Six Thinking Hats by Edward de Bono is a technique that allows to systematically take up different positions toward a problem and by that act out various approaches. Each „hat“ symbolizes a certain attitude: White hat: pure facts about the situation Red hat: your feelings about the experience Black hat: critique Yellow hat: right and constructive aspects Green: creative thinking Blue hat: summary - the learning gained and the conclusions reached The hats can be put on arbitrarily and thereby alter the particular way of thinking. Thus many more ideas are generated by way of adopting different positions. The method can be deployed by only one person or within a group.

1. Six Thinking Hats
Edward de Bono
Summary by Frank Schwab

2. “Wear” one hat at a time when considering a problem.
Everyone wears the same color hat at the same time.
Look at problem from the same perspective.
Basic Rules

3. Pure facts about the situation
What information do we have?
What information do we need ?
What information is missing ?
How are going to get the information we need ?
What questions do we need to ask ?

4. Feelings & Emotions
How do we feel about ?
“At this point”
No reasons or justification
Keep it short

5. Creative thinking
Possibilities • Alternatives
New Ideas • New Concepts
Overcome black hat problems
Reinforce yellow hat values

6. Optimism
Why it may work
Values & Benefits (Both Known & Potential)
The good in it
Logical reasons

7. Pessimism
Why it may not work
Cautions • Dangers
Problems • Faults
Logical reasons

8. Managing the thinking
Make summaries
Monitor thinking
Ensure rules
Draw Conclusions
Make Action Plans

9. is a technique that allows to systematically take up different positions
toward a problem and by that act out various approaches. Each „hat“
symbolizes a certain attitude:
White hat: pure facts about the situation
Red hat: your feelings about the experience
Black hat: critique
Yellow hat: right and constructive aspects
Green: creative thinking
Blue hat: summary - the learning gained and the conclusions reached
The hats can be put on arbitrarily and thereby alter the particular way of
thinking. Thus many more ideas are generated by way of adopting
different positions. The method can be deployed by only one person or
within a group.
6-Hat-Thinking (Edward De Bono)

10. Edward Charles Francis Publius de
Bono (born 19 May 1933) is a
Maltese physician, psychologist,
author, inventor and consultant. He
originated the term lateral thinking,
wrote the book Six Thinking Hats and
is a proponent of the teaching of
thinking as a subject in schools.
Source: Wikipedia
About Edward De Bono

11. Frank@FrankSchwab.de
www.FrankSchwabSpeaks.com