We will be using Edward de Bono’s form of parallel thinking known as the Six Thinking Hats. The intention is to discover as much information about a topic as possible. It is highly recommended that you read the book [1].

de Bono quotes an impressive list of companies that have used this method apparently with extraordinary success: Siemens, IBM, NASA, DuPont, Shell, BP and others. The following is a short description of the six hats.

White hat: White is neutral and objective. The white hat is concerned with objective facts and figures. The white hat strives to be objective: what do we know; what do we need to know.

Red hat: The red hat suggests anger (seeing red), rage and emotions. The red hat gives the emotional view. The red hat thinker says what they feel about a topic. There is never an attempt to justify the feelings.

Black hat: Black is sombre and serious. The black hat is cautious and careful. It points out the weaknesses in an idea. Black hat thinking should not be the dominant mode of thinking.

Yellow hat]: Yellow is sunny and positive. The yellow hat is optimistic and covers hope and positive thinking. Yellow hat thinking is concerned with positive thinking where black hat thinking is concerned with negative thinking. Yellow hat permits visions and dreams.

Green hat: Green is grass, vegetation and abundance, fertile growth. The green hat indicates creativity and new ideas. Green hat can be provocative; attempt to change the current mode of thinking.

Blue hat: Blue is cool and is also the colour of the sky, which is above anything else. The blue hat is concerned with control, the organisation of the thinking process and the use of the other hats.

The coloured hats are intended to enable parallel thinking rather than argument. de Bono contrasts argument, which is concerned with discovering “what is”, with another form of thinking that is concerned with “what can be”, which involves constructive thinking, creative thinking and “designing a way forward”.

It is intended that everyone uses the same coloured hat at the same time. You are strongly discouraged from having a black group, a red group and so on. The idea is to make maximum use of parallel thinking: everyone pursuing the same aspect of the issues.

Each colour is used for a short time, a few minutes, and then a switch is made to another colour. We will probably break the class into small groups of 2 or 3 people and when we switch colour give each team a couple of minutes to develop ideas for that colour.

Not all colours need to be used and the same colour may be used more than once.

It is suggested that you begin and end with Blue.

It is important that the process be regarded as a game with everyone obeying the rules, that is everyone should be in synchrony with the current colour.

All points should be recorded on the board.

Notice that the Blue hat is a control hat and is therefore responsible for organising the overall discussion. The facilitator has a permanent Blue hat role, but everyone else in the class should take on the current colour. We could appoint one small team to have a permanent Blue role, perhaps ensuring that other teams are contributing effectively. The Blue team would be responsible for writing conclusions on the board. The Blue team could rotate.

References