Six Thinking Hats

// Thinking Hats rules for Southbeach Modeller
// Inspired by the work of Edward de Bono
// V05 March 2010
//
// Step 1: Get free Southbeach Modeller www.southbeachinc.com
// Step 2: Upgrade to MyCreativity www.southbeahcinc.com/shop.html
//

// Helps you to remember why a hats workshop is a good idea
#hats.uses
* "Discuss topics"
* "Solve problems"
* "Explore alternatives"
* "Reach decisions"
* "Research, organise and write reports"
* "Brainstorming"

// What does each hat mean?
#hats.definitions

* "White Hat - Information available and needed"
* "Red Hat - Intuition, feelings, and hunches"
* "Black Hat - Cautions and difficulties - Where things might go wrong"
* "Yellow Hat - Values and benefits - Why something might work"
* "Green Hat - Alternatives and creative ideas"
* "Blue Hat - Managing the thinking process"

// Walk around the room asking these questions
#hats.all hats

* "White - what are the facts and figures around {this}? - objective view"
* "Red - what is your gut reaction to {this}? - opinions and feelings"
* "Black - what are the flaw and barriers in {this}? - devil's advocate view"
* "Yellow - what are the benefits of {this}? - positive view"
* "Green - where does {this} take us? are there creative alternatives to {this}? - off the wall ideas"
* "Blue - how should we think about {this}? where can {this} take us? does {this} suggest a big picture?"


// Focus on individual hats
// Turn on the hat you need in the Creativity toolbox of Southbeach Modeller

#hats.white
* "FACTS AND FIGURES - information available and needed"
* "What do we already know about {this}? What are the facts?"
* "Who else knows about {this}? What light can they shed?"
* "Where is {this} used? What does that tell us?"
* "What is the life-cycle of {this}? What did it come from? What does it turn into?"
* "How can we coroborate our hunches about {this}? What evidence is there?"
* "How can we quantify what we know about {this}?"
* "What disagreement is there about {this}? How can we be more objective?"
* "What more do we need to know about {this}?"
* "How can we get the new information about {this} that we need?"

#hats.red
* "FEELINGS - intuition and hunches"
* "What is your immediate reaction to {this}?"
* "Do you like {this}?"
* "What don't you like about {this}?"
* "What are your beliefs about {this}?"
* "How will you respond to {this}?"


#hats.black
* "JUDGEMENTS - cautions and difficulties"
* "Will {this} work for us?"
* "Why can't we do {this} NOW? What should we in preparation for {this}?"
* "What is wrong with {this}? What might cause {this} to break?"
* "What are the risks around {this}? Is {this} safe?"
* "What is {this} in conflict with? - ideals, standards, conventions"
* "How will {this} impact on other activities?"
* "What distractions does {this} create?"
* "Who will prevent, stop or derail {this}?"


#hats.yellow
* "BENEFITS - values and uses - Why something might work"
* "What are the benefits of {this}?"
* "Why should {this} be useful?"
* "How can we apply {this}?"
* "How can we make {this} work better?"
* "What else can we use {this} this for?
* "Where else can {this} be used?"
* "What opportunities does {this} create?"
* "How can we use {this} as a resource?"
* "What could replace {this}?"

#hats.green
* "CREATIVITY - alternatives and new ideas"
* "Who has a new perspective on {this}?"
* "What new ideas does {this} suggest?"
* "Who has a suggestion about {this}?"
* "How does {this} help us?"
* "Can we create something new from {this}?"
* "What resources can be combined with {this}?"
* "Are there alternatives for {this}?"
* "How can {this} be derived or arrived at in a better way?"

#hats.blue
* "MANAGING - thinking about and planning the process"
* "What kind of thinking is required around {this}?"
* "What are the useful and harmful consequences of {this}?"
* "What are the main parts of {this}? - how can we break it down?"
* "What are the inputs to {this}? What are the outputs of {this}?"
* "What resources does {this} require?"
* "Where are we with respect to {this}?"
* "Summarize our view(s) of {this}?"
* "What is the next step around {this}?"
* "How can we control {this} better? What governance or process is needed?
* "Who owns or is responsible for {this}"
* "What factors should be considered when making a decision about {this}?"
* "How can others be made to understand {this} better?"
* "How would your worst enemy view {this}?" Do they have a point?
* "What decision about {this} have we taken?"
* "What plan or actions does {this} prompt?"

// The next section relates to agents placed on a hats grid
// See template

#hats.grid

@white "FACTS AND FIGURES - information available and needed"

@red "FEELINGS - intuition, and hunches"

@black "JUDGEMENTS - cautions and difficulties"

@yellow "BENEFITS - values and uses - Why something might work"

@green "CREATIVITY - alternatives and new ideas"

@blue "MANAGING - thinking about and planning the process"


// Sequences of hats thinking
// Turn on the process you need in the Creativity toolbox in Southbeach Modeller


#hats.process.initial ideas

* "Blue - what are our initial ideas about {this}? does {this} suggest a big picture we need to consider?"
* "White - what are the objective facts and figures around {this}?"
* "Green - be creative - where could {this} take us? are there alternatives to {this}?"
* "Repeat Blue - NOW how do we need to think about {this}? does {this} now suggest a NEW big picture we need to consider?"


#hats.process.choosing alternatives

* "Blue - how do we need to think about {this}? does {this} suggest a big picture we need to consider?"
* "White - what are the facts and figures around {this}? - be objective"
* "Yellow - what are the benefits/positives of {this}?"
* "Green - where does {this} take us? are there alternatives to {this}? be creative - off the wall ideas"
* "(Black) - what are the flaw and barriers in {this}? - devil's advocate view"
* "(Red) - what is your gut reaction to {this}? - opinions and feelings"


#hats.process.identifying solutions

* "Blue - does {this} suggest a solution? does {this} suggest a big picture we need to consider?"
* "White - what are the facts and figures around {this}? - be objective"
* "Black - what are the flaw and barriers in {this}? - devil's advocate view"
* "Green - where does {this} take us? Are there alternatives to {this}? be creative - off the wall ideas"
* "repeat Blue - NOW how do we need to think about {this}? where are the solutions? does {this} suggest a NEW solution we need to consider?"


#hats.process.quick feedback

* "Blue - how do we need to think about {this}? does {this} suggest a big picture we need to consider?"
* "Black - what are the flaws and barriers in {this}? - devil's advocate view"
* "Green - where does {this} take us? are there alternatives to {this}? be creative - off the wall ideas"
* "repeat Blue - NOW how do we need to think about {this}? does {this} now suggest a NEW big picture we need to consider?"

#hats.process.stategic planning

* "Blue - how should we plan around {this}? does {this} suggest a strategy we need to consider?"
* "Yellow - what are the stategic advantages around {this}?"
* "Black - will the strategy work? what are the flaw and barriers in {this}? - devil's advocate view"
* "(White) - what are the facts and figures around {this}? - be objective"
* "repeat Blue - NOW how does {this} change our strategy? does {this} now suggest a NEW strategy we need to consider?"
* "Green - where does a strategy around {this} take us? are there alternatives to {this}? be creative - off the wall ideas"
* "repeat Blue - how should we NOW think about {this} strategically? does {this} suggest a FUTURE strategy we need to consider?"


#hats.process.process improvement

* "Blue - how does {this} figure in the process? does {this} suggest a new process we need to consider?"
* "White (our view) - describe the process around {this}? - be objective"
* "White (other people's views) - how would others describe the process around {this}?"
* "Yellow - what are the benefits/positives of {this} to the process?"
* "Black - what are the flaw and barriers in {this} to the process? - devil's advocate view"
* "(Green) - where does {this} take us? are there alternatives to {this}? be creative - off the wall ideas"
* "(Red) - what is your gut reaction to {this}? - opinions and feelings"
* "repeat Blue - NOW how do we need to think about {this} in the process? does {this} now suggest a NEW process design?"


#hats.process.solving problems
* "Blue - how do we need to think about {this}? does {this} suggest a problem we need to consider?"
* "White - what are the facts and figures around {this}? - be objective"
* "Green - where does {this} take us? are there alternatives to {this}? be creative - off the wall ideas"
* "Red - what is your gut reaction to {this}? - opinions and feelings"
* "Yellow - what are the benefits/positives of {this}?"
* "Black - what are the flaw and barriers in {this}? - devil's advocate view"
* "repeat Green - where does {this} take us NOW? are there NEW alternatives to {this}? find other creative ideas"
* "repeat Blue - how do we NOW need to think about {this}? does {this} now suggest a NEW problem we need to consider?"


#hats.process.performance review
* "Blue - how do we need to think about {this}? does {this} suggest a goal we need to consider?"
* "Red - what is your gut reaction to {this}? - opinions and feelings"
* "White - what are the facts and figures around {this}? - be objective"
* "Yellow - what are the benefits/positives of {this}?"
* "Black - what are the flaw and barriers in {this}? - devil's advocate view"
* "(Green) - where does {this} take us? are there alternatives to {this}? be creative - off the wall ideas"
* "repeat Red - what is your gut reaction to {this} now? - new opinions and feelings"
* "repeat Blue - how do we NOW need to think about {this}? does {this} now suggest a NEW goal we need to consider?"