6 thinking hats method examples. Yellow Hat Thinking: Constructive Thinking

The “Six Hats” technique. Instilled role play.

Edward de Bono is a British psychologist, consultant in the field of creative thinking, and writer. As a student, he studied medicine, physiology and psychology. This determines his broad approach to problems of interest, his desire to understand the subject at the intersection of disciplines. Thus, in fact, the theory of six thinking hats was born, which today is one of the most popular types of brainstorming method.

The prerequisite for the emergence of the method was the belief that human thinking in the process of life gradually becomes one-sided and acquires stereotypes. This is due to many factors: cultural and social environment, religion, education, instilled ideas about logic, morality, etc. In addition, thought processes are also associated with the mood of the person himself, his emotions, and intuition.

Based on all of the above, E. de Bono proposed 6 ways that can disrupt the brain’s usual state of thinking and decision-making. They are based on examining any problem from different angles. It would seem, what could be simpler? But this is where the first fly in the ointment lies - these ways of organizing thinking, “hat”, are not natural. You first need to learn the technique and only after gaining the necessary experience, “try it on” for yourself.

The 6 hats method is a psychological role-playing game. A hat of a certain color means a separate mode of thinking, and by putting it on, a person turns on this mode. This is necessary to form a holistic opinion about the problem, since, as mentioned above, we most often think about it rationally, which does not contribute to the completeness of the picture. De Bono's technique also allows managers to resolve work confrontations and disputes. The ability to look at the subject of discussion from different angles is the key to a successful speaker. The technique itself requires focusing on various aspects, and, therefore, develops attentiveness. As a conclusion, we emphasize that, globally, the six hats can be applied in any area related to mental work.

How to use the tool

E. de Bono, speaking about the practice of applying his method, notes the following. Decisions are born from debate, and in it the opinion that is more successfully defended often wins, and not the one that takes into account the interests of the entire team or possible advantages as much as possible. Based on this observation, the author of the technique proposed a significantly different approach - parallel thinking, where six hats are the tool for achieving it. The point is that the problem should be considered not in the struggle of arguments and ideas, but in their unity. In other words, the technique implies choosing the best not through a collision of ideas in order to select the strongest and most viable, but their parallel peaceful coexistence, in which they are evaluated sequentially, independently of each other.

The use of the six hats technique can be figuratively represented as a drawing with multi-colored pencils. A colorful picture is obtained only when you use the whole gamut of colors. So in the case of de Bono’s method, a complete vision of the situation occurs after all six hats have been put on in turn:

White hat. When we try on this headgear, we focus on the data at our disposal. We are trying to understand what information is missing, where to find it, how to use already known facts and conclusions to solve the problem.

White hat is, in fact, a retrospective method of cognition that is used to identify cause-and-effect relationships and patterns in the development of phenomena.

Red hat. By putting it on, we turn on our intuition and feelings. What does your inner voice tell you? Intuitive guesses and sensations at this stage are very important, since they allow one to judge the emotional background and attitude to the problem through the prism of human feelings. If the discussion is collective, it is important to try to understand other people's answers, the driving forces and the background of the solutions they propose. To do this, everyone needs to be truthful and sincere, not hide their real feelings and experiences.

White hat - objective facts and figures. Facts and figures too often become part of the argument to support a particular point of view. Facts are often presented for a purpose rather than reporting what actually is. And here it is important for us to find out both what we know on this issue and what we DO NOT know. We must ask ourselves and our opponent the following questions:

What information is available;

What information is needed;

How and where to get the missing information.

Key points:

Note conflicting/contradictory points of view;

Evaluate the relevance and accuracy of information;

Separate facts from assumptions;

Identify actions needed to close gaps;

Learn about moods and emotions.

Red hat - red hat thinking is associated with emotions and feelings, as well as with the irrational aspects of thinking (intuition, premonitions). Red hat thinking is almost the exact opposite of white hat thinking - neutral, objective, almost completely devoid of emotional overtones. But it plays an important role, if you exclude emotions and feelings as components from the thinking process, then they will hide in the background and will imperceptibly influence thinking, distort vision and ultimately direct the focus of attention in one direction, not giving a breadth of perception of the whole picture as a whole. .

Red Hat Thinking makes it clear:

How I feel now;

What my intuition tells me;

Black hat. In it you have to be a pessimist, but with a healthy dose of criticism. Proposed solutions to the problem are assessed for possible risks in the future, further development of difficult and unforeseen situations. Try to find weak points in every idea and pay attention to them. The black hat should be used primarily by those who have already achieved success and are accustomed to thinking positively, because often these are the people who tend to underestimate perceived difficulties.

Yellow hat. It is the opposite of black and implies an optimistic, positive view of the problem. Highlight the strengths and benefits of each solution. This is especially important if all the options seem rather gloomy.

Black Hat - Black Hat thinking must be logical and truthful, it is not an attack, it is not a critical attack, it is a critical examination. Black Hat thinking must be based on the logic of conformity and nonconformity. This is not “I will prove to you that you are wrong”, this is a critical ANALYSIS of the problem. Under the Black Hat, we find out the consequences, factors, impact of the process or execution of our decision on the values, we check for compliance and inconsistency, for shortcomings.

Questions we ask “under the Black Hat”:

What are the possible problems;

What are the likely difficulties;

What you need to pay attention to;

What is the danger?

Key points. Black Hat Thinking:

Helps in making the right decision;

Indicates difficulties;

Explores weak points;

Can match with a white hat;

An exceptionally effective assessment tool when used after the Yellow Hat.

Yellow hat - requires conscious effort. Unfortunately, there are more natural reasons for a negative attitude than for a positive one. Black Hat Thinking can protect us from mistakes, risks and dangers. Positive thinking should be a mixture of curiosity, pleasure and the desire to accomplish what you set out to do.

Questions "under the Yellow Hat":

What are the benefits;

What are the positive aspects;

What is the value;

Is the concept of this proposal attractive?

Is it possible to implement this?

The green hat is responsible for creativity, the search for unusual ideas and extraordinary views. No assessments of previously proposed solutions, only their further development by any available means (mental maps, focal objects, associations and other tools for activating creative thinking).

The blue hat is not directly associated with making a decision. It is worn by the leader - the one who sets goals at the beginning and sums up the work at the end. He manages the entire process - he gives the floor to everyone, monitors compliance with the topic.

Green hat thinking has a lot to do with new ideas and ways of looking at things. By putting on the Green Hat, a person goes beyond old ideas to find something better. The green hat is associated with change. Green Hat Thinking is a deliberate and concentrated mental effort to find creative ideas and alternatives.

Questions "under the Green Hat":

What creative ideas do you have?

What are the possible alternatives;

How to overcome the difficulties found under the Black Hat.

A creative approach is necessary when all other methods have failed. Creative thinking may require provocative expressions with obviously irrational ideas. It involves a “thought experiment”, and with the inclusion of the Yellow and Black Hat, we can evaluate the proposed alternatives and creative solutions (what are the good points?; what are the difficulties and dangers?)

The blue hat is a special hat. This is reflective thinking, thinking about thinking. Under the Blue Hat, we manage the process of perceiving and processing incoming information. Focusing is one of the key roles of the Blue Hat. Asking a question is the easiest way to focus your thinking. This requires certain skills and abilities: the ability to ask the right questions, the ability to accurately define and formulate a problem, the ability to set a thinking task. Under the Blue Hat we draw up a program: regulations in the broad sense of the word; which hats we will use and in what order (simple and complex sequences). Under the Blue Hat we make generalizations and conclusions (observation and review; comments; summarizing, conclusions).

Questions "under the Blue Hat":

Where to begin;

What's on the agenda;

What are the goals;

What hats to use;

Key points. Under the Blue Hat Thinking:

Focuses and redirects attention;

Fixes the requirements for the thinking process;

Requests a resume;

Makes or requests decisions.

Rules for using the six hats method

First, the presenter briefly introduces the team to the general concept of the six thinking hats, then identifies the problem or task. Well, for example: “A competing company has proposed cooperation in the field... What should I do?”

The session begins with everyone taking part in it putting on a hat of the same color together and looking at the situation with an appraising glance, one by one, from the angle corresponding to this hat. The order in which you try on hats, in principle, does not play a huge role, however, some order is still necessary. Try the following option:

Start a white hat discussion on the topic, that is, collect and consider all available facts, figures, statistics, proposed conditions, etc. Afterwards, discuss all available data in a negative way, i.e. in a black hat, and even if the offer is profitable, as a rule, there is always a fly in the ointment. That's what you need to see. Next, look for all the positive aspects of the collaboration by wearing a positive yellow hat.

Once you've looked at the issue from all angles and gathered enough information for further analysis, put on your green, creative hat. Try to find something new in it, going beyond the existing proposals. Strengthen the positive aspects, smooth out the negative ones. Let each participant suggest an alternative path. The ideas that emerge are analyzed again with the yellow and black hats. Yes, and don’t forget to periodically let the participants blow off steam in a red hat (it is worn rarely and for a fairly short period of time, about thirty seconds, no more). So, by trying out the six thinking hats in different orders, over time you will be able to determine the order that works best for you.

At the end of the collective parallel thinking, the moderator sums up the work done. It is also important that the moderator ensures that participants do not wear several hats at the same time. This way, thoughts and ideas are not intertwined or confused.

You can use this method a little differently - have each participant put on a hat of a certain color and play their role. In this case, it is better to distribute the hats in such a way that they do not match the type of person. For example, let an optimist wear black, let someone who constantly criticizes everything wear yellow, let everyone who is not used to showing emotions and always behaves restrainedly wear red, don’t let the main creative person wear green, etc. This will enable those participating to reach their potential.

Other names of the method: "Six Hats Method", "Six Hats de Bono"

Purpose of the method

It is used during any discussion as a convenient way to control thinking and switch it. One of the tools for developing creative thinking.

Purpose of the method

To teach people to better understand the peculiarities of their thinking, control their way of thinking and more accurately correlate it with the tasks at hand in order to more effectively use the thinking process when solving problems.

The essence of the method

The Six Thinking Hats are a simple and practical way to overcome the three fundamental difficulties associated with practical thinking: emotions, helplessness, confusion. The method allows you to divide thinking into six types, or modes, each of which has a metaphorical colored “hat”. This division allows you to use each mode much more effectively, and the entire thinking process becomes more focused and stable.

Action plan

Be trained in the principles and application of the method, which allows you to remember the rules, learn to use and consciously apply them in practice.
After this, use certain “modes of thinking” to recognize, control and adapt the way of thinking when solving specific problems.
By putting on, taking off, changing a thinking hat, or just calling a “hat” to simply designate our thinking, we take on the specific role that this hat indicates.

Features of the method

In color printing, the primary colors are applied separately to the paper. But in the end, they all mix and produce a color print. The Six Hats Method is an application of the same principle to thinking: trying to learn to pay attention to different aspects of thinking one at a time. As a result, the combination of these different aspects produces thinking in its entirety.

Six metaphorical hats of different colors represent each of the main types of thinking. More hats would be cumbersome and confusing. Anything less is not adequate.

The six thinking hats are designed for creative and constructive thinking that complement evaluative and analytical thinking.

Rules for using hats

When we put on our thinking hat, we assume the role that the hat indicates.
By taking off a specific color hat, we move away from this type of thinking.
When changing one hat to another, there is an instant switch in thinking. This method allows you to encourage a change in the train of thought without offending the person. We do not attack the thoughts expressed, but ask for change.
To indicate your opinion, you can simply name the hat and thereby show what type of thinking is intended to be used. For example, simply saying that you are wearing a black hat allows you to discuss an idea without attacking the person who proposed it.

Six thinking hats

Red hat. The color red brings to mind fire. The red hat is associated with emotions, intuition, feelings and premonitions. There is no need to justify anything here. Your feelings exist, and the red hat provides an opportunity to express them.

Yellow hat. The color yellow evokes sunshine and optimism. Under the yellow hat, we try to find the advantages and benefits of the proposal, prospects and possible gains, and identify hidden resources.

Black hat. The color black is reminiscent of a judge's robe and signifies caution. Black hat is a mode of criticism and evaluation, it points out flaws and risks and tells why something might not work out.

Green hat. The color green is reminiscent of plants, growth, energy, life. The green hat is a mode of creativity, generating ideas, unconventional approaches and alternative points of view.

White hat. The white color makes you think of paper. In this mode, we focus on the information that we have or that is necessary to make a decision: only facts and figures.

Blue hat. Used at the beginning of discussions to pose a thinking problem and decide what we want to achieve as a result. This is a mode of observing and managing the thinking process itself (formulating goals, summing up results, etc.).

Additional Information:

Why hats? The hat is easy to put on and take off. This applies to our situation as well, since we should be able to change between different types of thinking as easily as we can change colored hats.
Up to 90% of errors in thinking (in non-technical areas) are errors of perception. Logical errors are very rare.
The Six Hats Method enriches our thinking and makes it more comprehensive. If we simply ask others to think about something, they often become confused. however, if they are invited to explore a subject using the six-hats framework, their breadth of perception quickly increases.

Advantages of the method

Visual, easy to learn and use.
The ability to see a situation and a solution from several points of view.
Allows you to remove your ego from thinking.

Disadvantages of the method

Effective use requires a developed imagination and careful training.

Expected Result

Use your thinking process more effectively to solve problems.

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Preview:

SIX HATS OF THINKING

SLIDE 1.

You often answer the phone, open your mail, write a note, and signal someone with your hand - all at the same time...

We often do something similar in our thinking. We need to hold information in our minds while trying to follow logic and not allow others to deviate from it. Our emotions are also constantly at play. Sometimes we may even try to be creative and look for new ideas. As a result, there is quite a lot going on at once.

SLIDE 2.

When we deal withpractical thinking, three fundamental difficulties arise:

Emotions . Often we tend not to think at all, but to rely in our actions on instinct, emotions and prejudices.

Emotions at the right stage of thinking are absolutely necessary. Emotions where they are not needed can be destructive. The Six Hats Method allows you to use emotions and feelings at the right time.

Helplessness . Helplessness occurs when we do not have general thinking strategies to apply.

Our reaction may be a feeling of inadequacy: "I don't know how to think about this. I don't know what to do next."

3. Confusion. We try to hold everything in our mind at once, and the result is a jumble. Often when we start thinking about something, our thoughts are carried in several different directions at the same time.

SLIDE 3.

Six thinking hats- a simple and practical way to overcome all three difficulties.

SLIDE 4.

Edward de Bono born in Malta, began his education by studying at St. Edward's College, continued it at the Royal University of Malta and brilliantly

completed as a Nominal Fellow at Oxford University, where he graduated with honors in Psychology and Physiology, receiving an honorary Doctor of Medicine degree. Now, in addition, he is a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Cambridge and regularly receives invitations to give lecture courses at the universities of Oxford, London and Harvard.

SLIDE 5.

Dr. Edward de Bono is widely recognized as a leading authority on the development of practical thinking skills.He introduced the concept of “lateral thinking” into science (SLIDE)which was subsequently included in the Oxford Dictionary of Modern English, and developed a system of scientific methods for developing human abilities for active creative search

SLIDE 6.

Currently, Dr. de Bono is leading the implementation of an extensive special education program that he developed for secondary schools to help develop children's creative thinking skills. This program has long been recognized in official circles and has found wide application in many countries around the world.

In addition, he established the International Community of Artists in New York, designed to help UN member countries develop new ideas.

SLIDE 7.

Is it possible to improve the effectiveness of your thinking?

Named Person of the Year by Times Magazine in January 1985Peter Ueberrouth, thanks to which the Olympic Games in Los Angeles were a huge success. As a rule, holding events of this scale costs their organizers hundreds of millions of dollars. But the Los Angeles Municipal Fund did not have to “spend money” at all on their organization. Vice versa,The 84 Olympics brought the city more than $250 million in net profit! The extraordinary success of the Olympic Games was largely due to the new concepts and creative ideas brilliantly put into practice by Peter Ueberrouth.

In an interview with the Washington Post on September 30, 1984, Peter Ueberrouth admitted that he used lateral thinking when developing a new approach to solving a given problem.

SLIDE 8.

Bono has already written many books about this. One of them ended up in the hands of Peter Ueberrouth nine years before the said Olympic Games.

SLIDE 9.

Purpose of the method

It is used during any discussion as a convenient way to control thinking and switch it. One of the tools for developing creative thinking.

Purpose of the method

The essence of the method

SLIDES 10-15

Six thinking hats

Red hat . The color red brings to mind fire. The red hat is associated with emotions, intuition, feelings and premonitions. There is no need to justify anything here. Your feelings exist, and the red hat provides an opportunity to express them.

Yellow hat . The color yellow evokes sunshine and optimism. Under the yellow hat, we try to find the advantages and benefits of the proposal, prospects and possible gains, and identify hidden resources.

Black hat. The color black is reminiscent of a judge's robe and signifies caution. Black hat is a mode of criticism and evaluation, it points out flaws and risks and tells why something might not work out.

Green hat . The color green is reminiscent of plants, growth, energy, life. The green hat is a mode of creativity, generating ideas, unconventional approaches and alternative points of view.

White hat . The white color makes you think of paper. In this mode, we focus on the information that we have or that is necessary to make a decision: only facts and figures.

Blue hat . Used at the beginning of discussions to pose a thinking problem and decide what we want to achieve as a result. This is a mode of observing and managing the thinking process itself (formulating goals, summing up results, etc.).

Special Blue Hat

The blue hat differs from others in that it is associated with controlling the thinking process itself. When we suggest which hat should be next, we actually use the blue hat. It doesn’t have to be explicitly mentioned every time. For example, the phrase “Putting on my blue hat, I believe that we need to think with a black hat” may become awkward.

SLIDE 16.

Advantages of the method

Visual, easy to learn and use.

The ability to see a situation and a solution from several points of view.

Allows you to remove your ego from thinking.

Disadvantages of the method

Effective use requires a developed imagination and careful training.

Expected Result

Use your thinking process more effectively to solve problems.

SLIDE 17.

Four Types of Hats Uses

1. Put on a hat . During a discussion, we might ask a colleague or team member to wear a specific color hat. Or we can ask the whole group to use a specific color hat for a few minutes.

“What are your black hat thoughts on this idea? What might go wrong if we try to implement it?”

“We're stuck. Why don’t we put on our green hats and look for new approaches to this problem?”

“What facts are known about this? What do we know about this? Let's put on white hats."

2. Take off your hat . We can ask a person to remove a hat of a certain color. Here we mean that the thinking at the moment belongs to a certain type. We are asking the person to move away from this type of thinking. The Six Hats system provides a convenient way to do this. The person may not have consciously put on the hat, but he appears to be using it.

“We seem to be focusing on red hat thinking. Let’s take it off for a moment.”

“Okay, those are some nice black hat thoughts. Let’s put the black hat aside for now.”

“You have found many new ideas and opportunities - now we have enough of them. Let's take off our green hats now."

3. Change your hat . Once the rules are introduced, we can ask for an immediate shift in thinking. We achieve this by inviting a colleague to take off one hat and put on another. This method allows you to encourage a change in the train of thought without offending the person. We do not attack the thoughts expressed, but ask for change.

“We listened to the positives. Now let's switch from the yellow hat to the black one. How can we get into trouble if we do this?”

“While wearing a black hat, you explained why the idea might not work. Now let’s move on to the green hat and see if the problems can’t be resolved.”

“This is an interesting idea. Now let's take off the green hat and put on the white one. We need to get the facts out there.”

4. Identify your thinking. We can name the hat to show what type of thinking we are going to use. For example, sometimes you need to say something, but it is difficult to do so without offending someone. Simply saying that you are putting on a black hat gives you the opportunity to discuss an idea without attacking the person who proposed it. Use the hats yourself - and point out the use of them when teaching hats to others.

“Putting on my black hat, I believe that the schedule cannot be changed, because we have already sent it out.”

“Putting on my red hat for a second, I have to say that I like these new math books much less than the old ones.”

“I had an idea under the green hat - I need to apply for a grant. Tell me, what do you think about this proposal?”

Let's summarize what has been said: We can ask others to put on, take off, change or designate hats. We can also put on or take off the hat ourselves. The formality and “game” aspect of the method are its greatest advantages. People learn to play by the rules.

Additional Information:

Why hats? The hat is easy to put on and take off. This applies to our situation as well, since we should be able to change between different types of thinking as easily as we can change colored hats.

Up to 90% of errors in thinking (in non-technical areas) are errors of perception. Logical errors are very rare.

The Six Hats Method enriches our thinking and makes it more comprehensive. If we simply ask others to think about something, they often become confused. however, if they are invited to explore a subject using the six-hats framework, their breadth of perception quickly increases.

SLIDE 18.

“Thanks to the clarity of de Bono's approach, his course of thinking is equally useful for everyone, from schoolchildren to top managers.” (John Naisbitt, author of Megatrends and High Tech / High Touch)

“I know Dr. de Bono and am an admirer of his work. We all live in an information economy, where our results are a direct consequence of what happens in our minds.” (John Sculley, President of Pepsi Cola and CEO of Apple).

“De Bono’s work is perhaps the best thing happening in the world today” (George Gallup, founder of the US Institute of Public Opinion).

SLIDE 19-20.

PRACTICAL PART

"(English: "SixThinkingHats") was first published in 1985, introducing the public to a technique for organizing thinking and a way to solve creative problems and disputes. Today, this technique has become popular enough to gain both its fans and opponents. Perhaps philosophers would consider it necessary in this situation to joke about the hermeneutic circle, saying that the methodology that defends different views on things is itself evaluated differently. But without irony, we will try to understand the essence of the 6 hats technique, its pros and cons, as well as its possible applications.

Six Hats Method

Edward de Bono is a British psychologist, consultant in the field of creative thinking, and writer. As a student, he studied medicine, physiology and psychology. This determines his broad approach to problems of interest, his desire to understand the subject at the intersection of disciplines. Thus, in essence, the theory of six thinking hats was born, which today is one of the most popular types of brainstorming method.

How to use the tool?

White hat. When we try on this headgear, we focus on the data at our disposal. We are trying to understand what information is missing, where to find it, how to use already known facts and conclusions to solve the problem.
White hat is, in fact, a retrospective method of cognition that is used to identify cause-and-effect relationships and patterns in the development of phenomena.

Red hat. By putting it on, we turn on our intuition and feelings. What does your inner voice tell you? Intuitive guesses and sensations at this stage are very important, since they allow one to judge the emotional background and attitude to the problem through the prism of human feelings. If the discussion is collective, it is important to try to understand other people's answers, the driving forces and the background of the solutions they propose. To do this, everyone needs to be truthful and sincere, not hide their real feelings and experiences.

Black hat. In it you have to be a pessimist, but with a healthy dose of criticism. Proposed solutions to the problem are assessed for possible risks in the future, further development of difficult and unforeseen situations. Try to find weak points in every idea and pay attention to them. The black hat should be used primarily by those who have already achieved success and are accustomed to thinking positively, because often these are the people who tend to underestimate perceived difficulties.

Yellow hat. It is the opposite of black and implies an optimistic, positive view of the problem. Highlight the strengths and benefits of each solution. This is especially important if all the options seem rather gloomy.

Green hat is responsible for creativity, the search for unusual ideas and extraordinary views. No assessments of previously proposed solutions, only their further development by any available means (mental maps, focal objects, associations and other tools for activating creative thinking).

Blue hat is not directly related to the development of a solution. It is worn by the leader - the one who sets goals at the beginning and sums up the work at the end. He manages the entire process - he gives the floor to everyone, and monitors compliance with the topic.
More details about each hat and the actions and rules associated with it.

Examples of using the six hats method

How does the technique work? Let's look at an example with a simulated situation taken from one English-language forum.

A construction company planned to build a new office building, but was unsure of its ultimate success. They decided to hold a meeting on this matter using the six thinking hats method. While trying on the white hat, participants analyzed the state of the market, studied reports and economic forecasts, as a result of which they established a downward trend in the number of vacant office spaces and an increase in the number of companies interested in leasing.
At the same time, some of the participants, wearing a red hat, expressed concerns about the proposed building design, considering it ugly and questioning bold forecasts about the relevance of demand. When working with a black hat, company representatives considered the likely risks in case economic growth forecasts do not materialize and a cyclical downturn sets in. Possible losses from the situation were calculated if part of the premises remained unrented.
However, by wearing the yellow hat, the participants concluded that the potential for negative consequences was minimal because the forecasts were supported by real macroeconomic indicators, and the design of the building could be changed to make it more attractive to potential customers. While working with the green hat, suggestions and ideas regarding architectural details were collected, and it was decided to make several floors with increased comfort and service for VIP companies. Throughout the discussion, the chair with the blue hat ensured that ideas were not criticized and that he did not switch between hats.

This is what the algorithm for working with this technique looks like. There are more specific examples: in particular, the six hats method was successfully used by the Australian brand of swimwear and sports accessories "Speedo" to solve the problem of protruding parts of swimsuits that reduced the speed of the swimmer.

To illustrate the method, we suggest you use the Parable of the Old Hatter

Once upon a time, or perhaps not long ago, there lived an old wise Hatter. Of all the earthly riches, he only had colored felt. But he had golden hands and a beautiful, wise soul. The master gave people something more than headdresses - hats, caps, Panama hats and bonnets. Enlightened and spiritualized, determined and inspired, people left the old Hatter’s workshop, taking away their order. Needless to say, how famous the master was for his skill, how grateful people were to him for the hats that carried the great secret of the great master.

Years passed. And the time came when the old Hatter left this world, leaving to his six sons the glory of a great master, a workshop, scraps of colored felt and... six multi-colored hats - white, black, yellow, red, green and blue. The hats were so exquisite that they clearly must have belonged to a very rich and successful person.

“Probably, the main father’s inheritance is the money that the customer of multi-colored hats will pay us,” the master’s sons decided. “They must be very expensive, and we will be rich!” “We will divide the money equally and go to travel around the world to find our destiny,” the sons planned.

But time passed, and the rich customer never appeared.

“It’s strange,” the sons thought, “the master’s last order should have cost a lot.” But since no one comes for him, maybe we can keep these hats for ourselves? And the sons decided to divide their father's inheritance among themselves.

“I’m taking a white hat,” said the first son. “It’s so elegant and delightful that by wearing it, I can enter high society and show off at balls and receptions.” I will no longer feel like the son of a simple hatter.

“And I choose a black hat,” said the second son. — Black color goes with any suit. In this hat I will be strict, personable, elegant in any situation. I'm sure it will bring me good luck!

“I think I’ll choose yellow,” said the third son. “There are so few sunny days in our area, I miss them so much.” The yellow hat, although it requires a special costume, will give me the joy of the sun and a smile! And the one who smiles is happy.

-Let my hat be red! - exclaimed the fourth son. — I always dreamed of standing out from the crowd, I always liked it when people paid attention to me. With a red hat I will be noticed by everyone! Women will love me!

— The green hat is so original! - remarked the fifth son. “I’ve never seen anyone on the street wearing a green hat, even at a masquerade.” It seems to me that a green hat will make me a trendsetter. I like unexpected solutions, I take the green hat!

“You have sorted all the hats,” said the sixth son. “I just have to take the blue one.” It's strange, but you freed me from the problem of choice. I trusted fate and got what I would have chosen in the first place! The problem of choice... - the sixth son thought, - perhaps we need to think about this.

And so the old master's inheritance was divided between his sons. They carefully packed the scraps of colored felt, closed the workshop and at dawn each set off in their own direction.

A lot of time passed before, obeying some special inner feeling, the sons of the old master again gathered together under the roof of their father’s workshop. Sitting by the fire, each of them told their story, and everyone was amazed at how the Hatter's legacy affected them.

The son, who took the white hat, became an important person; he held a high position of adviser in one powerful country. He was clear and impartial. Explaining the story of his life, he listed facts and events, omitting his experiences. The brothers were amazed at such changes, but listened with great respect.

The owner of the black hat became witty and sarcastic. Talking about the people with whom fate brought him together, he aptly and colorfully described their weaknesses and vices, creating grotesque portraits. It seemed that he lived in a country of petty and stupid people, although it was known that the inhabitants of the city where the second son of the master settled were worthy citizens. Meanwhile, this son of the Hatter made a good career, as he knew how to prevent the wrong decisions of the local burgomaster.

The yellow hat made the third son of the Hatter an incorrigible optimist. It turns out that he lives in the best city in the world, whose residents are wonderful people. He enjoys sunrises and sunsets, jogs, plants flowers and does charity work.

While the brothers told their stories, only one of them constantly jumped up impatiently, sometimes cheerfully applauding, sometimes wringing his hands in despair, sometimes throwing away his red hat in irritation. The brothers watched him with interest - after all, not everyone reacts so emotionally to life's adventures. It turned out that the Hatter's fourth son became an actor, whose stage name was well known to all five! The owner of the red hat was an actor without a role. Thanks to his emotionality and sensitivity, he brilliantly played dramatic, comic, and tragic roles. The owner of the red hat became very famous. But the trouble is, in ordinary life he never managed to learn to restrain his feelings...

When it was the Hatter’s fifth son’s turn to tell the story, he silently laid out the photographs on the table. The brothers looked and saw their brother in the company of famous people. Here he is shaking hands with the president of the strongest state, here he is giving an interview to a famous journalist, here he is participating in the opening of his exhibition... The owner of the green hat was famous, but modest. He was educated in various fields, painted beautifully, composed poetry and music. He approached everything he undertook unexpectedly and unconventionally. He was responsible for many inventions in various fields. The largest companies invited him as a consultant, and his ideas brought success to many people.

And so the last of the Hatter's sons took off his blue hat. And all the brothers saw how much knowledge, wisdom and love radiated from his eyes. He became a Teacher, many came to him for advice, and the king entrusted him with raising the heir...

And the sons of the old master realized what an amazing legacy their father had left them. And everyone wanted to take off their hat, because she had already taught them a lot, and try on each other’s hats. So they developed new qualities in themselves, which allowed them to become happy.

A lot of time has passed since then, or maybe a little, but colorful hats pass from hand to hand, and allow themselves to be worn by those who want to learn something new...

Thing is:

Usually mental work seems boring and abstract. Six Hats makes it a colorful and fun way to manage your thinking.

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Edward de Bono method

"Six Thinking Hats."

Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats method was developed from CoRT theory (de Bono's basic course on thinking skills, published by him in 1970.

Reasons for the emergence of the method.

1. Find a way to discuss the problem in which all proposals will be heard, because In children, the one who is stronger is usually right, and in adults, the one who is of higher rank is right.

2. Help develop self-respect, faith in your ability to think and solve problems independently, without succumbing to emotions and prejudices.

The novelty and effectiveness of the de Bono technique in the thinking process approach.

Thinking process:

1) stage-perception;

2) stage - “information processing”.

Edward de Bono works with perception. Perception expands our thinking because we can consciously expand our perspectives.

Edward de Bono born in Malta. He grew up as a modest boy, was not very healthy or strong, and his playmates usually ignored his suggestions. Edward was very upset and wanted all his ideas to be listened to, and it would never come to arguments and fights. But when there are many opinions, and those arguing are in different weight categories, it is difficult to find a way of discussion in which all proposals will be heard, and the decision made will satisfy everyone. Edward de Bono began searching for such a universal algorithm. When he grew up, he came up with an original method to increase the efficiency of the thought process.

In order for the technique to be better remembered, a vivid image was needed. And then Edward de Bono decided to associate types of thinking with colored hats. The fact is that in English, a hat is usually associated with a type of activity - the hat of a conductor, a policeman, etc. The phrase “put on someone's hat” means to engage in a specific activity. A person, mentally putting on a hat of a certain color, chooses at the moment the type of thinking that is associated with it.

In the Six Hats Method, thinking is divided into six different modes, each represented by a different colored hat.

Red Hat. Emotions. Intuition, feelings and premonitions. There is no need to give reasons for feelings. How do I feel about this?

Yellow Hat. Advantages. Why is this worth doing? What are the benefits? Why can this be done? Why will this work?

Black hat. Caution. Judgment. Grade. Is it true? Will it work? What are the disadvantages? What's wrong here?

Green Hat. Creation. Various ideas. New ideas. Offers. What are some of the possible solutions and actions? What are the alternatives?

White Hat. Information. Questions. What information do we have? What information do we need?

Blue Hat. Organization of thinking. Thinking about thinking. What have we achieved? What needs to be done next?

Naturally, in reality there is no need to have any hats - a person only mentally puts on a headdress of the color that is best suited at this stage of solving the problem.

Four types of use of "hats".

Put on a hat. During a discussion, we might ask a colleague or team member to wear a specific color hat. Or we can ask the whole group to use a specific color hat for a few minutes. “What are your black hat thoughts on this idea? What might go wrong if we try to implement it?” “What facts are known about this? What do we know about this? Let's put on white hats."

Take off your hat. We can ask a person to remove a hat of a certain color. Here we mean that the thinking at the moment belongs to a certain type. We are asking the person to move away from this type of thinking. The Six Hats system provides a convenient way to do this. The person may not have consciously put on the hat, but he appears to be using it. “We seem to be focusing on red hat thinking. Let’s take it off for a moment.” “Okay, those are some nice black hat thoughts. Let’s put the black hat aside for now.” “You have found many new ideas and opportunities - now we have enough of them. Let's take off our green hats now."

3. Change your hat. Once the rules are introduced, we can ask for an immediate shift in thinking. We achieve this by inviting a colleague to take off one hat and put on another. This method allows you to encourage a change in the train of thought without offending the person. We do not attack the thoughts expressed, but ask for change. “We listened to the positives. Now let's switch from the yellow hat to the black one. How can we get into trouble if we do this?”

“While wearing a black hat, you explained why the idea might not work. Now let’s move on to the green hat and see if the problems can’t be resolved.”

4. Identify your thinking.We can name the hat to show what type of thinking we are going to use. For example, sometimes you need to say something, but it is difficult to do so without offending someone. Simply saying that you are putting on a black hat gives you the opportunity to discuss an idea without attacking the person who proposed it.

The hats can be used individually at any stage of thinking. In general, this is their main use. Hats are needed as a convenient way to control thinking and its switching. A simple sequence of two or three hats can also be used for a specific purpose. For example, a yellow hat accompanied by a black one is necessary to evaluate an idea. A black hat accompanied by a green one is to improve the plan (point out shortcomings and eliminate them). A complete sequence of hats is a structure for thinking about a topic. It is determined in advance as a thinking program - its agenda. The thinkers then follow this program step by step.

During advanced training courses, I first heard about Edward de Bono’s “Six Thinking Hats” method. I began to independently study this work experience, and then use it in practice. I am convinced of the effectiveness of this method: students’ activity in the lesson, cognitive activity, interest in learning, and desire for independence increase.

When independently solving certain problems, the child lays the foundations for a responsible attitude towards decision-making and his own personality. Typically, when students try to think about solving a practical problem, they encounter several difficulties. First, students are often not inclined to think about the solution at all, instead limiting themselves to an emotional reaction that determines their further behavior. Secondly, the guys experience uncertainty, not knowing where to start and what to do. Third, they try to simultaneously hold all the information relevant to a task in their minds, be logical, make sure our interlocutors are logical, be creative, be constructive, and so on, and all this usually causes nothing but confusion and confusion.

Edward de Bono's method helps solve this problem (approach to the personality of each student).

The guys are divided into groups, choosing a leader (commander).

Group leaders and their composition are selected on the principle of uniting schoolchildren of different levels of training, awareness of a given subject, and student compatibility, which allows them to complement and enrich each other. During the work, joint discussion of the progress and results of work and seeking advice from each other are encouraged.

Each group is given a hat of a certain color.

White hat. By wearing a white hat, students' attention is focused on receiving information. In this mode of thinking, students are only interested in facts.

Red hat. In red hat mode, students express their feelings and intuitions about the issue at hand, without going into explanations about why this is so, who is to blame, or what to do.

Black hat . The black hat allows you to give free rein to critical assessments, fears and caution. It excludes reckless and ill-considered actions and indicates possible risks and pitfalls.

Yellow hat. The yellow hat redirects students' attention to looking for the merits, benefits, and positive aspects of the idea being considered.

Green hat. Under the green hat, students come up with new ideas, modify existing ones, and look for alternatives.

Blue hat. Process management. The teacher tries on this hat.

The blue hat owner poses a problem that each group must look at from different points of view: critical, positive, creative, etc.

The technological process of group work consists of the following elements:

1) Preparing to complete a group task:

a) setting a cognitive task (problem situation);

b) instructions on the sequence of work;

c) distribution of didactic material to groups (instruction cards).

2) Group work:

a) familiarization with the material, planning work in a group;

b) distribution of tasks within the group;

c) individual completion of the task;

d) discussion of individual results of work in a group;

e) discussion of the general assignment of the group (comments, additions, clarifications, generalizations);

f) summing up the group assignment.

3) Final part:

a) communication about the results of the work;

b) analysis of a cognitive task, reflection;

c) general conclusion about group work and achievement of the task.

The sequence of answers is determined based on the problem being solved. The blue hat monitors the process.

Use of hats.

Put on a hat. The group wears a specific color hat for a specific time.

Change your hat. The class is not divided into groups. A problem is posed. The class is asked to take off one hat and put on another, i.e. switch thinking. This method allows you to effectively rebuild the course of the thought process. We do not attack the thoughts expressed, but ask for change.

Experience has shown that such activities include mutual work of students in the lesson and mutual actions. Students must constantly discuss certain problems with each other, engage in dialogues in order to be able to understand the positions of others and at the same time learn to look at themselves through the eyes of others, i.e. develop the quality of self-reflection. In the process of training, a “situation of success” is constantly maintained, and from fleeting interest, abilities that no one even suspected grow and improve.

This technique is successfully used in extracurricular activities and distance learning. A clear illustration is the distance learning course “Tips for Every Day”.

Relevance of the proposed methodology in the classroomthing is:

Usually mental work seems boring and abstract. Six Hats makes it a colorful and fun way to manage your thinking;
colored hats are a memorable metaphor that is easy to teach and apply;
the six hats method can be used at any level of difficulty, from classes in elementary school to preparation for the Unified State Exam;
hats is a kind of role-playing language in which it is easy to discuss and switch thinking, distracting from personal preferences and without offending anyone;
the method avoids confusion, since only one type of thinking is used by the entire group at a certain period of time;
this method assumes a personal approach: there is one problem, but there are several ways to solve it, and each student understands that there are several choices; this teaches the student flexibility in life, the awareness that any problem can be solved.