Focus: Facts and dataWhat do we know?What do we need to find out?Neutral and objective.Avoids interpretation or opinion.

The White Hat – Information

Focus: Thinking about thinkingOrganizes and manages the thinking process.Decides which hat to wear and when.Summarizes discussions and conclusions.

The Blue Hat – Process & Control

Explains why using metaphors (hats) simplifies switching thinking modes.Helps people adopt roles without personal bias.Encourages equal contribution.

Why Hats?

Hats can be used one at a time depending on the situation.Examples given of how each hat can lead meetings or thinking sessions.

Using the Hats Separately

Describes how to use hats in structured sequences.Different problems require different orders of hats.Sequences can be pre-planned or adaptive.

Using the Hats Together (Sequences)

Offers methods for educators and trainers.Simplifies the learning of critical and creative thinking.Emphasizes early education and group usage.

Teaching the Hats

Advocates for widespread adoption of Six Thinking Hats.Promotes a culture of collaborative, organized, and creative thought.Encourages changing the way the world thinks—literally.

The Future of Thinking

Focus: Feelings, hunches, intuitionAllows emotional input without justification.Useful in decision-making to understand reactions.“Gut feelings” are valid here.

The Red Hat – Emotions & Feelings

Focus: Positive thinking, values, and benefitsWhy an idea could work.Looks at feasibility and opportunities.Balances the black hat.

The Yellow Hat – Optimism & Benefits

Focus: New ideas, possibilities, alternativesEncourages innovation and lateral thinking.No criticism; just generating options.Essential for solving problems creatively.

The Green Hat – Creativity & Alternatives

The blue hat (control hat) manages the process.Assigns roles and monitors thinking.Keeps sessions focused and time-efficient.

Control of the Hats

Focus: Judgment, risks, obstaclesHighlights weaknesses or potential problems.Helps avoid poor decisions.Most used hat in traditional thinking.

The Black Hat – Caution & Critical Thinking

Examples from schools, businesses, and governments.Demonstrates effectiveness in group discussions, negotiations, and creative processes.

Six Hats and Real-World Applications

The Problem with Thinking

De Bono explains the limitations of traditional thinking methods and introduces the concept of parallel thinking. The Six Thinking Hats technique is proposed as a way to separate thinking into distinct modes, preventing confusion and conflict.

THE classic work about decision-making from the world-renowned writer and philosopher Edward de Bono Meetings are a crucial part of all our lives, but too often they go nowhere and waste valuable time. In Six Thinking Hats, Edward de Bono shows how meetings can be transformed to produce quick, decisive results every time. The Six Hats method is a devastatingly simple technique based on the brain's different modes of thinking. The intelligence, experience and information of everyone is harnessed to reach the right conclusions quickly. These principles fundamentally change the way you work and interact. They have been adopted by businesses and governments around the world to end conflict and confusion in favour of harmony and productivity.

books

Books

Edward De Bono is an accomplished writer whose work has resonated with readers around the world. Edward De Bono has published several books that explore a range of topics, from fiction to nonfiction, and has received critical acclaim for the ability to weave compelling narratives. Edward De Bono's writing style is known for its depth and authenticity, and has earned quite a loyal following of readers.