Six Thinking Hats, created by Edward de Bono, is an essential and helpful technique used to examine the situation more effectively by forcing people to think differently and creatively. Each “Thinking Hat” is a different style of thinking. White Hat: focus on the available data, fact and information. It is used to call for information known or needed. Red Hat: allow your intuition and emotion to guide your decision. It is used to express feelings and share fears, likes, dislikes, loves and hates.
Black Hat: concentrate on disadvantages, fatal flaws and risks of the plan or idea in a cautious and defensive way. It is used to detect the difficulties and dangers. Yellow Hat: think positively and optimistically to understand the benefits of the advantages. It is used to explore the value and benefit. Green Hat: develop creative solutions to a problem and offer possibilities and alternatives. It is used to express new concepts and new ideas.
Blue Hat: control the thinking process and direct which hat to be used.It is used to ensure that the Six Thinking Hats guidelines are observed. Nowadays, in daily life, people use Six Thinking Hats to: •Make sure that all sides of an issue are examined. •Think clearly, objectively, systematically and creatively. •Propose alternative solutions and select the best alternative. •Perceive events and situations as opportunities.
•Identify the benefits as well as the risks of each opportunity. •Design plans for pursuing the desired result. •Understand and take on the facilitator role in a group meeting. •Articulate other people’s points of view.
