What are the Six Thinking Hats?
The Six Thinking Hats is a parallel thinking framework developed by Maltese-born British psychologist and author Edward de Bono in his 1985 book of the same name. The framework uses six metaphorical coloured hats, each representing a different mode of thinking, to structure group discussions and decision-making processes.
Rather than debating — where participants argue from fixed positions — the Six Thinking Hats method has everyone in the group think in the same direction at the same time (parallel thinking), systematically exploring a topic from multiple perspectives before reaching conclusions.
The six hats explained
The White Hat represents objective, data-focused thinking — what do we know, what information do we need? The Red Hat represents emotional thinking — how do we feel about this, what is our gut telling us? The Black Hat is the cautious, critical thinker — what could go wrong, what are the risks and downsides? The Yellow Hat is optimistic — what are the benefits and the opportunities?
The Green Hat represents creative thinking — what new ideas or alternatives have we not yet considered? The Blue Hat is the process manager — what is our thinking process, how should we use our time, what have we concluded?
Why parallel thinking works
Traditional debate and discussion force participants to defend positions, which creates adversarial dynamics and makes it difficult to explore issues openly. Parallel thinking eliminates this problem by having everyone think in the same mode simultaneously, then shifting modes together.
This approach produces richer exploration of problems because it systematically covers emotional, analytical, creative, and critical perspectives without any single perspective dominating the conversation.
Using Six Thinking Hats in strategic sessions
The Six Thinking Hats framework is particularly valuable in strategic planning sessions, brainstorming workshops, and decision-making meetings. It helps groups avoid groupthink, surface dissenting views constructively, generate creative options, and evaluate those options rigorously before committing.
A typical session might begin with Blue (define the process), move to White (gather facts), then Red (share intuitions), Black (identify risks), Yellow (identify benefits), and Green (generate creative alternatives), before returning to Blue for summary and conclusions.
How advisors use Six Thinking Hats
Advisors and facilitators find Six Thinking Hats invaluable for client workshops because it provides a structure that keeps conversations productive, inclusive, and time-efficient. It prevents dominant personalities from monopolising the discussion and ensures that quieter participants have a structured opportunity to contribute.
For strategy advisors using Empiraa GPS, integrating Six Thinking Hats into strategic planning workshops enriches the quality of strategic decisions that are then managed and executed within the platform.