Edward de Bono’s book, six Thinking Hats was released in 1985. De Bono soon became widely known for his development of a range of
thinking strategies designed to develop lateral thinking. A quick talk be de Bono here explains his ideas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb9Oe83ruUw. His
aim was to develop a range of thinking strategies to complement traditional approaches to logical thinking and so help thinkers uncover new
ways of solving problems. Perhaps most widely used in schools, these strategies can also be employed in any other decision-making space. De
Bono was hoping to teach thinking routines that could be used systematically and deliberately to develop innovative responses.
The Six Thinking Hats approach, for example, involved the deliberate adaptation of a particular point of view in exploring a situation or problem.
The White Hat
The White Hat calls for information known or needed. The individual (or student) wearing this metaphorical hat should focus on brainstorming the focus questions that need to be answered to achieve success.
The Red Hat
The Red Hat signifies feelings, hunches and intuition. The individual (or student) wearing this metaphorical hat should focus on calling upon ‘gut thinking’ and guesses that ‘feel right’.
The Black Hat
The Black Hat is judgment -- the devil's advocate or why something may not work. The individual (or student) wearing this metaphorical hat should focus upon identifying possible obstacles and criticisms that stand in the way of a solution. This focus should also identify on negative consequences.
The Yellow Hat
The Yellow Hat symbolizes brightness and optimism. Unlike the Black hat, the individual (or student) wearing this metaphorical hat should focus on identifying the positive consequences and the advantages of plans, as well as situations which might enhance projects.
The Green Hat
The Green Hat focuses on creativity: the possibilities, alternatives and new ideas. Like the yellow hat, the individual (or student) wearing this metaphorical hat should focus on generating as many creative possibilities as they can. This is the most innovative focus, and brainstorming should consider as many possibilities as possible.
The Blue Hat
The Blue Hat is used to manage the thinking process. The individual (or student) wearing this metaphorical hat should identify whether the team needs to apply any particular metacognitive approaches to succeed. They should also monitor the way individuals are employing their hats (for example, ensuring the Green Hat does not reject possibilities).
In addition to the Six Thinking Hats, de Bono has developed a range of other Thinking Routine worthwhile for problem solving. Next
week’s blog will consider his CoRT Strategies.
By Sue Burvill-Shaw
