Participatory Methods
Six Thinking Hats
Six Thinking Hats gives teams a repeatable qualitative research practice. It keeps everyone aligned around generate ideas by helping you systematically solve problems, re-evaluate existing ideas, generate new ideas, and prevent conflicts during group discussions. Grounded in participatory methods, the method turns insight into tangible next steps.
Goal
Generate Ideas
Group
Qualitative Research
Users
Direct User Involvement
Overview
The Six Thinking Hats is a decision-making and problem-solving technique that encourages participants to explore different perspectives by metaphorically wearing different hats. Each hat represents a mode of thinking, such as creative, critical, emotional, or factual. By systematically considering various angles, the method fosters comprehensive analysis, creativity, and collaboration. It's valuable in meetings, brainstorming sessions, and strategic planning, where structured thinking, alignment, and effective decision-making are essential.
Step-by-Step Procedure
12 steps to complete
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Step 1: Introduction to Six Thinking Hats
Begin by explaining the Six Thinking Hats method to the participants. This technique involves six distinct types of thinking, each represented by a different colored hat. The participants will take turns wearing these imaginary hats, focusing on a particular type of thought process while wearing each one.
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Step 2: Define the problem or topic
Clearly outline the problem or topic to be discussed. Make sure all participants understand the issue and agree on the focus of the session.
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Step 3: Assign the hats
Assign each participant a specific hat to start with. There are six colored hats: Blue, White, Red, Black, Yellow, and Green. Each color represents a different way of thinking, and participants should focus on the perspective assigned to them.
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Step 4: Blue Hat
The moderator wears the blue hat, which represents the process and organization of the session. They will guide the group through each of the different hats, ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to think from each perspective.
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Step 5: White Hat
When wearing the white hat, participants should focus on objective data and information related to the problem. They should share facts, figures, and any available evidence to help inform the discussion.
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Step 6: Red Hat
When wearing the red hat, participants should express their emotions and feelings about the problem. This could include their intuition, hunches, and gut feelings, as well as any strong preferences or aversions.
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Step 7: Black Hat
When wearing the black hat, participants should focus on potential challenges, risks, and drawbacks related to the problem. They should identify possible issues, limitations, and obstacles that may arise.
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Step 8: Yellow Hat
When wearing the yellow hat, participants should concentrate on the benefits and positive aspects of the situation. They should identify opportunities, advantages, and potential solutions the problem may present.
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Step 9: Green Hat
When wearing the green hat, participants should engage in creative and lateral thinking. They should propose new ideas, concepts, and alternatives to address the problem, even if these ideas may seem unconventional or risky.
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Step 10: Rotate the hats
Once all participants have shared their thoughts from their assigned perspective, rotate the hats among the participants. Repeat steps 4 through 9, allowing each participant to explore and contribute to the discussion from a new perspective.
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Step 11: Conclude the session
After all participants have had the opportunity to wear each hat, the moderator, still wearing the blue hat, should summarize the main points, ideas, and solutions generated during the session. Encourage participants to discuss their insights and what they learned from the process.
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Step 12: Follow-up and implementation
Use the results of the Six Thinking Hats session to make decisions, develop plans, or create strategies to address the problem. Ensure that the insights and ideas generated during the session are properly documented and shared with relevant stakeholders.
Method Complete
Real-World Examples
See how this method is applied in practice
Deal Search Relevance Issues
Investigation into why Groupon users report difficulty finding relevant deals in their area. The research examined search behavior, filtering usage, and result satisfaction across different categories. Analysis revealed that location detection was sometimes inaccurate and that category filters didn't align with how users conceptualized their needs (e.g., searching for "date night" vs. "restaurants").
Merchant Dashboard Adoption Problem
Research into why merchants weren't regularly using the Merchant Center analytics dashboard despite having access. The study uncovered that merchants found the metrics overwhelming and didn't understand how to act on the data. Root causes included lack of benchmarking context, unclear metric definitions, and missing actionable recommendations.
Deliverables
What you'll produce from this method
White Hat Summary
A document or presentation that captures all the data, facts, and statistics gathered during the White Hat thinking process. This will serve as a foundation for evidence-based decision-making.
Red Hat Emotions and Feelings
A list or visual representation of the different emotions and feelings associated with each aspect of the project, collected during the Red Hat thinking session. This allows the team to be aware of and consider the emotional impact of the experience for users.
Black Hat Risk Analysis
A document or table that outlines the potential challenges, risks, and negative aspects associated with the project or design, gathered during the Black Hat thinking session. This helps the team in identifying and addressing potential issues early in the process.
Yellow Hat Opportunities and Benefits
A document or presentation that highlights the potential opportunities, advantages, and positive outcomes related to the project or design, gathered during the Yellow Hat thinking session. This will support the team in focusing on the value that can be delivered to users.
Green Hat Creative Ideas
A collection of innovative and creative ideas, concepts, or solutions generated during the Green Hat thinking session. This could include sketches, diagrams, or written descriptions, and will be used to inspire and guide the design of the user experience.
Blue Hat Action Plan
A detailed plan or roadmap that outlines the steps, tasks, and responsibilities necessary to move forward with the project or design, based on the information and insights gathered during the Blue Hat thinking session. This ensures a clear direction and coordination within the team.
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