When to use it
Use it when group discussions keep turning into arguments or are dominated by one type of thinking.
How to apply it
- Agree the question and the order of hats before starting.
- Use White to share facts and information gaps.
- Use Red to voice gut feelings without justification, and Black to identify risks and weaknesses.
- Use Yellow to identify benefits and Green to generate alternatives and new ideas.
- Use Blue throughout to manage the process, then summarise and agree next steps.
Tip: Time-box each hat tightly, otherwise the Black hat tends to swallow the session.