The Power of Six Hats

Early in the 1980s Dr. de Bono invented the Six Thinking Hats method. The method is a framework for thinking and can incorporate lateral thinking.The six hats represent six modes of thinking and are directions to think rather than labels for thinking. That is, the hats are used proactively rather than reactively.The method promotes fuller input from more people. In de Bono's words it "separates ego from performance". Everyone is able to contribute to the exploration without denting egos as they are just using the yellow hat or whatever hat. The six hats system encourages performance rather than ego defense. People can contribute under any hat even though they initially support the opposite view.The key point is that a hat is a direction to think rather than a label for thinking. The key theoretical reasons to use the Six Thinking Hats are to:
- encourage Parallel Thinking - encourage full-spectrum thinking - separate ego from performance.For me EGO stands for "Edging GOD out", a trap which all of us fall into.

There are six metaphorical hats and the thinker can put on or take off one of these hats to indicate the type of thinking being used. This putting on and taking off is essential. The hats must never be used to categorize individuals, even though their behavior may seem to invite this. When done in group, everybody wear the same hat at the same time.

White Hat Thinking
- This covers facts, figures, information needs and gaps.Its the phase of time when one drops arguments and proposals to look at the data.
Red Hat Thinking
- This covers intuitions,feelings and emotions.The red had allows the thinker to put forward an intuition without having to provide any justification for it.
Black Hat Thinking
- This is the hat of judgement and caution.It is the most valuable hat and is used to point out why a suggestion does not fit the facts,the available experience,the system in use,or the policy being followed.Black hat must always be logical.
Yellow Hat Thinking
-This is the logical positive.It can be used in looking forward to the results of a proposed action,but can also be used to find something of value in what has already happened.
Green Hat Thinking
- This is the hat of creativity,alternatives,proposals,what is interesting,provocations and changes.
Blue Hat Thinking
- This is the overview or process control hat.It looks not at the subject itself but at the "thinking" about the subject.In technical terms it is connected with meta-cognition.