Unit 9: Six Thinking Hats Technique

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Unit 9 Six Thinking Hats Technique

• CSEM04 Risk and Opportunities of Systems Change
  in Organisations
• Dr Lynne Humphries
• Prof. Helen M Edwards

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Overview

• Styles of Thinking
• Different Views a story from deBono
• Adapting New Thinking Styles
• White, Red, Black, Yellow, Green, and Blue Hats
• Using the Technique in Groups
• Using the Technique Individually
• Examples
• References Used

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Styles of Thinking

• Western thinking is concerned with "what is,
• determined by analysis, judgement and argument.
• Another whole aspect of thinking is concerned
  with "what can be,"
• involves constructive thinking, creative
  thinking, and "designing a way forward."

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Different Views a story from deBono

• Once upon a time a man painted half his car
  white and the other half black. His friends asked
  him why he did such a strange thing. He replied
  "Because it is such fun, whenever I have an
  accident, to hear the witnesses in court
  contradict each other.
• often the case in an argument that both sides are
  right but are looking at different aspects of the
  situation.

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Adapting New Thinking Styles

• It is used to look at decisions from a number of
  important perspectives.
• This forces you to move outside your habitual
  thinking style, and helps you to get a more
  rounded view of a situation
• This the focus of the six thinking hats

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White Hat

• Focus on the data available.
• Look at the information you have, and see what
  you can learn from it.
• Look for gaps in your knowledge, and either try
  to fill them or take account of them.
• This is where you analyze past trends, and try to
  extrapolate from historical data.

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Red Hat

• Look at problems using
• intuition,
• gut reaction, and
• emotion.
• Also try to think how other people will react
  emotionally.
• Try to understand the responses of people who do
  not fully know your reasoning.
• .

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Black Hat

• Focus cautious and defensive why might it not
  work?.
• It allows you to eliminate problems/risks, alter
  them, or prepare contingency plans to counter
  them.
• It helps to make your plans 'tougher' and more
  resilient.

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Yellow Hat

• Focus think positively!
• see all the benefits in a decision
• the value in it
• the opportunities.

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Green Hat

• Focus creativity.
• Develop creative solutions to a problem.
• Be unconstrained by practicality
• Dont criticise ideas.
• Other creativity tools (e.g. brainstorming) can
  help you when wearing this hat.

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Blue Hat

• Focus Process control.
• This is the hat worn by people chairing/facilitati
  ng meetings.
• When running into difficulties because ideas are
  running dry, they may direct activity into Green
  Hat thinking.
• When contingency plans are needed, they will ask
  for Black Hat thinking, etc.

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Six Hats in Group Activities

• In groups everyone considers the problem with the
  same hat on
• until all hats have been considered.
• Different hats are not assigned to different
  group members.
• The process eliminates confrontations
• These happen when people with different thinking
  styles preferences discuss the same problem with
  different hats on.
• all styles are relevant
• all are treated seriously by everyone.

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Six Hats for an Individual

• On your own in considering a problem
• Put a different thinking hat on in turn until
  youve considered the problems from all angles.
• Prevent getting stuck in a rut thinking in
  only one way.
• Moves you beyond your natural thinking style
  (e.g. a yellow-hatted optimist).
• Iterate around the hats until all your thinking
  is done.

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An Example (building a new office block)

• The directors of a property company are
  considering building a new office block1.
• Blue Hat thinking
• used by the Chair to move between the different
  thinking styles.
• keeps members of the team from switching styles,
  or from criticising other peoples' points.
• As White Hats they analyze the data they have.
• the trend in available vacant office space, which
  shows a sharp reduction.
• anticipate that by the time the office block
  would be completed, that there will be a severe
  shortage of office space.
• Identify that current government projections show
  steady economic growth for at least the
  construction period.

1From Mindtools see refs
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building a new office block

• As Red Hats
• some of the directors think the proposed building
  looks quite ugly. While it would be highly
  cost-effective, they worry that people would not
  like to work in it.
• As Black Hats
• they worry that government projections may be
  wrong.
• The economy may be about to enter a 'cyclical
  downturn', in which case the office building may
  be empty for a long time.
• If the building is not attractive, then companies
  will choose to work in another better-looking
  building at the same rent.

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building a new office block

• As Yellow Hats,
• the economy holds up their projections are
  correct the company makes a great deal of money.
  
• By selling the building before the next downturn,
  or
• renting to tenants on long-term leases that will
  last through any recession.
• As Green Hats
• consider changing the design to make the building
  more pleasant.
• build prestige offices that people would want to
  rent in any economic climate.
• Alternatively, invest the money now and buy up
  property (at a low cost) when a recession does
  come.

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Another Example Classroom Management

• Students Talking While Others Are Talking Or
  Teaching 2
• White Hat states the facts,
• students are talking when the teacher is talking
• there is noise so that others are distracted or
  can't hear
• students don't know what to do after the teacher
  has given directions
• many students get silly or off task
• Red Hat states the emotions
• the teacher feels offended
• Some students are frustrated because they can't
  hear directions
• Those talking enjoy joking around and being heard

2From Dyck (ud) see refs
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Classroom Management

• Black Hat negative aspects
• time is wasted
• learning is compromised
• those who legitimately have the floor feel that
  listeners don't care about what they are saying
• chaos in the classroom
• Yellow Hat positives
• everyone gets to say what is on their mind
• it can be fun
• you don't have to wait until you speak and
  therefore don't forget what you what to say
• not just the "smart" kids get to speak

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Classroom Management

• Green Hat creative ideas
• the teacher is more aware of the amount of time
  that she "talks
• She will try to include interaction from many
  different students, not just the "smart" kids
• students will work on resisting the need to say
  everything that comes into their mind. They will
  ask themselves if this is on topic and if this
  needs to be shared at this time.
• There needed to be further discussion on how
  students would work on this problem.
• students will think about whether their comment
  will interfere with other people's learning
• the class will keep the 6 hats to refer to
  reassess how things are going.

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Classroom Management

• Blue Hat Sum up what is learned
• limit the amount of time talking is used as a
  form of teaching
• involve all students in discussion.
• some students need "think time" before they are
  ready to contribute.
• students realise that if they also talk when
  someone else is already talking it makes that
  person feel foolish or unappreciated.
• students realize that just to "get a laugh" they
  are jeopardising others learning
• students learned that speaking whenever you want
  shows a lack of self-discipline and
• students learned that not everything that goes
  through our minds is worth sharing.
• teacher/student needs to revisit this topic and
  check how they are doing.

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References Used

• de Bono, E (2004) Six Thinking Hats An essential
  approach to business management. Penguin Books
  Ltd
• Mindtools (ud) Six Thinking Hats- Looking at a
  Decision From All Points of View.
  http//www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_07.h
  tm
•  Dyck, B (ud) Classroom Management, Six Thinking
  Hats.
• http//www.teachnet.com/how-to/manage/sixhats12080
  0.html