Decision · advanced · 60 min

Six Thinking Hats

Explore a strategic challenge from six different perspectives to foster comprehensive and balanced thinking, leading to well-rounded decisions.

What participants gain

  • Participants will be able to think critically from different perspectives.
  • Participants will be able to identify the benefits and risks associated with a decision.
  • Participants will be able to generate creative ideas and solutions.
  • Participants will be able to make well-informed and balanced decisions.

Materials needed

  • Six different colored hats (or colored markers/cards)
  • Whiteboard or flip chart
  • Markers
  • Printed Six Thinking Hats worksheet
  • Timer app

How to run Six Thinking Hats, step by step

  1. 1. Introduce the Six Thinking Hats method and explain the purpose of each hat: White (Facts), Red (Emotions), Black (Caution), Yellow (Optimism), Green (Creativity), Blue (Process).
  2. 2. Present the strategic challenge to the group.
  3. 3. Assign a hat to each participant (or rotate hats among participants).
  4. 4. Give participants a set amount of time to think about the challenge from the perspective of their assigned hat.
  5. 5. Have each participant share their thoughts and ideas with the group.
  6. 6. Facilitate a discussion to integrate the different perspectives.
  7. 7. Use the insights gained to make a well-informed decision.
  8. 8. Document the decision and the rationale behind it.

Facilitator tips

  • Clearly explain the purpose of each hat and the associated thinking style.
  • Encourage participants to fully embrace the perspective of each hat.
  • Ensure that all perspectives are considered and valued.
  • Rotate the hats to encourage diverse contributions and engagement.

Common challenges

  • Participants struggle to switch perspectives - Provide prompts and examples to guide their thinking.
  • Dominant personalities overshadowing others - Use a round-robin approach to ensure equal participation.
  • Difficulty separating emotions from facts - Remind participants to focus on the assigned thinking style for each hat.

Running it virtually

Use a virtual whiteboard tool like Miro or Mural. Create a dedicated space for each hat and assign virtual sticky notes of corresponding colors.

Expected results

A comprehensive understanding of the strategic challenge from multiple perspectives, leading to well-informed and balanced decisions.

Build a session around Six Thinking Hats

METODIC drops Six Thinking Hats into a complete session plan with timing, materials, worksheets, and a facilitator guide — for any workshop, meeting, or team session.

Try METODIC free