Digital Corps

Six Thinking Hats Brainstorming

Quick Tip!

Walking through each hat as a team will encourage collaboration rather than debates about ideas generated being effective or ineffective.

Helpful Staff for this Topic

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The Six Thinking Hats brainstorming method is a technique used to look at decision-making from six different points of view. With the inclusion of emotions and skepticism, this technique expands on the traditional rational brainstorming to provide an opportunity for creativity within the decision-making process. It provides a way of thinking that aids in examining problems from different viewpoints as the different hats may align better with the variety of personalities/strengths of Corps employees

The Six Thinking Hats can be used for idea generation/problem solving, team meetings, and project brainstorming

The Hats

In order to better understand the hats, follow this example: “Considering COVID, how might we still have the same festive holiday cheer that we’ve had in the past?”

White Hat

With this thinking hat, you focus on the available data. Review the information you have, analyze past trends, and see what you can learn from it. Look for gaps in your knowledge or the current problem statement, and try to either fill them or take account of them. Recall information that is already known or needed to move forward.

Example: For this hat, those brainstorming will consider what has been done at holiday parties in the past and how they can be redone virtually. Rather than have everyone open their gifts on their own, everyone will open gifts at the same time over Zoom with holiday music in the background to create an atmosphere similar to previous years’ holiday party gift exchange.

Red Hat

When “wearing” the Red Hat, look at problems using intuition, gut reaction, and emotion. Also, think about how others could react with emotions. Try to understand the responses of people who do not know your reasoning. Share fears, likes, dislikes, loves, and hates.

Example: For this hat, those brainstorming will consider how having the holiday party during these trying times makes them feel. Many people may see a virtual holiday party as a negative sign of the times, and could actually lessen morale because people want things to be normal.

Black Hat

Using Black Hat thinking, look at a decision’s potential negative outcomes. Look at it with caution. Try to see why it might not work. This is important because it highlights the weak points in a plan. It allows you to eliminate those points, alter them, or prepare contingency plans to counter them. Essentially, the black hat plays the role of the “devil’s advocate.”

Black Hat thinking helps to make plans “tougher” and more resilient. It can also help you to spot fatal flaws and risks before you embark on a course of action. It’s one of the real benefits of this model, as many successful people are accustomed to thinking in a positive way and they often cannot see problems in advance. This leaves them under-prepared for difficulties.

Example: For this hat, those brainstorming will consider all of the negatives that will come with having a virtual holiday party. Students are on Zoom most hours of the day and may not want to attend another virtual event where they have to stay on the computer.

Yellow Hat

This hat is the optimistic viewpoint that helps to see all the benefits of the decision and the value in it. Yellow Hat thinking helps you to keep going when everything looks gloomy and difficult. Consciously look for opportunities.

Example: For this hat, those brainstorming will consider all of the benefits that will come with having a virtual holiday party. With the ability of breakout rooms on Zoom, we are able to put together games and activities that have not previously been done at past holiday parties.

Green Hat

The Green Hat represents creativity. This is where you develop creative solutions to a problem. It is a freewheeling way of thinking, void of criticism of ideas. Express new concepts and perceptions, and make a deliberate effort to actually look for new ways of doing things.

Example: For this hat, those brainstorming will consider new ideas that can be implemented with a virtual holiday party. The addition of holiday games and activities.

Blue Hat

This hat represents process control. It’s the hat worn by the individual(s) who lead the session. When participants in the session face difficulties because ideas are running dry, the Blue Hat may redirect everyone to Green Hat thinking. When contingency plans are needed, they could ask for Black Hat thinking. The Blue Hat manages the thinking process. This hat allows everyone to focus on the discussion, outline and design the session, summarize and draw conclusions, and monitor and control the process.

Example: For this hat, those brainstorming will consider the leadership of the person running the brainstorming session and follow their prompts. This hat leads the conversation, encourages answers from each hat, and reads aloud the problem statement.

Note: The examples given under each hat are just one way that each hat could be used in a brainstorming session. The goal of the hats is to generate as many ideas as possible.

Team Meetings

For team meetings, the Six Thinking Hats are helpful for drawing out feedback. Change up the sequence of the hats to produce the kind of outcome you’re looking for. For example: use the sequence Blue – Yellow – Black – Green – Blue. The Blue Hat sets the goals and objectives for the session. Then the Yellow Hat would prompt participants to share positive feedback. The Black Hat would then focus on critical judgement, and the Green Hat would shift to solving the problems and coming up with solutions. Finally, the Blue Hat would wrap up the session and analyze/report on the results.

Project Brainstorming

For project brainstorming, the Six Thinking Hats are useful to generate a variety of new ideas. Again, change up the sequence of the hats to produce a certain kind of outcome. For example: Blue – Green – Red – Blue. Start with the Green Hat to focus on creative thinking to develop ideas. Then use the Red Hat to understand and identify the feelings and reactions these ideas may spark.

The Six Thinking Hats allow people to dive deep into their thoughts and ideas, reflect about their true feelings, and understand their ideas and the impact they have on others from different viewpoints.