This document introduces the Six Thinking Hats framework devised by Edward de Bono. The six hats represent six different perspectives: White Hat focuses on objective facts; Red Hat focuses on emotions and intuitions; Black Hat focuses on caution and criticism; Yellow Hat focuses on benefits and solutions; Green Hat focuses on creativity; and Blue Hat focuses on control and overview. The framework can be used to structure group discussions by assigning a hat to focus thinking from that perspective. It encourages separating intellectual and emotional thinking for better decision making.

1. Parallel Thinking

3. Look Carefully

4. How many Red Balls were there?

5. Count Carefully – Red, Blue and Yellow

6. Count Carefully the “Green Balls”

7. Welcome to the world of
“Six thinking Hats”

8. Six Thinking Hats
• Thinking Tool
• Devised by Edward De Bono
• Just not “What is” but also
“What can be?”

9. I am making
such a good
point. They
all will love
me for this. He is
an
idiot!!
What the
hell is he
saying??

10. Where can it be used?
Is he thinking
what I am
thinking???

11. 1.Try
this.
4. My intuition
says it will not
work.
2. But this is 3. I have a
not the better idea!
problem.

12. Six Thinking Hats

13. The White Hat
• Neutral and Objective
• Facts and Figures, Information
– What info do we have?
– What info do we need?

14. The White Hat
• The sales have increased by 25% in last
quarter.
• There has been an increase of 30% in the
number of women smoking since last
year.

15. The White Hat
• Checked and Unchecked Facts
Example:
– Why do we need a Lunch Table?
– For how many people we need a table?
– Should it be of any significant material?
– Should it be of any specific design?
– What is the budget for the table?

16. The Red Hat
• Fire , Warmth
• Feeling, Intuitions, Hunches

17. The Red Hat
• I don’t like this guy. Let’s not recruit him.
• Don’t ask me why, I just don’t like the
deal.
• I feel that idea has got potential.
• I think, it’s a lousy idea.

18. The Red Hat
• Let’ s not buy a Red Color table. It will
not look nice.
• Big tables don’t look nice.
• I like wooden tables.

19. The Black Hat
• Caution, Careful
• Criticizes the ideas, Attention to
negatives

20. The Black Hat
• I see a danger that competition will
match our pricing.
• Out of my 20 yrs of experience, I can tell
you that having a premium-product and
a commodity-product under the same
brand doesn’t work.

21. The Black Hat
• Table will be used for lunch. So, let’s not
take it white in color.
• We have a Yellow Table now. So, let’s
take a yellow table only. It will go better
with the present one.
• A Yellow table for 10,000 Rs Is way too
much for our budget. It’s not worth it.
• A small table can not serve the purpose.

22. The Yellow Hat
• Shiny and Bright
• Positive aspects, benefits, Proposals and
Suggestions, Constructive

23. The Yellow Hat
• Failing the examination was the best
thing that could have happened to her.
She would not be happy as a teacher.
• It is possible that new party splits the
votes of opposition.
• Under what conditions will our hotel be
profitable?

24. The Yellow Hat
• Buying a Yellow Table will allow all of us
to take lunch together.
• What should be the table like so that
everyone likes it.
• Showing the pictures of selected tables to
everyone will take care of everyone’s
preferences.

25. The Green Hat
• Vegetation, Energy
• Creative Thinking, New Idea Generation,
Out-of-the Box Thinking

26. The Green Hat
• What if we make the Hamburgers square
in shape?
• Everyone who wants to get promoted
should wear a yellow shirt/top. How
does that sound?
• Let’s work on Saturdays and take a leave
on Wednesdays.

27. The Green Hat
• Let’s take a foldable table. It can be
folded when not in use. It will save us
space.
• Let’s buy a convertible table which can be
converted into podium when not getting
used as a table.
• Let’s buy a table with lots of drawers in it
so that we can keep some stuff inside.

28. The Blue Hat
• Sky
•Overview, Control, Facilitator

29. The Blue Hat
• I want Red Hat thinking from all of you.
• There has to be a better way of selling
books. Please green hat that.
• Let us summarize what we have
discussed so far.
• Is it White Hat information? It seems like
Red Hat.

30. The Blue Hat
• Let’s have Red Thinking on the selected
Table Design.
• Let’s have Black Thinking on the two
selected designs.
• After careful thinking, we have zeroed in
a Table of “x by y” dimensions of Yellow
color.

31. How to Use?
• Any Combination of Hats
• As many times as you want
• Time under each Hat
• Not necessary to use each Hat
• Don’t categorize

32. Some Situations
• You have to conduct a training program
on “Clinical Research” on Wednesday at
Inlead. The client hasn’t asked for a
particular mentor but have expressed
great interest in Mr. Manshuali Saxena.
It is Tuesday (morning) today. You also
have the option to conduct it on Sunday.
How will you go about it?

33. Some Situations
• You need to create a Training Program on
Clinical Research. You have four hours at
your disposal. You also have to get your
content validated. How will you go about
doing it?

34. Some Situations
• You need to create Assessment for the
“Clinical Research” Training Program.
Client has asked to incorporate at least
two kinds of assessment tool. If you wait
for the content to get finished, you will
get only an hour to prepare it. It has to be
done today only. How will you
accomplish the task?

35. Some Situations
• You have to close the position of Sr.
Associate, Corporate Sales in next two
weeks. You are looking forward to Mr.
Shubham Desai as he carries an
impressive sales profile. Before and after
the interview happens, following things
are worth considering:
– He has rescheduled the interview thrice
already by giving lame excuses.

36. Some Situations
– He shows quite some attitude(Possible
Reasons: Bachelorhood, Killer Looks)
– He wants to join after a month.
– He wasn’t in formals on the day of interview.
– He has great communication and selling
skills.
– He has a proven track record of 3 years in B
to B selling.
Will you recruit him?

37. Snapshot
- Objective, Facts and Figures
-Emotions, Feelings
- Cautious, Critical Thinking
-Positive and Constructive Thinking
-Out of the box thinking
-Control and Facilitator

39. Happy Thinking!!!