6 Thinking Hats

What is it

• Design thinking and group discussion are highly complex processes in which thoughts are shared, ideas bubble up, and others are buried. De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats technique provides a systematic solution to sharing and improving ideas by eliminating idea-destructive elements during brainstorming meetings. The method is based on the metaphor of wearing different "hats," with each hat representing a different mode of thinking or viewpoint.

Who

• The group swaps hats in an agreed order. All particpants wear the same hat at each stage of the exercise. For idea creation, the following sequence is recommended.

• The white hat set sets the scene representing the facts and information about the opportunity space.

• The green hat sparks brainstorming of ideas in the opportunity space.

• The blue hat facilitates reflection on the ideas generated, and begins to group them into high level themes

• The red hat provides an opportunity for the group to articulate their intuitive feelings, positive or negative, about the ideas generated and their potential

• The black hat enable the group to surface risks and challenges on the ideas generated and the opportunity space in general.

Running the technique

• Additional source: https://www.debonogroup.com/services/core-programs/six-thinking-hats/