Blue thinking hat. The “Six Hats” technique. Role-playing game instilled

Everything in a person should be harmonious: the body, inner world, thinking. Unfortunately, sometimes one of these components fails, and then fatigue, dissatisfaction with oneself and the world around us appears, creative crisis, the inability to concentrate on one activity for a long time and complete the task.

Outstanding psychologist of the 20th century Edward de Bono and his method

People often face this problem creative professions. The solution to this problem was once taken seriously by the writer and psychologist, an Englishman by birth, Edward de Bono.

Improve communication and therefore decision making. A calm and carefree state of mind is necessary for any thought to involve more than just a reaction to a situation. Rather than being a routine or reactive mindset, putting on a certain hat evokes a deliberate thought: one is doing it on purpose.

Critical thinking is worth reacting to what is disgusting, but does not offer any suggestions. Western custom argumentation and dialectics is wrong. Needs initiative, plans and action. It is the ability to do and the thinking that implies. In this book, six hats to think about correspond to different colors, which are used to print the map. It's not just about wearing a hat to think, but also choosing what color the hat will use. Being a thinker does not mean having a mind all the time.

The future expert in the field was born in 1933. Studied at Oxford, Trinity College, Cambridge and the University of Dundee. He has a degree in psychology, a doctorate in medicine and a doctorate in law.

De Bono is the author of such bestselling books as Using out-of-the-box thinking", "The birth of a new idea", creativity step by step."

To play a role

In fact, someone who always believes that he is right is likely to be a bad thinker. Being a thinker does not mean being smart. Therefore, intention is the first step. People don't mind "doing crazy things" as long as it's clear they have a role to play. For this reason it is usually negative people take on the role of the devil's advocate when he wants to be negative. This means assuming that they are not usually negative, but that it is good for someone to play the role and that they intend to represent it well.

But instead of one thinking role, there will be six, each defined by a different hat to think about. You watch yourself play this role. Your ego wants to represent you well. Each role must be different, you become many different thinkers, all with the same head. Each colored hat represents a different color that can be used when printing a card. This is how maps are drawn.

In the 80s, the book “Six Thinking Hats” was published. It very clearly describes the principles of thinking reflected in the human brain.

The 6 Hats method is one of the most productive ways to help organize your thinking. In the book we're talking about O auxiliary techniques, allowing you to structure collective, personal mental activity, and make it as productive as possible.

The Purpose of Six Hats Thinking

Thus, finally, the ego can choose the route it prefers. The first meaning of the six hats to think about is the representation of a specific role. The main limitation of thought is the ego defense, which is responsible for most practical thinking errors.

If we pretend that our thinking is not only reactive, we must find a way to pay attention to one aspect after another. Six hats is a means to pay attention to six different aspects affairs. Blue Hat: Blue cold, and also the color of the sky that stands above everything else. The blue hat is associated with control and organization of the thought process.

  • White hat: white is neutral and objective.
  • Black hat covers the negatives: why something can't be done.
  • White and red black and yellow green and blue.
In practice, each of them always refers to hats by their colors and not by their functions.

And in Lately, this method is very popular because with its help you can find new, original answers to problems.

The principle of the six hats method

The basis of the book’s author’s method is the principle of parallel thinking. As you know, this or that judgment arises from disputes and discussions. This approach does not guarantee the truthfulness and reliability of the statement that prevailed in the process of controversy. Usually the winner is the one who proves his opinion more eloquently.

And for good reason; if you ask someone to express their emotional reaction to something, they are unlikely to answer honestly: you think it is wrong to be emotional. The neutrality of the colors allows hats to be worn without interference. Imagine a computer that gives facts and figures that are given.

The person requesting information must create and specify questions to obtain information or to fill gaps in existing information. Secondly, facts which are believed to be true but have not yet been fully verified; second class facts. In the middle there are used levels such as "generally", "sometimes" and "occasionally".

In parallel, methods of confrontation are not used: ideas, judgments, and different approaches exist and are accepted, but do not collide and are not mutually exclusive.

Critical judgment is one of the types of human intellectual activity that allows you to consider an existing problem from different angles to find the right solution. Characterized by high degree perception and an objective approach to the information at hand.

This type of information can be represented by a white hat, provided that the corresponding "frame" is used to indicate the degree of probability. The thinker strives to be more neutral and more objective in presenting information. You can use it or delete it. White means neutrality.

The red hat allows the thinker to explore the feelings of others when asked about the red hat. When an opinion is largely based on this type of feeling, it may also fall under the red hat. The black hat thinks specifically about the negative judgment. The black hat thinker points out why something is not going to work, points out risks and dangers, points out design imperfections. The thought of a black hat can.

What influences decision making

Many factors influence a person in the process of making a decision. The “6 hats” method allows you to cope with the main factors that influence a person at the moment of choice.

  1. Emotions. Strong emotions can temporarily turn off sober thinking and determine all further actions of a person, following the emotional component.
  2. Confusion- an indispensable companion in solving any new problem that a person has not encountered before. It is also present when finding answers to multi-level problems.
  3. Confusion. Many conflicting opinions, a large amount of information, the desire to be logical and consistent, combining all this with a high degree of creativity causes nothing but confusion and confusion.

The Six Thinking Hats method overcomes the above difficulties by dividing the thinking process into 6 different modes, each of which corresponds in this method to a hat of a certain color. This kind of thinking allows you to develop concentration and the ability to analyze a problem from different sides in turn.

Point out errors in the thought process and in the method itself. Confront an idea with the past to see if it matches what is known. Project the idea into the future to test what could fail or go wrong. The thought of a black hat should not be used to hide negative complacency or negative feelings that a red hat should use.

The positive judgment concerns the yellow hat. The thought of a yellow hat is positive and constructive. The yellow hat thinks about a positive evaluation the same way the black hat thinks about a negative evaluation. The thought of a yellow hat covers a positive spectrum, from the logical and practical aspects to dreams, visions and hopes.

Hats that think

Who is this method suitable for?

In a group, the method has a lot in common with brainstorming. It is also effective in resolving controversial and conflict situations.

The “6 hats” method has long been used by leading international companies.

The book "Six Thinking Hats" by Edward de Bono provides recommendations for turning the system into reality. At shared use method, it is necessary to have a moderator who will guide the entire process.

Try to demonstrate reasonable optimism, but it doesn't stop there unless other types of optimism are properly qualified. From it come concrete proposals and proposals. The green hat is for creative thinking.

Finding alternatives is a fundamental aspect of green hat thinking. During a creative pause, the green hat thinker stops at certain point to consider alternative ideas at this point. No reason is required for this pause.

The thinker strives to move from one idea to another. Provocations are used to get us out of our habitual thoughts. There are several ways to raise provocations, including the random word method. Lateral thinking is a series of views, languages, and skipping techniques in a self-organizing system of asymmetrical patterns.

The presenter writes down the “readings” of each hat on paper, summing up all the results at the end.

Let's take a closer look at what the "6 thinking hats" method looks like.

Example situations:

  • The presenter briefly introduces all participants to the task of each hat, then the problem for the sake of which everything was started is voiced. For example: “A competing company has proposed cooperation in the field... What proposals?”
  • Next, all participants try on a white hat, and take turns sharing their reasoning, according to the concept of the hat.
  • It is not necessary to follow a precise sequence of hats, but some consistency is necessary.
  • You can use this order: the white hat collects all the data about the subject of discussion (numbers, statistics, conditions).
  • Next, you should try on a black hat, and look at the situation from the pessimistic side, you should try to see the fly in the ointment, even if it seems that everything is fine.
  • Put on a yellow hat and adopt a positive mindset.
  • Wearing a green hat, each session participant puts forward new, alternative ideas. Creative thinking must work to its maximum. New ideas are again analyzed from positive and negative sides.
  • Don't forget to periodically let off steam with a red hat. This hat is worn rarely and for a short period of time, no more than 30 seconds.
  • In conclusion general work, the moderator sums up. It is also the responsibility of the moderator to ensure that during the discussion everyone wears the same hat and does not get confused in their judgments.

You can work according to a different scheme. Have each participant wear a hat different colors, it is important that the color contradicts the person’s personal qualities. For example, a pessimist puts on a black hat, and vice versa, a silent person tries on a green one; a red hat will decorate the head of a balanced project participant. This way, everyone involved can reach their potential.

The blue hat is the control hat. The idea of ​​blue hats defines the topics to which thought should be directed. Stops the debate and insists on cartographic thinking. Reinforces and applies discipline.

  • Establishes focus Identifies problems and develops questions.
  • Defines conceivable tasks to be developed.
  • This can happen from time to time during the course of thought, as well as at the end.
  • Observes thinking and ensures respect for the rules of the game.
You can use the blue hat, thinking in case of possible interruptions, ask for the hat.

Advantage is given to the first method, as it avoids confusion among session participants.

Mind map as an addition to the six hats method

When working using the six hats method, it is advisable to use What is it? This is the presentation of any event or idea in a systematic, graphical form. It allows you to trace and identify all semantic and cause-and-effect relationships between the objects and concepts under consideration.

It can also be used to establish a gradual sequence of mental operations that must be followed, just as dancing respects choreography. Even if a specific blue hat thinking role is assigned to a person, the role is open to anyone who wants to offer blue hat comments or suggestions.

The biggest enemy of thought is complexity, because it leads to confusion. The concept of six hats to think about is very simple. Instead of using logic to half-hide the emotion, the thinker can bring that emotion to the surface through the red hat and without having to justify it. Then the black hat for thinking might deal with the logical aspect. The second central purpose of the six hats to think about is to allow variation in thinking. This tells the person that you are persistently negative.

Such a map allows you to sort out all the information on the shelves without wasting time on unnecessary, absolutely unnecessary information, as often happens when presenting the essence of a problem verbally.


Essentially, a mind map is a visual representation of the workings of the human brain. It consists of neurons and their processes, which are interconnected by neural processes. Each image and thought stimulates one or another neural segment. Maps are represented as images of complex mental connections that help the brain organize phenomena and objects.

This is a direct request to be positive. Thus, Six Hats provides language that, without being offensive, is accurate. Six hats let you ask to think in a certain way. Hats are a kind of instructive shorthand. In some cases, we may wear all the hats in a formally structured sequence; in these cases we must expose the structure in advance.

Or we can ask one of the guests to wear a certain hat. It may seem a little strange at first, but over time it will look very natural. For example, all those who usually meet for discussion should know the meaning of the different hats.

The main goal of creating such maps is to put things in order in your head, structuring all the information known about this matter. This will allow you to create a complete picture and look at it from different angles. Mind maps allow you to better manage data and contribute to more freedom thoughts.

Edward de Bono's six hats method, complete with mind maps, is widely used by entrepreneurs, designers, scientists, teachers, and representatives of other professions. Many successful people Westerners admit that they often resort to this method.

A concept works best when it becomes kind of common language. If someone were to say, "Take off your black hat and place yellow at a time." Will you be able to interpret the message or will you instinctively put your hand on your head while you ask which hat?

This is very useful tool for middle managers, developed by Edward de Bono almost 30 years ago and used in decision making and problem solving. With this model, E. de Bono came to bring order in the form of exposing the arguments in the meetings.

Application of the method in the school curriculum

The de Bon method is used in schools, in particular in Europe, America, some Asian countries starting from primary school.


The 6 Thinking Hats Method primary school gives excellent results in the future. This technology is of interest to teaching staff due to the following results.

There are six hats. Each of them has different ways thinking and another role. Each hat has a color, and when you wear or change a hat, you need to play a role that defines the role and style that defines that hat. Impartiality of facts and figures. It represents the purity of data, the truth in information. The first thing to ask ourselves when we put on the white hat is if we have all the information to make a decision or if we will need more, what doesn't appear and we would like to have, what is appropriate, etc.

This is an objective and impartial role that does not think or weigh pros and cons. He is only interested in knowing the facts as they really are. Generation of ideas, creativity. A role that involves creative thinking and new ideas. It doesn't matter if they may seem a little crazy or reckless, because this thinking hat doesn't judge, just explores and lets the imagination fly.

  1. Children quickly learn to think critically, which helps them become more self-sufficient and independent. There will be no unsolvable problems for them in the future.
  2. The information serves only Starting point, but by no means final. This is an auxiliary tool on the way to the emergence unique solution for both simple and difficult tasks.
  3. Thanks to the method, a rather boring educational process turns into a real intellectual activity for the student, which gives real results and allows you to find alternative solutions to even very non-standard issues. By studying data, analyzing information, considering different points of view, participating in collective discussion, students learn to find answers to questions that concern them.
  4. Students learn to argue their arguments persuasively using reasonable evidence (informational text, personal experience, statistical data).

Students use critical thinking in many ways educational activities, including in written work. IN in this case, the teacher can read the student’s train of thought, his thinking process, and evaluate the correctness of his conclusions.

The black thinking hat causes others to see the difficulties, risks and dangers of the proposals that were made with the green hat. It warns you of what can go wrong and points out new complications that may arise. When you cast it, you have to make an effort to deny and say that you don't always like to hear.

Yellow thinking hat highlights positive sides, advantages, benefits and viability of the project that is valued. He is optimistic, but optimism does not remain in a simple positive impulse, but generates proposals and plans of action.

Children love to work using the 6 hats method, because it allows them not only to find answers to the questions posed, but also to have an interesting time.


Critical thinking is available to students in both high school, and in the younger one. For young students, mastering it will be, in a sense, even easier. Parallel thinking involves a certain amount of skepticism and doubt in generally accepted truths. It also allows you to develop own point vision and be able to defend it.

The technology of parallel (critical) thinking has many methods that are used in the sequential implementation of each stage educational process. The six hats method is one of the most effective ways learn to think critically.

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 formed based on the CoRT theory (this basic course de Bono on teaching 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 decision 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.

To make the technique better remembered, you need bright image. And then Edward de Bono decided to associate types of thinking with colored hats. The point is that in English language a hat is usually associated with an activity - a conductor's hat, a policeman's hat, etc. The phrase "putting on someone's hat" means to engage in a specific activity. A person, mentally putting on a hat of a certain color, chooses this 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".

  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?” “What facts are known about this? What do we know about this? Let's put on white hats."
  1. Take off your hat. We can ask a person to remove a hat of a certain color. Here we mean that in currently thinking belongs to a certain type. We are asking the person to move away from this type of thinking. The six hat system gives convenient way do it. 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. Beginnings self-study given work experience, and then use it in practice. I am convinced of the effectiveness of this method: the activity of students in the lesson increases, cognitive activity, interest in learning, desire for independence.

At independent decision Certain problems in a child lay the foundations for a responsible attitude towards decision-making and one’s 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 according to the principle of unifying schoolchildren different levels training, awareness this subject, compatibility of students, 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 . Black hat lets you let loose 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 owner of the blue hat poses a problem that each group must look at different points point 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;

V) general conclusion O group work and achieving 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 has been successfully used in extracurricular activities and in distance learning. A clear illustration is a distance 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.