Management & Thinking
ProSix Thinking Hats
六頂思考帽 · Source: Edward de Bono
Forcing yourself to evaluate a decision from six distinct angles — escaping single-perspective thinking
Core Concept
Six hats represent six thinking modes: White (facts), Red (emotions), Black (critical), Yellow (optimistic), Green (creative), Blue (process). Wearing each hat in turn systematically covers all angles, preventing any one mode from dominating the analysis.
✓ When to use this
When team discussion is stuck in emotional opposition, or when a group thinks too alike. Cycling through colored hats (facts, feelings, critical, optimistic, creative, process) forces perspective shifts past single-angle blind spots.
✗ When not to use this
Overkill for solo fast decisions — six perspective shifts is too heavy. Skip in emergencies where you would miss the action window. 1-on-1 deep talks suit direct exploration over structured rounds.
Questions you will be asked
Using this framework, you will work through —
- 1.White Hat (Facts): What objective facts do you know? What information are you missing?
- 2.Red Hat (Emotions): What is your gut feeling and emotional response to this decision?
- 3.Black Hat (Critical): What are the biggest risks, weaknesses, and potential problems?
- …and 3 more
Related Frameworks
Psychology & Behavior
Cognitive Bias Checklist
Pre-flight check before any important decision — scan for five high-frequency biases before you commit
Psychology & Behavior
Inside View vs Outside View
Planning and forecasting — especially when you're overly optimistic about your own project, goals, or capabilities