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Six Thinking Hats was written by Dr. Edward de Bono. “Six Thinking Hats” and the associated idea of parallel thinking provide a means for groups to plan thinking processes in a detailed and cohesive way, and in doing so to think together more effectively.

== Underlying principles ==
The premise of the method is that the human brain thinks in a number of distinct ways which can be deliberately challenged, and hence planned for use in a structured way allowing one to develop tactics for thinking about particular issues. De Bono identifies six distinct directions in which the brain can be challenged. In each of these directions the brain will identify and bring into conscious thought certain aspects of issues being considered (e.g. gut instinct, pessimistic judgement, neutral facts). Some may feel that using the hats is unnatural, uncomfortable or even counterproductive and against their better judgement.
A compelling example presented is sensitivity to “mismatch” stimuli. This is presented as a valuable survival instinct because, in the natural world, the thing that is out of the ordinary may well be dangerous. This mode is identified as the root of negative judgement and critical thinking.
Colored hats are used as metaphors for each direction. Switching to a direction is symbolized by the act of putting on a colored hat, either literally or metaphorically. This metaphor of using an imaginary hat or cap as a symbol for a different thinking direction was first mentioned by De Bono as early as 1971 in his book “Lateral Thinking for Management” when describing a brainstorming framework. These metaphors allow for a more complete and elaborate segregation of the thinking directions. The six thinking hats indicate problems and solutions about an idea the thinker may come up with.
Similarly, “The Five Stages of Thinking” method—a set of tools corresponding to all six thinking hats—first appears in his CoRT Thinking Programme in 1973:

== Strategies and programs ==
Having identified the six modes of thinking that can be accessed, distinct programs can be created. These are sequences of hats which encompass and structure the thinking process toward a distinct goal. A number of these are included in the materials provided to support the franchised training of the six hats method; however it is often necessary to adapt them to suit an individual purpose. Also, programs are often “emergent”, which is to say that the group might plan the first few hats then the facilitator will see what seems to be the right way to go.
Sequences always begin and end with a blue hat; the group agrees together how they will think, then they do the thinking, then they evaluate the outcomes of that thinking and what they should do next.
Sequences (and indeed hats) may be used by individuals working alone or in groups. Example programs are shown below, each hat is typically used for approximately 2 minutes at a time—although at the start of a process an extended white hat session is common to get everyone onto the same page, and the red hat is recommended to be used for a very short period to get a visceral gut reaction—about 30 seconds, and in practice often takes the form of dot-voting.

== Use ==

Typically, a project will begin with an extended white hat action, as facts are assembled. Thereafter, each hat is used for a few minutes at a time only, except the red hat which is limited to a very short 30 seconds or so to ensure that it is an instinctive gut reaction, rather than a form of judgement. This pace may have a positive impact on the thinking process.
De Bono believed that the key to a successful use of the Six Thinking Hats methodology was the deliberate focusing of the discussion on a particular approach as needed during the meeting or collaboration session. For instance, a meeting may be called to review a particular problem and to develop a solution for the problem. The Six Thinking Hats method could then be used in a sequence to first explore the problem, then develop a set of solutions, and to finally choose a solution through critical examination of the solution set.
The meeting may start with everyone assuming the Blue hat to discuss how the meeting will be conducted and to develop the goals and objectives. The discussion may then move to Red hat thinking in order to collect opinions and reactions to the problem. This phase may also be used to develop constraints for the actual solution such as who will be affected by the problem and/or solutions. Next the discussion may move to the (Yellow then) Green hat in order to generate ideas and possible solutions. Next the discussion may move between White hat thinking as part of developing information and Black hat thinking to develop criticisms of the solution set.
Because everyone is focused on a particular approach at any one time, the group tends to be more collaborative than if one person is reacting emotionally (Red hat) while another person is trying to be objective (White hat) and still another person is being critical of the points which emerge from the discussion (Black hat). The hats aid individuals in addressing problems from a variety of angles, and focus individuals on deficiencies in the way that they approach problem solving.
In 2005, the tool found some use in the United Kingdom innovation sector, where it was offered by some facilitation companies and trialled within the United Kingdom’s civil service.

== See also ==
Coloured hat
Educational psychology – Branch of psychology concerned with the scientific study of human learning
Intelligence – Ability to perceive, infer, retain or apply information
Lateral thinking – Manner of solving problems
Team Role Inventories – Test to measure preference for nine Team Roles
Wiktionary:thinking cap – A metaphorical headgear worn by a person to assist them in thinking.

== References ==

Men Without Hats are a Canadian new wave and synth-pop band originally from Montreal Quebec Their music is characterized by the baritone voice of their lead singer Ivan Doroschuk as well as their elaborate use of synthesizers and electronic processing They achieved their greatest popularity in the s with The Safety Dance a worldwide top ten hit No in the United States and Pop Goes the World After a hiatus for most of the s and s Doroschuk reformed the band in and released Love in the Age of War The group based in Vancouver has continued to perform including tour dates in support of the release of two studio albums Men Without Hats Again Parts in and respectively History Early days Men Without Hats was founded in Montreal in initially as a punk rock band featuring Ivan Doroschuk vocals Pete Seabrooke guitar Dave Hill bass and John Gurrin drums In Doroschuk restarted Men Without Hats giving the name to a new synthesizer-based group that he formed with J r mie Arrobas vocals keyboards and his brothers Stefan Doroschuk bass and Colin Doroschuk guitar Influences on this electronic outfit included Gary Numan OMD and Ultravox Years earlier while in high school Arrobas and the Doroschuk brothers had played together in a short-lived band called Wave along with drummer Igor Krichevsky Many years later Stefan would reuse the Wave name for a country-pop band founded in the late s with his daughters Mary-Lynn and Emmy-Lou The Doroschuk brothers all three of whom are classically trained musicians were born in Champaign Illinois while their father a Canadian was earning a doctoral degree They moved to Montreal as young children when their parents returned to Canada The group’s name came about because the brothers following a self-described principle of style before comfort refused to wear hats during Montreal’s cold winters calling themselves the men without hats In addition to the Doroschuks the group has also included numerous additional members and guest or touring performers many of whom quickly came and left during the first five years Frontman and songwriter Ivan Doroschuk was the only constant member while Stefan and Colin Doroschuk as well as Arrobas remained as relatively steady members through the early s Their first recording to be released was the EP Folk of the ‘s At this point the band had changed styles from punk to new wave and officially consisted of Ivan vocals bass and Arrobas keyboards also appearing on the EP were auxiliary members Stefan Doroschuk bass Roman Martyn guitars and Lysanne Thibodeau backing vocals Shortly after the release of the debut EP Martyn left and was replaced by Jean-Marc Pisapia who stayed only a short time before leaving and later founded The Box Pisapia was replaced briefly by Tracy Howe who also left in short order co-founding Rational Youth shortly after his departure Howe was replaced by keyboardist Mike Gabriel Arrobas and Gabriel left the group just before the recording of the next album International success Ivan and Stefan the latter now promoted to full membership status subsequently recruited Allan McCarthy percussion electronics to join the group and recorded their full-length debut album Rhythm of Youth The trio subsequently enjoyed a hit in Canada with The Safety Dance which peaked at No in May The song soon charted in the United States spending four weeks at No on the Billboard Hot and was a major hit on the UK Singles Chart peaking at No The song also reached the top ten in various other European countries and peaked at No in New Zealand and No in South Africa where it was the th highest-selling single of Adding Pierre who had guested on Rhythm of Youth as an official fourth member Men Without Hats released the album Folk of the ‘s Part III in While lead single Where Do The Boys Go was a top hit in Canada the album failed to match the international success of Rhythm of Youth In the band released the EP Freeways consisting of multiple and multi-lingual remixes of one of their earliest efforts Ivan and Arrobas’s song Freeways which had previously been released as a B-side in To support the EP the group undertook a related tour footage from which would later in be released on DVD as Live Hats Reshuffling the line-up again the band released the album Pop Goes the World in with Ivan Stefan and Lenny Pinkas The song Pop Goes the World reached No on the Billboard Hot No on the Canadian Singles Chart and was No in Austria The song was featured in the film Date with an Angel and became the fifteenth biggest selling single in South Africa for The group’s next album The Adventures of Women Men Without Hate in the st Century released in featured a cover of ABBA’s song SOS The musicians on the album were essentially the touring band from Pop Goes the World which included Bruce Murphy on keyboards and guitar Marika Tjelios on bass Richard Sampson on drums and Heidi Garcia on vocals and keyboards The album Sideways dominated by electric guitars instead of keyboards revealed a dramatically different sound for the band based in part on Ivan’s exposure to Nirvana Ivan said We had a contractual obligation for one more album with PolyGram so I said to them we’ll take half of the allotted budget if they would allow us to do the record I wanted so we did this guitar-oriented record but PolyGram were horrified ‘Men Without Hats without keyboards aren’t going to work ‘ they claimed and that was the end of the story with PolyGram The line-up on the album was Ivan on vocals F lix Matte on lead guitar John Kastner on rhythm guitar Stefan on bass Michel Langevin on drums and Colin on keyboards The group officially disbanded in after the career setback of failing to attract another American label as a result of the negative reception to Sideways The band’s final concert was a…