What is the purpose of thinking?

• Each hat represents a direction of thinking

• The Six Hats method emphasizes “what can be” instead of “What is”.

White hat

• Facts• Figures• Objective Information• Truths

Black/Gray Hat

• Logical Negative Thoughts

• Risks/dangers• Based on past

experiences• Critical judgments

Green Hat

• Creative alternatives• New ideas• Movement rather than

judgment• “Outside the box”

thinking

Red Hat

• Emotions/feelings• Intuition/hunches• No justification• First impressions

Yellow Hat• Constructive ideas• Benefits highlighted• Logical support• Visionary

Blue Hat

• Control • Focus on tasks• Summarization• Monitors group

"Putting on" a hat focuses thinking; "switching" hats redirects thinking. With the different parts of the thinking process thus clearly defined, discussions can be better focuses and more productive.