An aid to decision making and problem solving in digital media projects

IntuitiveInformative Constructive

CautiousCreativeReflective

DIGITAL MEDIAPROBLEM ?

Slow and unfocusedOne-sided – tend to see only one point

of viewNo expansion of ideasIn group setting – leads to argumentDefensive position

What do you feel about the suggestion?

What are your gut reactions?

What intuitions do you have?

Don’t think too long or too hard.

Allows the thinker to put forward an intuition without any need to justify it

The information seeking hat.

What are the facts?

What information is available? What is relevant?

When wearing the white hat we are neutral in our thinking.

Let’s talk to the client – why do you want that?

The sunshine hat. It is positive and

constructive. It is about

effectiveness and getting a job done.

What are the benefits, the advantages?This is why it will work and these will be the benefits….

The caution hat. In black hat the

thinker points out errors or pit-falls.

What are the risks or dangers involved?

Identifies difficulties and problems.

We don’t have the money, time, expertise……

This is the creative mode of thinking.

Green represents growth and movement.

In green hat we look to new ideas and solutions.

Lateral thinking wears a green hat.

How many different approaches can we take to this problem….

The control hat, organising thinking itself.

Sets the focus, calls for the use of other hats.

Monitors and reflects on the thinking processes used.

Blue is for planning.

What should be our next step? Put on your red hats and….

What information do we have?

What’s good about our product

What are the risks? Brainstorm ideas

DIGITAL MEDIAPROBLEM ?

Will we succeed? What’s our plan?

12

345

6

Two Broad Uses of the Six Hat Method:

1. Occasional Use2. Systematic Use

Use one hat at a time in a meeting or during a conversation to “request” a certain type of thinking.

After hat has been used for a limited period of time “thinkers” get back to conversation, discussion or argument as the case may be.

Provides a convenient and practical way of asking for a certain “type” of thinking.

White (to get information)Green (to get ideas and proposals)Yellow followed by Black on each

alternative (to evaluate the alternatives)Red (to assess feeling at this point)Blue ( to decide what thinking to do next)