Upside Learning reviews Edward de Bono’s book, Six Thinking Hats – a thinking process with the aim of improving communication and reducing meeting times.
White Hat Thinking: Data, facts, information known or needed.
First and foremost, focus on the input content provided to you. Identify what information is available, what is needed, and what information is missing.
Black Hat Thinking: Difficulties, potential problems. Why something may not work.
Think critically, complete a thorough risk assessment, and identify ‘worst-case scenarios’.
Red Hat Thinking: Feelings, hunches, gut instinct, and intuition.
Express your gut feelings about the instructional approach that you believe should be taken. Don’t try to justify yourself. Just go all out.
Green Hat Thinking: Creativity – possibilities, alternatives, solutions, new ideas.
Move forward; seek new ideas and modify your existing ideas if required.
Yellow Hat Thinking: Values and benefits. Why something may work.
Justify your approach by listing down its benefits and why you think your approach will work.
Blue Hat Thinking: Manage the thinking process, focus, next steps, action plans.
Summarise your thoughts and conclude by formulating a plan of action. List out next steps and assign responsibility centres.
