It's about the Six thinking hats that we need to wear to do something different and extraordinary.

1. Thinking out of the box-Six thinking hats
Submitted by :
Arpita Tripathy
Tulasi Kumar Nanda

2. Thinking outside the box (also
thinking out of the box or thinking
beyond the box and, thinking outside
the square) is a metaphor that means
to think differently, unconventionally,
or from a new perspective. This
phrase often refers to novel or
creative thinking.
Introduction

3. HOW
Thinking outside the box means
approaching problems in new,
innovative ways; conceptualizing
problems differently; and understanding
our position in relation to any particular
situation in a way we would never
thought of before. We’re told to “think
outside the box” all the time, but how
exactly do we do that?

4. Brainstorming is one of the most important
and widely used means to innovate.
However, brainstorming sessions are often
not as productive as expected due to ego
clashes, arguments and lack of focus. A
leader in creative thinking, Edward De
Bono, developed the six thinking hats
technique that overcomes most of the pitfalls
of regular brainstorming. The technique
proposes and explains six directions (or hats)
of thought
Six Thinking Hats

6. The Managerial Blue Hat Thinker
Roles the blue hat typically plays:
i. To think about thinking.
ii. To define the problem.
iii. To gather global perspectives about the problem and the
solution.
iv. To manage the other thinking hats.
v. To manage time.
vi. To manage the flow of ideas.
vii. To manage the implementation of ideas.
Objectives include:
• Improving efficiency and effectiveness of the thinking
process.
• Formulating suitable questions to help direct thinking.
• Outlining an agenda, rules, goals, and tasks for problem-
solving.
• Organizing ideas and drawing up plans for action.

8. Blue Hat Questions
• What problem am I facing?
• How can I best define this problem?
• What is my goal and outcome?
• What do I seek to achieve by solving this problem?
• What is the most effective method of proceeding from
this position?
• How can I best organize and arrange my thinking to
help move me beyond my present circumstances?
Keep in mind that this list of questions is only a starting
point that will help guide you in the right direction.

9. The Neutral White Hat Thinker
Role of the White Hat
i. Metaphorical role of the white hat is The Detective
ii. A white hat collects facts, stats, and data that help
it piece together the information it needs to reach
logical fact-based solutions
Objectives of the White Hat
• Bringing forward stats, facts, and data that can be
used to solve the problem.
• Prioritizing facts over opinions and beliefs.
• Highlighting gaps in knowledge, perspective, and
awareness.
• Bringing forth logical solutions to the problem at
hand.

11. White Hat Questions
• What do I know about this problem?
• What don’t I know about this problem?
• What can I learn from this problem?
• What more would I like to learn about this
problem?
• How will I go about acquiring the facts, stats and
data that will help me resolve this problem?
• What potential solutions exist based on the facts,
stats, and data I have collected?
Keep in mind that this list of questions is only a
starting point that will help guide us in the right
direction

12. The Intuitive Red Hat Thinker
Role of the Red Hat
i. The metaphorical role of the red hat is The Heart.
ii. A heart is a very intuitive organ that senses subtle changes in
feeling and emotion when circumstances change.
iii. It intuitively presents effective solutions and direction for
further action based on its personal feelings and hunches.
Objectives of the Red Hat
• Bringing to light intuitive insights.
• Seeking out other people’s feelings and hunches.
• Exploring the emotional point of view.
• Revealing hidden strengths behind ideas.
• Identifying weaknesses based on hunches.
• Uncovering hidden internal conflicts.

14. Red Hat Questions
• What is my gut telling me about this solution?
• What are my feelings telling me about the choice
I am about to make?
• Based on my feelings, is there a better way to go
about this?
• Intuitively, is this the right solution to this
problem?
Keep in mind that this list of questions is only a
starting point that will help guide us in the right
direction.

15. The Pessimistic Black Hat Thinker
Role of the Black Hat
i. The metaphorical role of the black hat is The Reaper.
ii. A black hat is pessimistic and gloomy in nature. It always seeking
to pinpoint holes, flaws, weaknesses, and dangers in ideas.
Objectives of the Black Hat
• Bringing to light possible flaws and dangers.
• Highlighting inadequate resources.
• Eliminating weaknesses and bad ideas.
• Questioning inadequate contingency plans.
The black hat’s primary objective is to expose all the possible flaws
and dangers that could derail the goals you are seeking to achieve

17. Black Hat Questions
• What is the fatal flaw in this idea?
• What is the drawback to this way of thinking?
• How many ways is this likely to fail?
• What are the potential risks and consequences
associated with this?
• Do I have the necessary resources, skills, and
support to pull this off?
Keep in mind that this list of questions is only a
starting point that will help guide us in the right
direction

18. The Optimistic Yellow Hat Thinker
Role of the Yellow Hat
i. The metaphorical role of the yellow hat is The Sun.
ii. A yellow hat brings forth a positive, welcoming, and radiant
energy that breathes life into every idea.
Objectives of the Yellow Hat
• Exploring benefits of each scenario that is presented.
• Seeking out potential opportunities that might exist.
• Making a positive risk-assessment.
• Assessing the feasibility of ideas.
• Infusing the problem-solving process with positive energy.

20. Yellow Hat Questions
• How can I best approach this problem?
• How can I logically and realistically make
this work?
• What positive outcomes could result from
this action?
• What are the long-term benefits of this
action?
Keep in mind that this list of questions is only
a starting point that will help guide us in the
right direction.

21. The Creative Green Hat Thinker
Role of the Green Hat
i. The metaphorical role of the green hat is
The Seedling.
ii. A green hat instills an ever-growing and
expanding sense of unpredictability into the
thought process.
Objectives of the Green Hat
• Expanding thinking and awareness of ideas
and potential solutions.
• Thinking outside the box and bending
conventional rules and practices.
• Providing creative ideas and solutions.
• Installing new perspectives through creative
insights and ideas.

23. Green Hat Questions
• What alternative possibilities could exist
here?
• Could this be done in a different way?
• How can I look at this problem from a
unique perspective?
• How can I think outside the box about
this?
• What if…?
Keep in mind that this list of questions is
only a starting point that will help guide us
in the right direction

24. Brain Storming Activity

26. EXAMPLES

28. “What is Apple, after all? Apple is about people who
think 'outside the box,' people who want to use
computers to help them change the world, to help
them create things that make a difference, and not just
to get a job done”-Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs was not an employee of the IT industry
who was asked to think OTB. He was just another
precocious teenager who was OTB when he started
Apple. If Steve Jobs had not been so passionate about
thinking outside the box, just think of the inventions
that might never have come into existence
.

31. • The Six Thinking Hat’s problem-solving method provides
us with a multi-dimensional tool that can dramatically
improve the effectiveness and efficiency of how we think
and work through problems and THINK OUT OF THE
BOX.
• Whether our objective is to solve a problem, to overcome
an obstacle, to brainstorm a new idea, to improve your
decision-making or for academic purposes, the Six Thinking
Hats will help us find the solutions, answers, and the
opportunities we need to keep you ahead of the game.
Concluding Thoughts