Six Thinking Hats

Six Thinking Hats
WHAT IT IS

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This guide has been developed using materials provided by the Overseas Development Institute's Research and Policy in Development (RAPID) Programme

BENEFITS
The main benefits of the Six Thinking Hats method are the following: allows you to say things without risk; generates understanding that there are multiple perspectives on an issue; is a convenient mechanism for “switching gears”; focuses thinking; leads to more creative thinking; improves communication; and improves decision making.

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Practical Guides

The Six Thinking Hats tool is a powerful technique used to look at decisions from different points of view. This helps us move away from habitual thinking styles and towards a more rounded view of a situation. There are six different imaginary hats that you can put on or take off. Each hat is a different colour and represents a different style of thinking. When we change hats, we change our thinking.

THE PROCESS
You can use Six Thinking Hats on your own or in meetings, where it can minimize the confrontations that happen when people with different thinking styles discuss the same problem. Each hat represents a different style of thinking:
White hat Objective, neutral thinking in terms of facts, numbers and information. With this thinking hat, you focus on the data available. Red hat Emotional, with judgements, suspicions and intuitions. 'Wearing' the red hat, you look at problems using intuition, gut reaction and emotion. Black hat Negative, sees risks and thinks about why something will not function. Using this hat, look cautiously and defensively at all the bad points of the decision. Try to see why it might not work. Yellow hat Positive, optimistic, clear, effective and constructive. This hat helps you to think positively and to see all the benefits of the decision and the value in it. Green hat Creative, seeks alternatives. The green hat is where you can develop creative... [continues]

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