Thinking in hats (Edward de Bono) To aid creative thinking Edward de Bono (1985) came up with six notional hats that can be put on and taken off easily. The hats are designed to indicate a role or mode of thinking. It is based on the principle of parallel thinking.

The 6 Thinking Hats System It is a simple and effective system that increases productivity. There are six metaphorical hats and each defines a certain type of thinking. You can put on or take off one of these hats to indicate the type of thinking you are using. This putting on and taking off is essential, because it allows you to switch from one type of thinking to another. When done in a group, everybody should wear the same hat at the same time.

The 6 Hats Information Positive Negative Creative Emoional Big Picture

The principle behind the 'Six Thinking Hats' is ‘Parallel Thinking’ which ensures that all the people in a meeting are focused on and thinking about the same subject at the same time.

WHITE HAT The Fact Finder What facts and information available and needed? What information do we have? What other facts do we know? How do we get the information we need?

The white ‘Hat’ This hat looks at the example itself. You will provide all of the details of the example. Do not provide any analysis/evaluations etc. do not use emotive language, you do not want opinion here. Think objectively and deal in facts

BLACK HAT The negative thinker What is wrong with this? What are the points of caution? What could some of the difficulties be?

The Black ‘Hat’ In this section you will look at the negatives of the situation. What was wrong Why was the situation wrong signifies caution and critical thinking – Why something may not work

YELLOW HAT The positive thinker Symbolizes brightness and optimism. You can explore the positives and probe for value and benefit

The Yellow ‘Hat’ This will look at the benefits try and see if there are any benefits to anyone in your example. did you benefit? How? Why? Did anyone else benefit? How? Why?

RED HAT – Emotions My gut-feeling is that this will not work. I don't like the way this is being done. This proposal is terrible. My intuition tells me

The Red ‘Hat’ With this ‘hat’ you will have a look at the scenario with emotions and feelings. This is the part where you look at how you felt in the situation you can now use emotive language – I felt….. Try and think how others may have felt too.

GREEN HAT The creative thinker Alternatives and creative ideas Are there other ways to do this? What else could we do? What are the possibilities?

The Green ‘Hat’ The green ‘hat’ looks at how you could have changed the situation. what could you have done to alter the scenario? Could you have behaved differently? Could you have reacted differently? This area deals with the solutions to the problems – try and think on broader terms as well.

BLUE HAT The Big Picture hat Organising and managing thinking What are we thinking about? What thinking has been done? What do we want?

The Blue ‘Hat’ This ‘hat’ looks at the reflective part of the example. Try and think about discrimination as a whole, in society and how it has affected you. Write down what you have learnt about this experience. draw some conclusions try and write down what you have learnt about yourself and this experience

The 6 Hats

Black hat thinking Your task You have two minutes to discuss the following using black hat thinking. What if you had an extra eye in the back of your head?

Green hat Thinking Your 2 minute task A man is walking down a busy street with a brown paper bag over his head. Put on your green hat to suggest possible reasons why he might be doing this. Try to come up with at least 5 possibilities.

Red hat thinking Your task You have two minutes to say how feel about the painting opposite.

The 6 Hats Information Positive Negative Creative Emoional Big Picture

Activity… Working in groups Watch the 10 minute YouTube clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_DUE1jYGgc Open your envelopes and following de Bono’s model, write a reflective account from the point of view of your character Have Fun and Good Luck! Feedback to group