The 6 Thinking Hats

The Six Thinking Hats method, developed by Edward de Bono, helps groups and individuals think more effectively by separating thinking into six distinct roles, represented by different colored hats.

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1. White Hat 
Focuses on facts and data. 
- Objective thinking → Only the facts, no interpretations. 

Example (Cable Factory): 
- Current production rate = 5,000 cables/day 
- Raw material cost = $2/cable 
- Electricity cost = $1,000/month 

Question Example: 
- What are the current production costs? 
- How many defective cables are produced per month? 

→ Just present the facts and data! 

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2. Red Hat 
Focuses on feelings and emotions. 
- Ask for instinctive reactions and feelings without explanation or justification. 

Example (Cable Factory): 
- "I feel that the production process is too slow." 
- "I'm worried about increasing competition." 
- "I'm excited about the new product launch." 

Question Example: 
- On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you in the new production strategy? 
- How do you feel about the product's quality? 

→ Focus on gut feelings and emotional responses! 

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3. Yellow Hat 
Focuses on positivity and benefits. 
- Identify strengths and opportunities. 
- Highlight what's working well. 

Example (Cable Factory): 
- "Our production cost is lower than the industry average." 
- "Customers have given positive feedback on the new cable design." 
- "The new supplier is providing better quality materials." 

Question Example: 
- What are the strengths of the current production process? 
- What opportunities do we have to increase market share? 

→ Focus on the positive aspects! 

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4. Black Hat 
Focuses on risks and weaknesses. 
- Critical thinking → Identify flaws and potential issues. 

Example (Cable Factory): 
- "The new supplier might not meet delivery deadlines." 
- "We are over-reliant on a single client for 40% of our revenue." 
- "Production downtime is increasing due to machine failure." 

Question Example: 
- What are the weaknesses in our supply chain? 
- What could go wrong with the new product launch? 

→ Highlight the risks and shortcomings! 

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5. Green Hat 
Focuses on creativity and solutions. 
- Brainstorming new ideas and alternative approaches. 
- Encouraging innovative thinking. 

Example (Cable Factory): 
- "What if we switch to recycled copper for production?" 
- "Could we automate part of the production process?" 
- "What if we diversify the product range?" 

Question Example: 
- What new products could we introduce? 
- How can we reduce production costs? 

→ Encourage creativity and innovation! 

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6. Blue Hat 
Focuses on organization and process. 
- Summarize findings, set goals, and plan next steps. 

Example (Cable Factory): 
- "We identified production delays as a major issue." 
- "The next step is to research alternative suppliers." 
- "We will meet next week to review progress." 

Question Example: 
- What did we learn from this session? 
- What are the next steps? 

→ Keep the process organized and focused! 

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✅ Summary Example (Cable Factory): 

Hat	Example	Focus
White Hat	Production rate = 5,000 cables/day	Facts and data
Red Hat	"I feel the production process is slow."	Emotions and instincts
Yellow Hat	"Our production cost is lower than competitors."	Positivity and benefits
Black Hat	"New supplier may cause delivery delays."	Risks and flaws
Green Hat	"Switch to recycled copper to save costs."	Creativity and solutions
Blue Hat	"Next step: Research alternative suppliers."	Summary and process

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🔎 Practical Insights: 
- White Hat: Keeps discussions fact-based and grounded in reality. 
- Red Hat: Brings emotional and instinctive reactions to the surface. 
- Yellow Hat: Keeps the group focused on opportunities and strengths. 
- Black Hat: Provides a necessary reality check to avoid potential problems. 
- Green Hat: Encourages creativity and alternative solutions. 
- Blue Hat: Keeps the process organized and focused on goals. 

How to Use the Six Thinking Hats Effectively: 
✔ Use White Hat thinking first to gather facts. 
✔ Follow with Red Hat to gauge emotional response. 
✔ Use Yellow Hat to highlight strengths and potential. 
✔ Use Black Hat to identify risks and limitations. 
✔ Use Green Hat to generate solutions and creative ideas. 
✔ Finish with Blue Hat to summarize and define next steps. 

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