Six Thinking Hats
Activity Summary
Six thinking hats is a technique that helps individuals and teams look at problems and situations from a variety of perspectives. In essence, the six hats direct you on “how to think” rather than “what to think”. Students are introduced with a specific topic or a problem that they discuss in groups “wearing” different coloured hats that guide their way of representing and exploring a specific topic or problem.
Activity Plan
1
5 mins
Introduction to the topic & learning intentions
The teacher can introduce any topic that is discussed in class or propose a problem that needs solving. Examples of topics or problems:
- Reading comprehension
- Discuss important historical figures or celebrities and their contribution to society, art or science
- Comparing two texts
- Discuss the choices a story character made
- Evaluate the best strategy needed to solve a problem (e. g. in maths)
- Explore and discuss social issues and science (environmental issues, social media, laws, new technologies…)
- Discuss issues in your school or local community (improvement of school environment, school uniforms, improvement of public spaces, cultural events…)
Briefly discuss the topic or problem with the whole class.
2
20 mins
Six thinking hats activity
Split the class in groups of six students. Each student randomly draws a different coloured piece of paper from a box (or is given a different coloured hat) so that each group has six different representatives of thinking hats.
The colours and meanings of hats are listed below:
- Blue hat – control and management; organises the thinking, sets the focus and agenda
- White hat – information; identifies information we have, need and lack
- Red hat – emotion and intuition; express feelings with no need to justify them
- Black hat – “negative hat”, caution and survival; identifies risks, difficulties and problems
- Yellow hat – “positive hat”, benefits and feasibility; optimistic view
- Green hat – creative hat, new ideas and possibilities
More information on hats can be seen in “additional resources”.
Note: discussions can be organised differently while using the six thinking hats method; students can take the role of each hat in their group, exchanging the roles during the discussion OR the whole class can be split in six different groups, each group representing one of the hats.
Students discuss the topic or problem in their groups trying to come up with new and unique solutions to a problem. The student with the blue hat organises the thinking and students represent their roles in this order:
blue hat – white hat – red hat – black hat – yellow hat – green hat – blue hat
Note: the order of the hats can be changed and, if the teacher deems it necessary, some hats can be taken out of the discussion Each group shares their ideas, solutions and findings with the class.
3
5 mins
Reflection
The class discusses their solutions to the problem, given roles and evaluates the effectiveness of the six thinking hats method.
Tips & Tricks
- In this activity, a group of students prepares an immersive activity to be proposed to the rest of the class. Each group is free to choose a study topic that they feel is particularly important or the teacher can give them a concept/ idea to explore.
- By doing so, the topic will be more easily memorised both by the group of students who are engaged in facilitating the activity and by the rest of the class who are involved in an immersive activity.
- This exercise might be challenging, but it is very rewarding because it allows students to be co-creators of the learning experience.
- Create a safe learning container, where imperfection and failures are allowed, so they can explore their creative expression and communication more freely. Consider doing a creative warm up energizer before this activity, to allow them into a less perfectionist mindset before doing this activity.
- Suggested location to do this activity is in the classroom, but if you have the possibility of doing it outside or in a place with even more space, that is great!
- If needed and supportive to you, consider showing visual/ video examples of experience design – or perhaps a video of an experienced designer explaining the method and concept.
Additional Resources
De Bono, E. (1985). Six Thinking Hats
Additional information on six thinking hats for teachers
BLUE HAT – control and management; organizes the thinking, sets the focus and agenda
It is the “control” hat. Blue hat organises the thinking, sets the focus and agenda, summarises and concludes, and ensures the rules are observed. Sequences always begin and end with a blue hat. The person with the blue hat orchestrates the process, keeps everyone wearing the proper hat at a given time to maintain parallel thinking.
WHITE HAT – information; identifies information we have, need and lack
Wonders what questions need asking to get the right information and how we are going to get that information. Emphasises that facts and figures cannot be treated objectively when put forward as part of an argument. Reminds us of the difference between a checked fact and unchecked fact (belief).
RED HAT – emotion and intuition; express feelings with no need to justify them
It represents feelings right now and helps give insight as to “where people are coming from” in a non-punitive way. The red hat is recommended to be used for a very short period to get a visceral gut reaction – about 30 seconds, and is a great way to start the process, “lay it out on the table.”
BLACK HAT – “negative hat”, caution and survival; identifies risks, difficulties and problems
Black hat is the sceptical view. Points out potential problems and thinking that does not fit the facts, experience, regulations, strategy, or values. Why will something not work? Why might it not be the right thing to do? It is the one hat that allows us to deconstruct the thinking process of the topic at hand. It can counter Yellow hat optimism and can deconstruct yellow hat arguments. In all instances, however, reasons must be given.
YELLOW HAT – “positive hat”, benefits and feasibility; optimistic view
Optimism is a requirement to use this hat. It helps find the benefits and values and considers both short- and long-term perspectives. Reasons must be given. However, if all one has is speculation, then go forward with it under this hat. Use the yellow hat to deconstruct and counter the black hat. Where the Black hat is about risk, the yellow hat is about opportunity.
GREEN HAT – creative hat, new ideas and possibilities
Green seeks alternatives and possibilities, removes faults, and generates new concepts. It does not have to be logical. It provokes risk taking. It demands new approaches and replaces judgement with movement. Of all hats, this is very difficult to role-play but also one of the most insightful.
Additional information for students – what questions should students ask themselves during the discussion to better understand their role
BLUE HAT – control and management; organises the thinking, sets the focus and agenda
What is the problem?
What is the decision we are after?
What sequence of thinking hats ought we use at this moment?
How will we move on to the next hat?
What thinking is needed? How to summarise everything we discussed?
WHITE HAT – information; identifies information we have, need and lack
What do I know?
What is the current information on the issue or problem?
What do I need to find out?
How will I get the information I need? What is the objective?
RED HAT – emotion and intuition; express feelings with no need to justify them
How do I feel about this?
What do I like about the idea or the problem?
What I don’t like about this? What is my gut feeling?
BLACK HAT – “negative hat”, caution and survival; identifies risks, difficulties and problems
What is wrong with this?
What are the negative aspects of the current issue?
What are the weaknesses?
Will this work?
Is it safe?
YELLOW HAT – “positive hat”, benefits and feasibility; optimistic view
What are the good points?
What are the positive aspects of the current issue?
Why can this be done?
Why is this a good thing?
What black hat concerns can we deconstruct and show to be flawed?
What should the green hat expand upon to show how we can get there?
GREEN HAT – creative hat, new ideas and possibilities
What new ideas are possible?
What is my suggestion?
Can I create something new?
Can we do this another way?
What yellow hat opportunities should we expand upon?
What original white hat assumptions might we totally reverse just to see where it leads?