Six Thinking Hats - Free Template

The six hats as a diagram, and each one's job in a line - facts, process, creativity, feelings, benefits and caution - so the group knows what each hat is for before they put it on.

A short guide to running a session: open in Blue and narrow the question, agree the sequence and a time-box for each hat, keep everyone in the same hat at the same time, and close in Blue with the decision and who does what. Plus what to watch for, like the Black Hat leaking into every other hat.

It's a PDF, so you can print it for the meeting room or work through it on screen.

Start with the Blue Hat to set the agenda and choose the sequence, then work through the hats in whatever order fits the problem - and keep everyone in the same hat at the same time. The method is parallel thinking, not assigned roles: the moment the sceptic "owns" the Black Hat, you're back to an ordinary argument. Keep each hat to a time limit to maintain energy.

Don't skip the Red Hat - gut feelings often surface things the data misses - and don't let it run long: first reactions, no justifications needed. And if the Black Hat surfaces a serious risk, give the Green Hat a turn at designing around it before you decide; that pairing is where the method earns its keep.