Exploring Perspectives with the Six Thinking Hats

Exploring Perspectives with the Six Thinking Hats

This worksheet will guide you through Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats framework. This tool is designed to improve group discussion and individual thinking by encouraging parallel thinking and exploring different perspectives systematically. Read each section carefully and answer the questions to the best of your ability.

The Six Thinking Hats is a powerful technique developed by Edward de Bono, a Maltese physician, psychologist, author, inventor, and consultant. It is used to look at decisions from a number of different perspectives. This can be especially useful in group settings where different individuals might naturally gravitate towards certain thinking styles, potentially hindering comprehensive analysis. By consciously 'wearing' each hat, individuals and groups can ensure they cover all angles of a problem or decision, leading to more robust and well-considered outcomes.

Each 'hat' represents a different mode of thinking:

1. In your own words, briefly explain the primary purpose of the Six Thinking Hats framework.

2. Why might it be beneficial for a group to consciously adopt different 'hats' during a discussion, rather than allowing natural thinking styles to dominate?

Read the statements below and identify which 'thinking hat' is being employed. Write the color of the hat in the blank.

3. "Let's look at the data we have collected on student attendance this semester."  

4. "My gut feeling is that this new policy will cause more problems than it solves."  

5. "What if we tried a completely different approach, perhaps a peer-mentoring program?"  

6. "The main challenge with this proposal is the high cost and the potential for negative public perception."  

7. "Let's make sure we stay focused on our agenda and allocate specific times for each hat."  

8. "One major advantage of this strategy is its potential to significantly increase efficiency and reduce waste."  

Scenario: Your school is considering implementing a new mandatory community service program for all Grade 12 students. You are part of a student committee tasked with evaluating this proposal.

9. Using the Six Thinking Hats framework, outline how your committee might approach this discussion. For each hat, briefly describe the type of input or questions that would be generated.

Blue Hat (Process Control):

White Hat (Facts & Information):

Red Hat (Emotions & Feelings):

Yellow Hat (Benefits & Positives):

Black Hat (Cautions & Difficulties):

Green Hat (Creativity & New Ideas):