deBono's Thinking Hats

Explanation of the Six Thinking Hats created by Edward deBono with questions for discussion.

Transcript

1. The Blue Hat focuses your thinking on thinking. It helps you to organize and plan your thinking. It is responsible for summaries, overviews and conclusions Blue Hat Questions: What kinds of thinking will be needed? What should our focus be? What order shall we use the hats? How is the process going? What have we discussed so far? What conclusions do you have? Can you summarize? What comes next? Can we review? Where shall we go from here? Blue Hat PROCESS
2. White Hat FACTS The White Hat is the information hat. It focuses on facts and figures. When wearing the White Hat the thinker strives to be neutral and objective, White Hat Questions: What do we already know about… What do we need to know about… What are the facts concerning… What information can you share about… What do we know about the situation… What facts are missing… How are we going to get the information… What questions should we be asking… What is the context of this… Where does the information come from…
3. The Red Hat covers two types of feelings. First, there are the ordinary emotions, as we know them. Second, there are the complex judgments that go into such types of “feeling” as hunch, intuition, sense, taste, mood, and opinion. The Red Hat makes feelings an important part of thinking. Red Hat Questions: How do you feel about… What do you feel like doing about… What is your opinion about… What did ____ feel about… Put yourself in _____’s place, how did they feel about…. What instincts did _____ have… What are your gut reactions… I feel strongest about… What overall mood… Red Hat FEELINGS
4. The Yellow Hat is positive and constructive. When we wear the Yellow Hat we are looking at the brighter more optimistic point of view. We are looking for the benefits of an idea. Benefits may not always be obvious. Wearing the Yellow Hat is a deliberate effort to find benefits such as simplicity, effectiveness, efficiency, and opportunity. The Yellow Hat is concerned with positive assessment. Yellow Hat Questions: What are the benefits of… Who is going to benefit… How will the benefits come about… What are the positive points about… What are the strengths of… What is good about… Why will work to… What do you like about… List how this idea will make ___ better… What opportunities… Yellow Hat BENEFITS
5. The Black Hat is for critical thinking. When we wear the Black Hat we judge an idea against the past to see how well it fits with what is known. We find weaknesses and flaws; we point out what is wrong with a plan, what possible problems may develop. The Black Hat is perhaps the most valuable of all the hats. Black Hat Questions: What’s wrong with… Why will it not work… What mistakes can you find… Is there anything dangerous about… List the problems… What are difficulties with… What is bad about… What consequences might you expect… What impact will this have… What are the obstacles… Who and what are going to be effected… What are the risks… Black Hat PROBLEMS
6. Green Hat thinking is concerned with change and creativity; that there is a need to go beyond the known and obvious and the satisfactory. Creative thinking focuses on several elements such as fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality. The Green Hat recognizes that there is usually more than one answer to a problem and that alternatives can be sought. Green Hat Questions: Is there something you could add to… How might you change… What new ideas would work… What modifications would you suggest… How might we change old ideas into new ones… What else might _____ be used for… List the possible ways you might… How could you combine ____ & ____… How might you do ______ differently… How can we overcome obstacles… Green  Hat   NEW IDEAS