How to effectively use the six thinking hats in meetings
Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2025 10:15 am
In the 1980s, psychologist Edward de Bono set out to solve a common problem: how can groups make better decisions without falling into the same old arguments and dead ends?
His answer was the Six Thinking Hats technique.
This method encourages different modes of thinking, such as creativity, caution and critical analysis, to work together in a structured way.
Let's see how this technique russia number data can turn chaotic meetings into productive sessions.
Prepare the phase: Define the problem and assign a facilitator to guide the meeting
Collaborate in real time: Use ClickUp Docs to create and share agendas, allowing team members to contribute before and during the meeting
Assign Hats: Create ClickUp tasks for each 'hat' and assign responsibilities to team members
Facilitate the discussion: Go through each hat, making sure all perspectives are covered
Visualize Ideas: Use ClickUp Whiteboards to capture and organize ideas
Collect feedback: Use tasks and whiteboards to provide real-time input and analysis
Summarize and Take Action: Use ClickUp Task Checklists to Assign Actionable Items
Follow-up and Review: Schedule follow-ups and monitor progress using ClickUp's dashboards and calendar view
What are the six thinking hats?
The Six Thinking Hats technique is a structured approach to approaching problems from multiple perspectives. Developed by Dr. Edward de Bono, the technique prescribes that each "hat" represents a different mode of thinking, and team members take on these roles (or wear these "hats") to guide the decision.
Let's see what each hat entails.
1. Blue hat
The blue hat consists of planning and directing the debate .
The facilitator, usually a manager or leader, sets the Agenda, defines the problem and directs the flow of the conversation. His or her job is to ensure the correct sequencing of ideas and to summarize the key points for the decision makers.
2. Green hat
The green hat encourages creative thinking
Those wearing this hat come up with original ideas without worrying about feasibility. While not all ideas may be practical right away, they may lead to more viable solutions when explored further.
3. Red hat
The red hat represents emotions and intuition
People in this role express their gut feelings about ideas or solutions without needing to justify them. It is about how they feel or react emotionally to a proposal.
4. Yellow hat
The yellow hat focuses on optimism and logic.
Here, thinkers look for advantages and opportunities in proposed solutions. They help turn creative ideas into practical ones by examining them logically.
5. Black hat
The black hat deals with critical thinking and risk detection.
Those who carry it identify possible flaws in ideas, such as obstacles or weak points. They highlight what could go wrong and why.
6. White hat
The white hat focuses on the facts .
People with this hat focus on collecting and sorting reliable data. They verify what is accurate and look for information gaps to help guide the discussion.
Project managers need to rotate these hats so that teams can explore more deeply and make more balanced and effective decisions.
His answer was the Six Thinking Hats technique.
This method encourages different modes of thinking, such as creativity, caution and critical analysis, to work together in a structured way.
Let's see how this technique russia number data can turn chaotic meetings into productive sessions.
Prepare the phase: Define the problem and assign a facilitator to guide the meeting
Collaborate in real time: Use ClickUp Docs to create and share agendas, allowing team members to contribute before and during the meeting
Assign Hats: Create ClickUp tasks for each 'hat' and assign responsibilities to team members
Facilitate the discussion: Go through each hat, making sure all perspectives are covered
Visualize Ideas: Use ClickUp Whiteboards to capture and organize ideas
Collect feedback: Use tasks and whiteboards to provide real-time input and analysis
Summarize and Take Action: Use ClickUp Task Checklists to Assign Actionable Items
Follow-up and Review: Schedule follow-ups and monitor progress using ClickUp's dashboards and calendar view
What are the six thinking hats?
The Six Thinking Hats technique is a structured approach to approaching problems from multiple perspectives. Developed by Dr. Edward de Bono, the technique prescribes that each "hat" represents a different mode of thinking, and team members take on these roles (or wear these "hats") to guide the decision.
Let's see what each hat entails.
1. Blue hat
The blue hat consists of planning and directing the debate .
The facilitator, usually a manager or leader, sets the Agenda, defines the problem and directs the flow of the conversation. His or her job is to ensure the correct sequencing of ideas and to summarize the key points for the decision makers.
2. Green hat
The green hat encourages creative thinking
Those wearing this hat come up with original ideas without worrying about feasibility. While not all ideas may be practical right away, they may lead to more viable solutions when explored further.
3. Red hat
The red hat represents emotions and intuition
People in this role express their gut feelings about ideas or solutions without needing to justify them. It is about how they feel or react emotionally to a proposal.
4. Yellow hat
The yellow hat focuses on optimism and logic.
Here, thinkers look for advantages and opportunities in proposed solutions. They help turn creative ideas into practical ones by examining them logically.
5. Black hat
The black hat deals with critical thinking and risk detection.
Those who carry it identify possible flaws in ideas, such as obstacles or weak points. They highlight what could go wrong and why.
6. White hat
The white hat focuses on the facts .
People with this hat focus on collecting and sorting reliable data. They verify what is accurate and look for information gaps to help guide the discussion.
Project managers need to rotate these hats so that teams can explore more deeply and make more balanced and effective decisions.