Six thinking hats: adding layers to team thinking

When teams discuss innovation, a common phenomenon often arises: some members always emphasize risks, some care only about proposing new ideas, while others obsess over data and logic. The result is a chaotic and inefficient discussion where truly valuable ideas are often obscured. Six Thinking Hats, proposed by Edward de Bono, is designed precisely to help teams switch thinking modes in an orderly manner during discussions, making the collision of creative ideas more efficient.

Six Thinking Hats is a parallel thinking tool. By metaphorically assigning different thinking modes to hats of six different colors, it allows the team to think from the same angle at the same time, rather than everyone doing their own thing. The meanings of the six hats are: White Hat: Represents facts and data; focuses on objective information. Red Hat: Represents emotion and intuition; allows for the expression of feelings. Black Hat: Represents caution and criticism; points out potential risks. Yellow Hat: Represents positivity and value; discovers potential benefits. Green Hat: Represents creativity and alternatives; focuses on generating new ideas. Blue Hat: Plays the role of the controller; responsible for organizing the thinking process and driving the discussion forward.

The beauty of this method lies in avoiding interference between different thinking modes at the same time. For example, when a team needs to evaluate a new product concept, they can first put on the White Hat to collect and discuss objective information like market data and technical feasibility. Then, they switch to the Red Hat, allowing everyone to express their intuition and feelings, even without supporting evidence. Subsequently, they use the Black Hat to calmly analyze risks, the Yellow Hat to actively uncover potential value, and the Green Hat to boldly propose alternatives and innovative ideas. Finally, the Blue Hat summarizes the discussion and decides the next steps. Through this structured process, every mode of thinking is fully expressed, making the discussion more comprehensive and efficient.

This method is particularly effective in actual projects. In innovation workshops, team members often habitually argue directly about "whether this direction is feasible," leading to chaotic and shallow discussions. We can start by asking everyone to wear the White Hat, focusing on market data and customer research results to ensure everyone shares a common factual basis. Then, switching to the Red Hat, everyone expresses their intuitive feelings about market trends—some might feel the trend is hot, while others might intuitively worry about competitor reactions. Next, the Black Hat phase allows the group to concentrate on pointing out risks in the new product plan, including supply chain and regulatory uncertainties. The Yellow Hat phase then reverses this to look for potential value, especially opportunities in niche markets. In the Green Hat phase, the team is encouraged to propose unconventional solutions, such as testing market reaction through new channels. Finally, the Blue Hat conducts a summary, converging the discussion into three actionable strategic directions. Through this structured flow, the team not only diverges in creativity but also forms balanced and actionable conclusions.

Six Thinking Hats is not only applicable to teams but also suitable for individual independent thinking. When facing a complex problem, one can try switching thinking modes sequentially instead of jumping around chaotically. For instance, first use the White Hat to gather facts, then the Black Hat to find risks, then the Green Hat to explore solutions, and finally the Blue Hat to organize thoughts. This self-guided approach makes thinking more complete and balanced.

Innovation requires both breadth and depth. Six Thinking Hats allows different thinking modes to appear orderly at the same table, rather than canceling each other out. It reminds us that good creativity must not only dare to diverge but also withstand logical scrutiny, emotional resonance, and risk assessment. When a team masters this method, every discussion can become an opportunity to push innovation forward.