This document introduces the Six Thinking Hats technique created by Edward de Bono. It discusses that the technique uses six colored hats to represent six different perspectives or types of thinking: white for objective facts, red for emotions, black for caution, yellow for optimism, green for creativity, and blue for control. The hats help groups look at problems and decisions from different angles in parallel to avoid confusion. Using the hats provides structure to discussions and allows the consideration of various viewpoints to generate better solutions.

1. CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING WITH
SIX THINKING HATS
Nihad np
Madani
Anand

2. Six Thinking Hats
• Six thinking hats was created by EDWARD DE BONO, and published
in his 1985 book of the same name.
• It help you to look at problems from different perspectives, but one at a
time, to avoid confusion from too many angles crowding your
thinking.
• It's also a powerful decision-checking technique in group situations, as
everyone explores the situation from each perspective at the same time.
• It forces you to move outside your habitual thinking style, and to look
at things from a number of different perspectives.

3. Edward de Bono
• He born 19 may 1933
• He is a maltese physician, psychologist, philosopher, author, inventor and consultant.
• Educated at st. Edward's college, malta he then gained a medical degree from
the university of malta. Following this, he proceeded as a rhodes scholar to christ church,
oxford, where he gained an MA in psychology and physiology.
• De Bono has held faculty appointments at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge,
London and Harvard.He is a professor at Malta, Pretoria, Central England and Dublin
City University.
• De Bono has written 57 books with translations into 34 languages.

4. Parallel Thinking
• At any moment everyone is looking in the same direction.
• Each thinker puts forward his or her thoughts in parallel with the
thoughts of others
• Guides thought processes in one direction at a time so we can
effectively analyze issues, generate new ideas, and make better
decisions.
• Constructive alternative to arguments

5. So the six hats are…?
• Six colors of hats for six types of thinking
– Each hat identifies a type of thinking
– Hats are directions of thinking
• Hats help a group use parallel thinking
– You can “put on” and “take off” a hat

6. Six colors…
• White: neutral, objective
• Red: emotional, angry
• Black: serious, negative
• Yellow: sunny, positive
• Green: growth, fertility
• Blue: cool, sky above

7. …and six hats
• White: Objective facts & figures
• Red: Emotions & feelings
• Black: Caution, Difficulties, and Problems
• Yellow: Hope, positive & speculative
• Green: Creativity, ideas & lateral thinking
• Blue: Control & organization of thinking

8. Using the hats
• Use any hat, as often as needed
• Sequence can be preset or evolving
• Not necessary to use every hat
• Time under each hat: generally, short
• Requires discipline from each person
– While using it, stay in the idiom
• Can be used by individuals and groups

9. Blue Hat
Managing the Thinking Process:
– Control of thinking & the process
– Instructions for thinking
– The organization of thinking
– Control of the other hats
– Begin & end session with blue hat
– Discipline and focus
– Facilitator, session leader’s role

10. Open with the blue hat
• Why we are here
• What we are thinking about
• Definition of the situation or problem
• What we want to achieve
• Where we want to end up
• The background to the thinking
• A plan for the sequence of hats

11. White Hat
Information Available & Needed
• Neutral, objective information
• Facts & figures
• Questions: what do we know, what don’t we know?, what do we
need to know?, How are we going to get this information? , What is
relevant? , What is most important?
• Excludes opinions, hunches, judgments
• Removes feelings & impressions

12. Red Hat
Intuition and Feelings
• Emotions & feelings
• Hunches, intuitions, impressions
• Doesn’t have to be logical or consistent
• No justifications, reasons or basis
• All decisions are emotional in the end
• What is your first impression of the scenario? , How do you feel
about the scenario? , What are your initial thoughts on how to
resolve it?

13. Black Hat
Caution, Difficulties, and Problems
• Cautious and careful
• Logical negative – why it won’t work
• Critical judgment, pessimistic view
• Separates logical negative from emotional
• Focus on errors, evidence, conclusions
• Logical & truthful, but not necessarily fair

14. • What are the challenges ?
• What are the weaknesses?
• What is wrong with ?
• Why will this not work ?

15. Yellow Hat
Benefits and Feasibility
• Positive & speculative
• Positive thinking, optimism, opportunity
• Benefits
• Best-case scenarios
• Exploration
• What are the benefits/opportunities ?
• What are the strengths/positive points?
• What is working well with ?
• How will it help?

16. Green Hat
Alternatives and Creative Ideas
• New ideas, concepts, perceptions
• Deliberate creation of new ideas
• Alternatives and more alternatives
• New approaches to problems
• Creative & lateral thinking
• What are some ways to work this out?
• What are other ways to solve the problem?

17. …and close with the blue hat
• What we have achieved
• Outcome
• Conclusion
• Design
• Solution
• Next steps

18. Benefits of Six Thinking Hats
• Provides a common language
• Experience & intelligence of each person (Diversity of thought)
• Helps people work against type, preference
• Removal of ego (reduce confrontation)
• Focus (one thing at a time)
• Create, evaluate & implement action plans

19. THANK YOU