In the beginning, we started like this

and we thoughtwe would stay that way

After a while, we became like this

Edward De Bono’s Six Hat Technique

allowed us

to get back to

this

Edward De Bono’s Six Hat Technique

• Eliminated adversarial discussion

• Enabled the group to think & work together

• Streamlined discussions

• Lead to productive and focussed meetings

? How Does It Work ?

• The 6 hats represent 6 different ways of thinking,

• but are not used to categorise people

• All people must be able to use all of the 6 hats

There is the white hat

• This hat represents pure fact.• It is neutral, and does not offer

opinions.• Under the white hat, one is

concerned with information - what is known and what is needed to be known.

There is the red hat

• This hat represents emotion.• It is subjective, and offers opinions

and feelings.• Under the red hat, one is

concerned with hunches, intuition and how they feel. No justification is necessary.

There is the black hat

• This hat represents judgement.• It is negative, and offers

assessment accordingly.• Under the black hat, one is

concerned with errors and risks, and may use past experience to point out why something is wrong.

There is the yellow hat

• This hat represents optimism.• It is positive, and offers

assessment accordingly.• Under the yellow hat, one is

concerned with value and benefit.• It can also offer opportunity to

voice visions and dreams.

There is the green hat

• This hat represents creativity.• It is lateral, and offers alternative

answers or solutions.• Under the green hat, one is

concerned with moving beyond what is obvious, to generate new concepts and perceptions.

There is the blue hat

• This hat represents order.• It is controlled, and offers direction

to discussions.• Under the blue hat, one is

concerned with organisation - defining the problems, what to ask and how to answer the questions.

• By covering the main modes of thinking, it allows most ideas, thoughts, opinions, and facts to be presented one type at a time

• This avoids arguments, since everyone should be thinking in the same mode at the same time

The Six Hat Technique

To demonstrate …

Yellow hatsplease

Confusion! as all types of thoughts are put forward. Then ...

Thought cohesion is achieved

Remember that the hats are not meant to categorise people

The general order can be,•for a new matter:

Sequence

•for a well known matter:

•This technique is not limited to group meetings.

•It may also be used to focus thoughts individually, in

conversation, for reports...

•This technique is used by organisations big and small worldwide, the largest

including:•NTT

•Prudential•Siemens•Boeing

•Honeywell•Motorola•Eli Lilly

•Although the technique has been around for almost 20 years, it continues to be used

extensively and is also taken up by corporations who learn of it.

Benefits:

• Simple to learn• Cost effective, requires nothing

more than a little training, costs almost nothing to implement

• Immediate results• Useful across all levels• Reduces conflict• Encourages co-operation• Enhances quality of thinking• Supports other change initiatives

Further reading on this method may be found in Edward De Bono’s book,

Six Thinking HatsLondon: Penguin, 1990, c1985

208 pages