Design Thinking Methods Catalogue

# Ideate

# 6 Thinking Hats

Purpose
Examination of a question from six different perspectives
Time required
30 to 60 minutes
Participants
Design Thinking team
Level of experience
Beginner

# What is it about?

A differentiated view of the problem helps to make a reliable decision. The different perspectives are represented by different colored hats in this method.

# The goal

Discussing a problem in a structured and organized way by looking at it from different angles.

# How to do it?

  1. Formulate the question.
  2. Distribute hats and thus determine the roles.
  3. Now the discussion begins and the participants take turns to comment on the question according to their role. Any ideas that arise are recorded by a note-taker, for example on a flipchart.
  4. When everyone in the group has spoken, the hats are redistributed and the discussion begins again. Please note that this phase is not scored.
  5. the ideas are then evaluated and the next steps are worked out.

# When do you need it?

This method is particularly suitable for finding solutions and making decisions.

# Resources

  • Whiteboard, flipchart
  • Sticky notes & pens
  • Hats in six colors (alternatively place cards, wristbands etc.)

# Advantages

A certain openness is created by the hat's point of view and the renunciation of subjective opinions. It also makes it easier to communicate unusual ideas, so that entrenched views are also broken down.

# Disadvantages

If the question is completely innovative or unclear, it can be difficult to argue from the perspective of the hats. In addition, it can happen that participants empathize too strongly with the role.

# Keep in mind

Make sure that all hats have the same speaking time and that there are no group dynamics that could influence the group members.

# See also

Previous methods Alternative methods Following methods

# Sources

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