceptualizing each type of hat, the person focuses on the style of thinking associated with each colour. For example, when wearing the RED hat a person will state what he or she feels about a particular situation. Wearing the YELLOW hat compels people to think about the positive aspects of a topic or situation, while the GREEN hat encourages people to adopt a creative thinking focus. The Six Thinking Hats encourage even the most pessimistic or negative people to think of the positive outcomes of a given situation.

By adopting the Six Thinking Hats technique in meetings or problem solving sessions, participants have found that they achieve a number of outcomes, including:

6 Thinking Hats

*“If you wait for opportunities to occur, you will be one of the crowd”* *- Edward de Bono*

Dr. Edward de Bono introduced a simple, but powerful technique called the Six Thinking Hats. The technique outlines different thinking styles that are associated with a different coloured hat. This parallel thinking approach forces each of the participants in a team meeting or focus group to adopt the particular thinking style represented by each coloured hat. By conceptualizing each type of hat, the person focuses on the style of thinking associated with each colour. For example, when wearing the RED hat a person will state what he or she feels about a particular situation. Wearing the YELLOW hat compels people to think about the positive aspects of a topic or situation, while the GREEN hat encourages people to adopt a creative thinking focus. The Six Thinking Hats encourage even the most pessimistic or negative people to think of the positive outcomes of a given situation. By adopting the Six Thinking Hats technique in meetings or problem solving sessions, participants have found that they achieve a number of outcomes, including:
1. 2. 3. 4.	Efficient meetings where meeting time is cut by one to two thirds as compared with traditional meetings Productive meetings with solid outcomes generated from different thinking styles that can be explored further Quickly identifying alternative solutions to problems Effective thinking techniques where participants experience different perspectives using parallel thinking

A summary of each hat is outlined in the Figure below: