Lessons Learned A Six Thinking Hats Play Six

Lessons Learned A Six Thinking Hats Play

Six Thinking Hats ● “Six thinking hats is a tool that can help us look at problems from different perspectives one at a time to avoid confusion from too many angles crowding your thinking. ” Source: Edward de Bono ● Focus - Everyone explores the situation from each perspective or hat at the same time. The sequence of hats can change - but everyone must change direction at the same time ● Each hat represents a different perspective ● Provides a common language and process

The Six Thinking Hats: A Review The White Hat “Just the Facts” The Yellow Hat Optimism: Probe for Benefits The Black Hat Judgement and Caution The Red Hat Feelings and Intuition The Green Hat Creativity The Blue Hat Process

Six Thinking Hats Depending on your problem, hats can be used in many sequences and not all hats are necessary. Examples: ● Initial ideas - Blue, White, Green, Blue ● Quick feedback - Blue, Black, Green, Blue ● Solving problems - Blue, White, Green, Red, Yellow, Black, Green, Blue ● Identifying solutions - Blue, White, Green, Blue

Lessons Learned Sequence Blue Hat: Process White Hat: Facts Yellow Hat: Benefits Black Hat: Judgement Blue Hat: Process

Tools Needed ● Materials Needed ○ Use Sharpie Markers (Easier to Read) ○ 3” x 3” Post-It Notes ○ Easel Pad (large 24”x 30” Post-it Notes)

Preparation ● Prior to meeting, identify an issue or problem to solve with the group ● For each hat that you are using prepare individual easel pads with a hat & category name at the top. For example: Red (Emotions), White (Facts), Yellow (Benefits), Green (Creativity), Black (Judgement) ● Hang easel pad papers on wall in your order of operation ● White hat - may take the longest. Send questions to team before meeting allowing team members to come prepared with needed data

Example to organize Post-it Notes

Directions For each hat (1 at a time): 1. Two (2) minutes of individual brainstorming (more ideas the better) 2. Team focuses on answering one hat at a time 3. Write one (1) idea per Post-It note - be specific 4. For example: “More phone training”, instead of “training” 5. Use only 6 -7 words per Post-It note

Directions After 2 minutes: Each team member presents their Post-It Notes - 5 minutes for entire team 1. Team member puts Post-it Note on the Easel Paper for current hat 2. Group similar ideas together in each hat 3. Continue in this fashion until you move through all of the hats

Example to organize Post-it Notes

Process Blue Hat ● Manage the process ● Make sure the hats are followed ● Why are we here? Lessons Learned ● Why are we talking about it? Continuous learning to make improvements

Project Review Nothing But the Facts White Hat: Just the Facts ● What was your goal? ● What did you accomplish ● What information do we still need? Answer all the above questions.

What Worked? Yellow Hat: Optimism, Probe for Benefits ● Explore the positives and probe for value and benefits What went well? What were some good points?

Caution! Black Hat: Judgement and Caution ● ● Signifies caution. What didn’t go well? What could be changed? What are some obstacles, downsides, and weaknesses? What did not go as planned? What did we learn?

● What conclusions or summaries can we make in moving forward on the issue or problem? Process Blue Hat What are the next steps (if any)?