Six Thinking Hats

"An essential approach to business

management"

By Edward De Bono
Back Bay Books edition by Little, Brown and Co. 1999
ISBN 0 316 17791 1
173 pages
The Big Idea
Confusion is the biggest enemy of good thinking. Simplicity
is the key. “When thinking is clear and simple, it becomes more
enjoyable and more effective.”
The Six Thinking Hats method is very easy to understand and therefore,
simple to use. This tool can be used no matter how big or small your
organization is, to create a more creative atmosphere, improve
communication and train people to use a clearer way of thinking.
A hat is something you can easily put on and take off. The hats are
visual cues for us to allow an easy switch in our modes of thinking.
The wonderful thing about this method is that it can be taught to children
as well as top executives.
The New Yardstick
We have to train our minds into doing one thing at a time. We
cannot be emotional, logical, factual, creative, and organized all at
the same time. The Six Thinking Hats method lets us focus our
thought process and filter out ideas and outputs. Consider this
new paradigm.
The Western model of thinking, which is based on argument, is not
sufficient to tackle all the different problems we face in most
organizations. To design a way forward, a more constructive
model of thinking, The Six Hats method or “parallel thinking” is
required.
Parallel thinking is looking at something from all of its different
angles. Each individual has a unique view of one idea or
object. Put people on four different sides of a house and you will
see each has his or her own perspective.
Parallel thinking subscribes to the idea that everyone must try
looking at the house from the same direction. The object is not to
argue your point until you win, but to explore all possibilities or
angles of a situation.
When using the Six Hats method, all the parties involved role-play
at the appointed time. No one person is assigned to be the Black
Hat thinker the entire time. Everyone wears a different hat, and
switches to another at the same time.
This method allows people who only focus on arguments and
criticism to put on their Green Hats and offer creative solutions, or
with their Yellow hats, some optimistic views, for example.
• The Six Hats Method is a time saving approach that cuts
down long discussions. E.g. Optus (in Australia) set aside 4
hours for an important discussion. The Six Hats method
enabled the team to conclude within 45 minutes.
• The Six Hats method removes the biggest obstacle to quick
and effective thinking — the ego. Instead of attacking another
person’s idea to show off how clever you are, with the aid of
the Six Hats approach, adversarial and confrontational
thinking is eliminated because your performance as a thinker
can be shown off in how well you utilize each hat. Instead of
ego-driven meetings, meetings become more constructive,
productive, and move much faster. . . . . . .
The de Bono Hats system (also known as "Six Hats" or "Six Thinking
Hats") is a thinking tool for group discussion and individual thinking.
Combined with the idea of parallel thinking which is associated with it,
it provides a means for groups to think together more effectively, and a
means to plan thinking processes in a detailed and cohesive way. The
method is attributed to Dr. Edward de Bono and is the subject of his
book, Six Thinking Hats.
The method is finding widespread use in the UK innovation sector, is
offered by numerous facilitation companies and has been trialled within
the UK civil service.[1]

Contents
[hide]
• 1 Underlying principles
• 2 Parallel thinking
• 3 Strategies and Programs
 ○ 3.1 Example programs
• 4 Types of hat
○ 4.1 White hat – Facts & Information

○ 4.2 Red hat – Feelings & Emotions

○ 4.3 Black hat – Critical Judgement

○ 4.4 Yellow hat – Positive Judgement

○ 4.5 Green hat – Alternatives and

learning
○ 4.6 Blue hat – The Big Picture

• 5 Application Method
• 6 Summary
• 7 Publication data
• 8 See also
• 9 References
• 10 External links

[edit] Underlying principles

The premise of the method is that the human brain thinks in a number of
distinct ways which can be identified, deliberately accessed and hence
planned for use in a structured way allowing one to develop strategies
for thinking about particular issues. Dr de Bono identifies five distinct
states in which the brain can be "sensitised". In each of these states the
brain will identify and bring into conscious thought certain aspects of
issues being considered (e.g. gut instinct, pessimistic judgement, neutral
facts).
Perhaps the most compelling example presented is the idea of sensitivity
to "mismatch" stimuli as a particularly strong tendency. This is
presented as being a valuable survival instinct - because in the natural
world the thing that is out of the ordinary may well be dangerous. This is
identified as the root of negative judgement and critical thinking.
Six distinct states are identified
• Neutrality (White) - considering purely what
information is available, what are the facts?
• Feeling (Red) - instinctive gut reaction or statements
of emotional feeling (but not any justification)
• Negative judgement (Black) - logic applied to
identifying flaws or barriers, seeking mismatch
• Positive Judgement (Yellow) - logic applied to
identifying benefits, seeking harmony
• Creative thinking (Green) - statements of provocation
and investigation, seeing where a thought goes
• Process control (Blue) - thinking about thinking
In order to make it easier to clearly identify and work with these states
the use of coloured hats as metaphors for them is used; each state is
symbolised by the act of putting on a colored hat, either actually or
imaginatively. The use of these metaphors also allows more complete
and elaborate definition of the states thus getting past the preconceptions
inherent in using people's current language. All of these thinking hats
help for thinking deeper for a better learning. Furthermore Dr de Bono
asserts that these states are associated with distinct chemical states of the
brain - although no details or evidence of this are presented.
[edit] Parallel thinking
In ordinary, unstructured thinking this process is unfocussed; the thinker
leaps from critical thinking to neutrality to optimism and so on without
structure or strategy. The Six Thinking Hats process attempts to
introduce parallel thinking.
Many individuals are used to this and develop their own habits
unconsciously. Sometimes these are effective, other times not. What is
certain is that when thinking in a group these individual strategies will
not tend to converge. As a result, discussion will tend not to converge.
Due to the power of the ego and the identified predilection to black hat
thinking in the majority of western culture, this can lead to very
destructive meetings. Even with good courtesy and clear shared
objectives in any collaborative thinking activity there is a natural
tendency for "spaghetti thinking" where one person is thinking about the
benefits while another considers the facts and so on. The hats allow this
to be avoided so that everyone together considers the problems, or the
benefits, or the facts, reducing distractions and supporting cross
pollination of thought. This is achieved because everyone will put on
e.g. the white hat together, then they will all put on the next hat together.
In this way all present think in the same way at the same time. The only
exception being the facilitator who will tend to keep the blue hat on all
the time to make sure things progress effectively. The blue hat tends to
be the outward-looking, leader/trail blazing hat that attracts the leaders
of all groups.
[edit] Strategies and Programs
Having identified the six states that can be accessed, distinct programs
can be created, these are sequences of hats which encompass and
structure the thinking process toward a distinct goal. A number of these
are included in the materials provided to support the franchised training
of the six hats method, however it is often necessary to adapt them to
suit an individual purpose. Also, programs are often "emergent" which is
to say that the group might plan the first few hats then the facilitator will
see what seems to be the right way to go.
Sequences always begin and end with a blue hat; the group agrees
together how they will think, then they do the thinking, then they
evaluate the outcomes of that thinking and what they should do next.
Sequences (and indeed hats) may be used by individuals working alone
or in groups.
[edit] Example programs
This article may contain original research or
unverified claims. Please improve the article by
adding references. See the talk page for details.
(December 2008)
Initial Ideas - Blue, White, Green, Blue
Choosing between alternatives - Blue, White, (Green), Yellow, Black,
Red, Blue
Identifying Solutions - Blue, White, Black, Green, Blue
Quick Feedback - Blue, Black, Green, Blue
Strategic Planning - Blue, Yellow, Black, White, Blue, Green, Blue
Process Improvement - Blue, White, White (Other peoples views),
Yellow, Black, Green, Red, Blue
Solving Problems - Blue, White, Green, Red, Yellow, Black, Green,
Blue
Performance Review - Blue, Red, White, Yellow, Black, Green, Red,
Blue
[edit] Types of hat
Included below is a brief description of each of the hats and the thinking
processes that they represent. Their use is illustrated by examples from a
typical commercial environment and also through the analysis of a
simple classroom issue - "Students are talking while their teacher is
talking".[2]
[edit] White hat – Facts & Information
Participants make statements of fact, including identifying information
that is absent and presenting the views of people who are not present in a
factual manner. In many thinking sessions this occurs immediately after
an initial blue hat, and it often an extended action with participants
presenting details about their organization and the background to the
purpose of the thinking session. The key information that represents the
inputs to the session are presented and discussed. Key absences of
information (i.e. information needs) can also be identified at this point.
Commercial examples are:
• Total sales of this product are €x p.a.
• Our sales data is two years old
 • Energy efficiency legislation is expected to impact
our ability to run our business in the next five years
• The number of elderly people in Europe is increasing

Examples in the referenced article are:

• Students are talking while the teacher is talking
• There is noise and therefore other students are
distracted and can’t hear the teacher
• Students don’t know what to do once instructions are
given
• Many students become distracted and off task
resulting in the failure to complete work
• Students are not understanding the focused lecture
due to lack of concentration
[edit] Red hat – Feelings & Emotions
Participants state their feelings, exercising their gut instincts. In many
cases this is a method for harvesting ideas - it is not a question of
recording statements, but rather getting everyone to identify their top
two or three choices from a list of ideas or items identified under another
hat. This is done to help reducing lists of many options into a few to
focus on by allowing each participant to vote for the ones they prefer. It
is applied more quickly than the other hats to ensure it is a gut reaction
feeling that is recorded. This method can use post-it notes to allow a
quick system of voting, and creates a clear visual cue that creates rapid if
incomplete agreement around an issue.
Alternatively it may be used to state ones gut reaction or feelings on an
issue under discussion - this is more common when using the hats to
review personal progress or deal with issues where there is high
emotional content that is relevant to discussion.
Finally this hat can be used to request an aesthetic response to a
particular design or object
Commercial examples are:
 • I'm enthusiastic about getting involved in selling!
• That role in the company doesn't appeal to me.
• I'd like to do that but I feel uncertain about it.
• I'm frustrated that we have let the situation get this
bad!
Examples from the referenced article are:
• The teacher feels offended
• Students become frustrated because they can’t hear
directions
• Those talking enjoy joking around and being heard.
• It represents emotional thinking of a person.
[edit] Black hat – Critical Judgement
Participants identify barriers, hazards, risks and other negative
connotations. This is critical thinking, looking for problems and
mismatches. This hat is usually natural for people to use, the issues with
it are that people will tend to use it when it is not requested and when it
is not appropriate, thus stopping the flow of others. Preventing
inappropriate use of the black hat is a common obstacle and vital step to
effective group thinking. Another difficulty faced is that some people
will naturally start to look for the solutions to raised problems - they
start practicing green on black thinking before it is requested.
Commercial examples are:
• We will be facing strong competition in that market
• What if we cannot get enough capital together to
support the investment?
• We might not be able to make it cheaply enough for
our customers to buy it
• There will be too much political opposition to this
approach
 • There is a risk that new legislation will make this
market unattractive
Examples from the referenced article are:
• Time is wasted
• Learning is compromised
• Those speaking feel that black hat listeners do not
respect them and do not wish to hear what they are
saying
• Flow of discussion is less clear
[edit] Yellow hat – Positive Judgement
Participants identify benefits associated with an idea or issue. This is the
opposite of black hat thinking and looks for the reasons in favour of
something. This is still a matter of judgement - it is an analytical
process, not just blind optimism. One is looking to create justified
statements in favour. it is encapsulate in the idea of "undecided positive"
(whereas the black hat would be skeptical - undecided negative)
The outputs may be statements of the benefits that could be created with
a given idea, or positive statements about the likelihood of achieving it
or identifying the key supports available that will benefit this course of
action
Commercial examples are:
• That would be useful in market X
• That would reduce the environmental impact of our
activities
• This approach will make our operations more
efficient
• We could use our existing distribution channels for
this product
Examples from the referenced article are:
• Everyone is able to say what is on their minds.
 • It can be fun.
• Not only the ‘smart kids’ get to speak.
• One doesn’t have to wait to share their ideas and
therefore risk forgetting information.
[edit] Green hat – Alternatives and learning
This is the hat of thinking new thoughts. It is based around the idea of
provocation and thinking for the sake of identifying new possibilities.
Things are said for the sake of seeing what they might mean, rather than
to form a judgement. This is often carried out on black hat statements in
order to identify how to get past the barriers or failings identified there
(green on black thinking). Because green hat thinking covers the full
spectrum of creativity, it can take many forms.
Commercial examples are:
• What if we provided it for free?
• Could we achieve it using technology X instead?
• If we extended the course by half a day it would
really help people understand
• How would someone from profession X view this
• Fish (green hat thinking can include random word
stimulus methods)
Examples from the referenced article are:
• Teacher will be more aware about the amount of
time they spend talking
• Teacher will try to incorporate interaction from a
variety of different students rather than just the
‘smart kids’
• Students will resist the urge to say whatever is on
their mind. They will think about what they have to
say and whether it is relevant to the topic
 • Students will take into account whether their
comment will interfere with other people's learning
• Students will think of new ways to communicate
rather than talking in class, for example, talk on
Messenger
• Students will be able to develop ideas as a result of
being creative in class
[edit] Blue hat – The Big Picture
This is the hat under which all participants discuss the thinking process.
The facilitator will generally wear it throughout and each member of the
team will put it on from time to time to think about directing their work
together. This hat should be used at the start and end of each thinking
session, to set objectives, to define the route to take to get to them, to
evaluate where the group has got to, and where the thinking process is
going. Having a facilitator maintain this role throughout helps ensure
that the group remains focused on task and improves their chances of
achieving their objectives.
Commercial examples are:
• We'll follow this program of thinking to start the day -
does everyone agree?
• OK time to move on to some yellow hat thinking
• Stop there - you are getting into debate. Lets do
some black hat and surface all the issues together
first
• I think we need to revisit our objectives, I'm not sure
that they are right in light of our work so far
Examples from the referenced article are:
• Teacher learns that they need to monitor the amount
of time that they spend talking within the classroom
• Teacher needs to involve all students within
discussions
 • Teacher needs to recognize that some students need
thinking time before responding. Allowing these
students time to compute solutions promotes wider
participation and increased learning
• Students realize that their talking makes the speaker
feel unappreciated and disrespected
• Students realize that their comments are
jeopardizing the learning of other individuals
• Students realize that talking out of time
demonstrates a lack of self-discipline and that not all
comments require sharing
[edit] Application Method
Whilst the ideas of the hats themselves provide significant benefits, there
is more to the six hats method as applied within de Bono thinking
systems and as trained under his franchise. In particular the pace at
which the hats are used is highly relevant.
Typically in use a project will begin with an extended white hat action,
as everyone gets "on the same page" creating a shared vision of the issue
being addressed. Thereafter each hat is used for a few minutes at a time
only, except the red hat which is limited to a very short 30 seconds or so
to ensure that it is an instinctive gut reaction, rather than a form of
judgement. This pace is believed to have a positive impact on the
thinking process, in accordance with Malcolm Gladwell's theories on
"blink" thinking.
This ensures that groups think together in a focussed manner, staying on
task, it also ensures that they focus their efforts on the most important
elements of any issue being discussed. However, it also has the potential
to create conflict if not well facilitated, since people can feel
"railroaded". To avoid this it is important to notice when there is any
significant difference of opinion on the thinking process or the area in
which it should focus
[edit] Summary
Using a variety of approaches within thinking and problem solving
allows the issue to be addressed from a variety of angles, thus servicing
the needs of all individuals concerned. The thinking hats are useful for
learners as they illustrate the need for individuals to address problems
from a variety of different angles. They also aid learners as they allow
the individual to recognize any deficiencies in the way that they
approach problem solving, thus allowing them to rectify such issues.
de Bono believed that the key to a successful use of the Six Think Hats
methodology was the deliberate focusing of the discussion on a
particular approach as needed during the meeting or collaboration
session. For instance, a meeting may be called to review a particular
problem and to develop a solution for the problem. The Six Thinking
Hats method could then be used in a sequence to first of all explore the
problem, then develop a set of solutions, and to finally choose a solution
through critical examination of the solution set.
So the meeting may start with everyone assuming the Blue hat to discuss
how the meeting will be conducted and to develop the goals and
objectives. The discussion may then move to Red hat thinking in order
to collect opinions and reactions to the problem. This phase may also be
used to develop constraints for the actual solution such as who will be
affected by the problem and/or solutions. Next the discussion may move
to the (Yellow then) Green hat in order to generate ideas and possible
solutions. Next the discussion may move between White hat thinking as
part of developing information and Black hat thinking to develop
criticisms of the solution set.
Because everyone is focused on a particular approach at any one time,
the group tends to be more collaborative than if one person is reacting
emotionally (Red hat) while another person is trying to be objective
(White hat) and still another person is being critical of the points which
emerge from the discussion (Black hat).
About Author
Edward de Bono is regarded by many to be the leading
authority in the world in the field of creative thinking and
the direct teaching of thinking as a skill. He has written
62 books with translations into 37 languages and has
been invited to lecture in 54 countries. He is the
originator of lateral thinking which treats creativity as the
behaviour of information in a self-organising information
system - such as the neural networks in the brain. From
such a consideration arise the deliberate and formal tools
of lateral thinking, parallel thinking etc.

Six Thinking Hats: The Power of Focused Thinking

Dr de Bono presents a simple and effective way to become a more
skillful and productive thinker. Using real-life situations, he shows you
how to separate your thinking into six distinct modes. Each is identified
with a different colour 'thinking hat.' For instance, the Red Hat signifies
emotional thinking. By mentally donning and switching 'Hats' you easily
focus or re-direct your thought.
'THINKING IS THE ULTIMATE HUMAN RESOURCE'
And yet most people, convinced they are competent at thinking (like
humour and sex), make no efforts to improve. Here Edward de Bono, the
celebrated lateral thinker whose ideas have influenced governments and
major companies the world over, shows us how to streamline our minds
with the six thinking hays - a brilliant new method to tackle any
problem.
Put on a black hat for a critical viewpoint or a yellow one for sunny
optimism! A green hat brings a wealth of creative ideas! Try white for
neutrality and red for emotion! And then, once you have generated
a whole range of possible solutions, sort them out! (A sky-blue hat will
give you a detached view.)
The results will prove amazingly effective!
The Six Thinking Hats technique of Edward de Bono
is a model that can be used for exploring different
perspectives towards a complex situation or
challenge. Seeing things in various ways is often a good
idea in strategy formation or complex decision-making
processes.

The STH technique is designed to help individuals

deliberately adopt a variety of perspectives on a subject
that may be very different from the one that they might
most naturally assume. In wearing a particular thinking
hat, people play roles, or "as if" themselves into a
particular perspective. For instance, one could play the
devil’s advocate, even if only for the sake of generating
discussion. The purpose of devil’s advocacy is to
deliberately challenge an idea: be critical, look for what is
wrong with it.

Each of the Hats is named for a color that is

mnemonically descriptive of the perspective one adopts
when wearing the particular hat. For example the devil’s
advocacy is what one engages in when wearing the Black
Thinking Hat.
The 6 hats and the perspectives they represent are:
• White (Observer) White paper; Neutral; focus on
information available, objective FACTS, what is
needed, how it can be obtained
• Red (Self, Other) Fire, warmth; EMOTIONS, FEELINGS,
intuition, hunches; present views without
explanation, justification
• Black (Self, Other) Stern judge wearing black robe;
judgmental; critical; why something is wrong;
LOGICAL NEGATIVE view.
• Yellow (Self, Other) Sunshine; optimism; LOGICAL
POSITIVE view; looks for benefits, what’s good.
• Green (Self, Other) Vegetation; CREATIVE thinking;
possibilities and hypotheses; new ideas
• Blue (Observer) Sky; cool; overview; CONTROL of
PROCESS, STEPS, OTHER HATS; chairperson,
organizer; thinking about thinking
De Bono’s hats are indicative of both emotional states as
well as frames of mind (i.e., perspective from which an
issue is viewed). He noted: "Emotions are an essential
part of our thinking ability and not just something extra
that mucks up our thinking" (1985, p27). One thinking
style (or hat) is not inherently "better" than another. A
full, balanced team recognizes the need for all hats in
order for the team to consider all aspects of whatever
issues they are facing.

Main benefits of Six Thinking Hats method:

1. Allow to say things without risk
2. Create awareness that there are multiple
perspectives on the issue at hand
3. Convenient mechanism for 'switching gears'
4. Rules for the game of thinking
5. Focus thinking
6. Lead to more creative thinking
7. Improve communication
8. Improve decision making
Using the Six Hats

In most group contexts, individuals tend to feel

constrained to consistently adopt a specific perspective
(optimistic, pessimistic, objective, etc.). This limits the
ways and extent to which each individual and thus the
group as a whole can explore an issue. With the Six
Thinking Hats, one is no longer limited to a single
perspective in one’s thinking. The hats are categories of
thinking behavior and not of people themselves. The
purpose of the hats is to direct thinking, not classify
either the thinking or the thinker. Indeed, by wearing a
hat that is different from the one that one customarily
wears, one may chance upon a variety of new ideas.
Wearing a hat means deliberately adopting a perspective
that is not necessarily one’s own. It is important that all
group members are aware of this fact. A group member
must clearly identify the color of the hat he is wearing
while making a statement. Wearing a clearly identified
hat separates ego from performance. The Six Hat Method
is useful even for individuals thinking by themselves.

Hats may be used in some structured sequence

depending on the nature of the issue. Here is an
example agenda for a typical 6 hats workshop:

Step 1: Present the facts of the case (White Hat)

Step 2: Generate ideas on how the case could be handled
(Green Hat)
Step 3: Evaluate the merits of the ideas - List the benefits
(Yellow Hat), List the drawbacks (Black Hat)
Step 4: Get everybody’s gut feelings about the
alternatives (Red Hat)
Step 5: Summarize and adjourn the meeting (Blue Hat)