Exploring multiple perspectives to broaden our thinking
Project Stage:
Develop
Who:
Customer
Experts
Decision makers
Service Providers
Design Principles:
The 6 Thinking Hats method, developed by Edward de Bono, is a group discussion tool used to explore multiple perspectives on a problem or idea. Each “hat” represents a different way of thinking – ranging from emotional, creative, to logical – and helps the group consider an issue as a whole.
Use it to
Explore problems and ideas from various perspectives.
Encourage balanced decision-making by considering emotional, factual, and creative viewpoints.
Facilitate inclusive discussions, ensuring all voices and thinking styles are heard.
Top Tips
Encourage participants to focus only on the hat they are “wearing” at the moment to avoid confusion.
Rotate the hats systematically to ensure all perspectives are considered.
Ensure no one dominates the conversation by wearing only one hat.
How – to
Introduce the issue or topic for discussion and set a time limit.
Assign a “hat” to each participant. You can stick to one hat per participant, or cycle through the hats after a certain time. Each coloured “hat” is described below:
White: Interested in information which is known and needed – Facts
Red: Emotions and feelings, likes, dislikes, love and hate.
Black: Judgement and risks why won’t this work.
Yellow: Optimistic and confident, sees the positives.
Green: Creativity and possibilities, what are the alternatives.
Blue: The Facilitator makes sure everyone stays in their role.
Rotate through the different hats, asking participants to contribute from the mindset of the specific hat that they are wearing.
Support the Blue hat, to keep everyone on track and in their roles.
6 Thinking Hats
Exploring multiple perspectives to broaden our thinking
The 6 Thinking Hats method, developed by Edward de Bono, is a group discussion tool used to explore multiple perspectives on a problem or idea. Each “hat” represents a different way of thinking – ranging from emotional, creative, to logical – and helps the group consider an issue as a whole.
Use it to
Top Tips
How – to
Resources
6 Thinking Hats
The 6 Thinking Hats Worksheet
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