The Six Hats For Thinking
As a teenager, like many others my age, I participated in a youth movement. In preparation for an event we initiated in our community, the head of the movement asked each team responsible for a specific part of the project to conduct a discussion about their area of responsibility using different thinking approaches—one for each team member (six in each team). To guide the discussions, our instructor introduced us to Edward de Bono’s thinking method.
De Bono, a philosopher, published the book Six Thinking Hats in the 1980s, where he presented an approach to decision-making. The method involves a group of people analyzing a problem and seeking solutions using diverse thinking styles. Each participant wears a different colored hat, with each color representing a distinct perspective:
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White Hat – Neutral thinking based on facts and existing information.
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Red Hat – Focuses on the emotions the problem may evoke, with decisions based mainly on intuition.
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Black Hat – Identifies problems and obstacles, offering criticism of the logic behind the proposed ideas.
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Yellow Hat – Looks for advantages and maintains a positive outlook on the process.
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Green Hat – Encourages creativity and innovative ideas to address the problem.
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Blue Hat – Organizes and summarizes the thinking process and discussion outcomes.
I recalled this thinking approach during my academic studies and throughout my professional career. First, this method helps overcome rigid thinking patterns that often arise when an individual faces problems alone. Additionally, I believe that in the field of user experience, where Design Thinking processes are applied, incorporating these different perspectives within teams can refine solutions and inspire creative and innovative ways to find the best approach.
