Why to use

Edward
DeBono’s
parallel
thinking in
problem
solving.
What are six thinking hats?
 Goals of this presentation…
• There are many ways to look at the same situation.
• Our goal is to think collectively, to use the best thinking skills to learn together
• Thinking is not about making a case for one position but looking at all the angles.
• Organized thinking is holistic and more complete
• Define parallel thinking
• Identify each of the six hats
• Learn how to ask a good question
• Apply six hats method to problem solving
What is parallel thinking?
At any moment
everyone is looking in the same direction.
(And there will be some explaination)
 So the six hats are…?
• Six colors of hats for six types of thinking
– Each hat identifies a type of thinking
– Hats are directions of thinking
• Hats help a group use parallel thinking
– You can “put on” and “take off” a hat
 Six colors…
• White: neutral, objective
• Red: emotional, angry
• Black: serious, somber
• Yellow: sunny, positive
• Green: growth, fertility
• Blue: cool, sky above
…and six hats
 Using the hats
• Use any hat, as often as needed
• Sequence can be preset or evolving
• Not necessary to use every hat
• Time under each hat: generally, short
• Requires discipline from each person
– While using it, stay in the idiom
• Adds an element of play, play along
• Can be used by individuals and groups
 The Blue Hat
• Thinking about thinking
• Instructions for thinking
• The organization of thinking
• Control of the other hats
• Discipline and focus
 The blue hat role
• Control of thinking & the process
• Begin & end session with blue hat
• Facilitator, session leader’s role
• Choreography
– open, sequence, close
– Focus: what should we be thinking about
– Asking the right questions
– Defining & clarifying the problem
– Setting the thinking tasks
 Open with the blue hat…
• Why we are here
• what we are thinking about
• definition of the situation or problem
• alternative definitions
• what we want to achieve
• where we want to end up
• the background to the thinking
• a plan for the sequence of hats
 …and close with the blue hat
• What we have achieved
• Outcome
• Conclusion
• Design
• Solution
• Next steps
 White Hat Thinking
• Neutral, objective information
• Facts & figures
• Questions: what do we know, what don’t we know, what do we need
to know
• Excludes opinions, hunches, judgements
• Removes feelings & impressions
• Two tiers of facts
– Believed Facts
– Checked Facts
 Red Hat Thinking

• Emotions & feelings

• Hunches, intuitions, impressions
• Doesn’t have to be logical or consistent
• No justifications, reasons or basis
• All decisions are emotional in the end
 Yellow Hat Thinking

• Positive & speculative

• Positive thinking, optimism, opportunity
• Benefits
• Best-case scenarios
• Exploration
 Green Hat Thinking
• New ideas, concepts, perceptions
• Deliberate creation of new ideas
• Alternatives and more alternatives
• New approaches to problems
• Creative & lateral thinking
 Black Hat Thinking
• Cautious and careful
• Logical negative – why it won’t work
• Critical judgment, pessimistic view
• Separates logical negative from emotional
• Focus on errors, evidence, conclusions
• Logical & truthful, but not necessarily fair
 Six hats summary
Blue: control & organization of thinking

White: objective facts & figures

Red: emotions & feelings

Yellow: hope, positive & speculative

Green: creativity, ideas & lateral thinking

Black: cautious & careful

 General hat issues
• Direction, not description
– Set out to think in a certain direction
– “Let’s have some black hat thinking…”
• Not categories of people
– Not: “He’s a black hat thinker.”
– Everyone can and should use all the hats
• A constructive form of showing off
– Show off by being a better thinker
– Not destructive right vs. wrong argument
• Use in whole or in part
 Benefits of Six Thinking Hats
• Provides a common language
• Experience & intelligence of each person (Diversity of thought)
• Use more of our brains
• Helps people work against type, preference
• Removal of ego (reduce confrontation)
• Save time
• Focus (one thing at a time)
• Create, evaluate & implement action plans