• The 4 Phases
  • All Methods
    • Phase 1Observation
      • 5 Whys
      • 6 Thinking Hats
      • AEIOU Framework
      • Card Sorting
      • Collage
      • Competitive Analysis
      • Content Audit
      • Contextual Inquiry Plan
      • Crazy Eights
      • Eisenhower Matrix
      • Empathy Map
      • Field Study
      • Focus Groups
      • Future Trends
      • How Might We
      • Hypothesis Testing
      • Jobs-to-be-done (JTBD)
      • Journey Mapping
      • Knowns and Unknowns Framework
      • Lessons Learned
      • Mental Models
      • Mind Mapping
      • Moodboards
      • Mystery Shopping
      • Netnography
      • Observation
      • Personas
      • Poems
      • Poster Session
      • Product Love Letters
      • Stakeholder Map
      • Surveys
      • World Café
      • Worst Possible Ideas
    • Phase 2Creation
      • 6 Thinking Hats
      • 6-3-5 Brainwriting
      • Bodystorming
      • Brainstorming
      • Business Model Canvas (BMC)
      • Card Sorting
      • Challenge Assumptions
      • Click Dummy
      • Collage
      • Could, Should, Must
      • Crazy Eights
      • Dark Horse Prototype
      • Eisenhower Matrix
      • Emotional Journey Map
      • Empathy Map
      • Field Study
      • Focus Groups
      • How Might We
      • Hypothesis Testing
      • Innovation Board
      • Jobs-to-be-done (JTBD)
      • Journey Mapping
      • Knowns and Unknowns Framework
      • Low-Fidelity Prototyping
      • Mental Models
      • Mind Mapping
      • Mobile Diaries
      • Moodboards
      • One-Minute-Pitch
      • Personas
      • Pluralistic Walkthrough
      • Poster Session
      • Product Love Letters
      • Remote Usability Test
      • SCAMPER
      • Service Blueprints
      • Stakeholder Map
      • Storyboards
      • Surveys
      • SWOT Analysis
      • User Testing
      • Value Proposition
      • Walt Disney Method
      • Wizard of Oz
      • World Café
      • Worst Possible Ideas
      • Wow-How-Now Matrix
    • Phase 3Implementation
      • A/B Testing
      • Business Model Canvas (BMC)
      • Could, Should, Must
      • Eye Tracking
      • Golden Circle
      • High-Fidelity Prototype
      • Innovation Board
      • Low-Fidelity Prototyping
      • Mobile Diaries
      • One-Minute-Pitch
      • Pluralistic Walkthrough
      • Product Love Letters
      • Remote Usability Test
      • Service Blueprints
      • Storyboards
      • SWOT Analysis
      • User Interviews
      • User Stories
    • Phase 4Validation
      • A/B Testing
      • Competitive Analysis
      • Concept Testing Plan
      • Contextual Inquiry Plan
      • Eye Tracking
      • HEART Framework
      • High-Fidelity Prototype
      • Hypothesis Testing
      • Innovation Board
      • KPI Tracking
      • One-Minute-Pitch
      • Pluralistic Walkthrough
      • Remote Usability Test
      • SCAMPER
      • Search-Log Analysis
      • Service Blueprints
      • Social Media Monitoring
      • Surveys
      • User Interviews
      • User Stories
      • User Testing
  • Workshop Bundles
  • About us
  • Meet the Creators
  • Get support
  1. UX Toolkit
  2. Methods
  3. 6 Thinking Hats
expertobservationcreation
6 Thinking HatsSpot quality ideas after having generated a good amount of output.
45 – 90 min6+ Participantsworkshopcreativeanalogue
+3
Open in FigJamOpen in Miro
Summary
This exercise lets participants step into various mindsets and thinking styles. By doing so, they are able to change their perspective in many possible ways, which also helps them to step out of their own thinking habits. While all participants should constantly be encouraged to follow their role, it commonly is differed between the following six “hats”:
  1. White Hat: Interested in information which is known or needed – only facts.
  2. Yellow Hat: Is optimistic and confident, thus explores positives aspects.
  3. Black Hat: Will judge every detail and try to figure out what may not work.
  4. Red Hat: Emotionally going for feelings and intuition. Will search for fears, likes, dislikes, love, and hate.
  5. Green Hat: The creative one. What are the possibilities, alternatives, and other ideas.
  6. Blue Hat: The facilitator who supervises if everyone stays in their role.
Step-by-step
  1. Prepare a (simple) question that needs to be discussed. Alternatively, this exercise can be performed consecutively to a brainstorming session so that you can re-evaluate the findings from that exercise.
  2. Prepare the six identity insignias (e.g. hats or shields etc.).
  3. Announce the given time frame (e.g. 20 min.) and distribute the hats to the participants.
  4. During the session, support the blue hat (or even be the blue hat yourself) and keep an eye on everyone staying in their roles.
  5. Instead of one long run, you can also have multiple shorter rounds and let the participants change their roles between the runs.
What you need
  • Notebook
  • Pens
  • Colored hats or shields
External resources
  • Edward de Bono - discusses the Six Thinking Hats®
    by IndigoTrainingUK
Do you have a question?
These methods might seem simple, but applying them in a real project is another story. We’re there to help. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to get in touch with us at the User Experience Strategy & Design team.
Ask Away!
Explore similar methods
Eye Trackingimplementation
5+ Participants
100 – 195 min

Track where users are looking to improve on the user experience.

Competitive Analysisobservation
1+ Participants
35 – 90 min

Evaluate the competition.

Journey Mappingobservation
1+ Participants
60 – 90 min

Get an overview of a certain process and its steps in relation to time.

Stakeholder Mapobservation
1+ Participants
4 – 8 h

Understand who can influence the product or could be affected by it.

Emotional Journey Mapcreation
1+ Participants
15 – 60 min

This method serves to explore and question the overall experience of users.

© Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, 2022.
Follow us
  • Dribbble
  • Instagram
  • Medium
  • Behance
Phases
  • Observation
  • Creation
  • Implementation
  • Validation
Learn more
  • About Us
  • User Experience Strategy & Design
  • Liquid Design System
Legal
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Imprint
Follow us
  • Dribbble
  • Instagram
  • Medium
  • Behance
This website uses cookies to give you the best, most relevant experience. Using this website means you’re OK with this. You can change which cookies are set at any time – and find out more about them in our Cookie Policy.