6 thinking hats

via peterme:

in the 1980s Dr. Edward De Bono developed the Six Thinking Hats method and "organized a network of authorized trainers". Major companies such as IBM and FedEx have licensed the traiing and use this method.

The six hats represent six modes of thinking and are directions to think rather than labels for thinking. That is, the hats are used proactively rather than reactively.

The method promotes fuller input from more people. In de Bono's words it "separates ego from performance". Everyone is able to contribute to the exploration without denting egos as they are just using the yellow hat or whatever hat. The six hats system encourages performance rather than ego defense. People can contribute under any hat even though they initially support the opposite view.

White hat: facts, figures, information needs and gaps

Red hat: intuition, feelings and emotions

The red hat allows the thinker to put forward an intuition without any ned to justify it. "Putting on my red hat, I think this is a terrible proposal."

Black hat: judgment and caution

The black hat is used to point out why a suggestion does not fit the facts, the available experience, the system in use, or the policy that is being followed. The black hat must always be logical.

Yellow hat: logical positive

Why something will work and why it will offer benefits. It can be used in looking forward to the results of some proposed action, but can also be used to find something of value in what has already happened.

Green hat: creativity, alternatives, proposals, what is interesting, provocations and change

Blue hat: overview or process control

in a group meeting every person must wear the same color hat at the same time - "I think we need some white hat thinking at this point..."