a) Bono's 6 Thinking Hats
b) Walt Disney's method
c) Force field analysis
d) Problem solving team building
Bono's 6 Thinking Hats
The six thinking hats is a method used to amplify creative conversations, by making sure that a broad variety of viewpoints and thinking styles are represented. Using six roles (or "hats"), the framework — developed by Dr. Edward de Bono — allows teams to more easily structure abstract thinking for productive results.
You and your team members can learn how to separate thinking into six clear functions and roles. Each thinking role is identified with a colored symbolic “thinking hat.” By mentally wearing and switching “hats,” you can easily focus or redirect thoughts, the conversation, or the meeting.
- Maximize productive collaboration and minimize counterproductive interaction/behavior
- Consider issues, problems, decisions, and opportunities systematically
- Use Parallel Thinking as a group or team to generate more, better ideas and solutions
- Make meetings much shorter and more productive
- Reduce conflict among team members or meeting participants
- Stimulate innovation by generating more and better ideas quickly
- Create dynamic, results oriented meetings that make people want to participate
- Go beyond the obvious to discover effective alternate solutions
- Spot opportunities where others see only problems
- Think clearly and objectively
- View problems from new and unusual angles
- Make thorough evaluations
- See all sides of a situation
- Keep egos and “turf protection” in check
- Achieve significant and meaningful results in a less time
Significant Applications for the Parallel Thinking Process of Six Thinking Hats
- Leadership Development
- Team Productivity, Alignment and Communication
- Creative and innovative thinking
- Meeting leadership and decision making
- Product and Process Improvement, and Project Management
- Critical, Analytical Thinking and Problem-Solving
- Organizational Change/Performance
- Wherever High Performance Thinking and Action is needed