Author: B Hopkins

White Hat thinking	Red Hat thinking	Black Hat thinking
This covers facts, figures, information needs and gaps. "I think we need some white hat thinking at this point..." means Let's drop the arguments and proposals, and look at the data base."	This covers intuition, feelings and emotions. The red hat allows the thinker to put forward an intuition without any need to justify it. Usually feelings and intuition can only be introduced into a discussion if they are supported by logic.	This is the hat of judgment and caution. It is a most valuable hat. It is not in any sense an inferior or negative hat. The negative hat. The black hat is used to point out why a suggestion does not fit the facts and must always be logical.
Yellow Hat thinking	Green Hat thinking	Blue Hat thinking
This is the logical positive. Why something will work and why it will offer benefits. It can be used in looking forward to the results of some proposed action, but can also be used to find something of value in what has already happened.	This is the hat of creativity, alternatives, proposals, what is interesting, provocations and changes.	This is the overview or process control hat. It looks not at the subject itself but at the 'thinking' about the subject. "Putting on my blue hat, I feel we should do some more green hat thinking at this point." In technical terms, the blue hat is concerned with meta-cognition.

White Hat thinking	Red Hat thinking	Black Hat thinking
List al the facts about… / What did you do…? / What do you already know about…? / What do you need to find out about…? / What information is needed to…? / Brainstorm things you have learned about… / Tell us about… / Compare...	How do you feel about? / How would you feel if…? / What emotions relate to…? / Use emotional words to describe… / Describe how ________ makes you feel… / Describe your feeling when… / Explain your emotions on the issue of…. / “Do you have any hunches?”	What problems did you encounter…? / Determine the problems with… / Describe something you are confused about… / The problem with… / List all the negative aspects of… / What are the bad things about…? / What do you have difficulties coming to grips with? / Describe the disadvantages of… / Explore the dangers of...
Yellow Hat thinking	Green Hat thinking	Blue Hat thinking
What did you enjoy? / Highlight some interesting… / List some positive aspects… / Tell everyone about the good… / Explore the benefits of…. / What strategies have helped you to…? / List the successful… / What do you like about…? / List your favourite… / What are the advantages of…?		What thinking is needed to…? / How did _________ help you solve…? / What were you thinking when…? / Tell us what strategies you used to… / What steps were required to…? / Describe how________ works….

Design… / Draw… / Create… / Invent… / Imagine… / What if…? / How many ways can you…? / Make… / Illustrate...	Devise… / Plan… / Construct… / Develop… / Predict...

This covers facts, figures, information needs and gaps. "I think we need some white hat thinking at this point..." means Let's drop the arguments and proposals, and look at the data base."	List al the facts about… / What did you do…? / What do you already know about…? / What do you need to find out about…? / What information is needed to…? / Brainstorm things you have learned about… / Tell us about… / Compare...

This covers facts, figures, information needs and gaps. "I think we need some white hat thinking at this point..." means Let's drop the arguments and proposals, and look at the data base."	List al the facts about… / What did you do…? / What do you already know about…? / What do you need to find out about…? / What information is needed to…? / Brainstorm things you have learned about… / Tell us about… / Compare...

This covers intuition, feelings and emotions. The red hat allows the thinker to put forward an intuition without any need to justify it. Usually feelings and intuition can only be introduced into a discussion if they are supported by logic.	How do you feel about? / How would you feel if…? / What emotions relate to…? / Use emotional words to describe… / Describe how ________ makes you feel… / Describe your feeling when… / Explain your emotions on the / issue of…. / “Do you have any hunches?”

This covers intuition, feelings and emotions. The red hat allows the thinker to put forward an intuition without any need to justify it. Usually feelings and intuition can only be introduced into a discussion if they are supported by logic.	How do you feel about? / How would you feel if…? / What emotions relate to…? / Use emotional words to describe… / Describe how ________ makes you feel… / Describe your feeling when… / Explain your emotions on the issue of…. / “Do you have any hunches?”

This is the hat of judgment and caution. It is a most valuable hat. It is not in any sense an inferior or negative hat. The negative hat. The black hat is used to point out why a suggestion does not fit the facts and must always be logical.	What problems did you encounter…? / Determine the problems with… / Describe something you are confused about… / The problem with… / List all the negative aspects of… / What are the bad things about…? / What do you have difficulties coming to grips with? / Describe the disadvantages of… / Explore the dangers of...

This is the hat of judgment and caution. It is a most valuable hat. It is not in any sense an inferior or negative hat. The negative hat. The black hat is used to point out why a suggestion does not fit the facts and must always be logical.	What problems did you encounter…? / Determine the problems with… / Describe something you are confused about… / The problem with… / List all the negative aspects of… / What are the bad things about…? / What do you have difficulties coming to grips with? / Describe the disadvantages of… / Explore the dangers of...

This is the logical positive. Why something will work and why it will offer benefits. It can be used in looking forward to the results of some proposed action, but can also be used to find something of value in what has already happened.	What did you enjoy? / Highlight some interesting… / List some positive aspects… / Tell everyone about the good… / Explore the benefits of…. / What strategies have helped you to…? / List the successful… / What do you like about…? / List your favourite… / What are the advantages of…?

This is the logical positive. Why something will work and why it will offer benefits. It can be used in looking forward to the results of some proposed action, but can also be used to find something of value in what has already happened.	What did you enjoy? / Highlight some interesting… / List some positive aspects… / Tell everyone about the good… / Explore the benefits of…. / What strategies have helped you to…? / List the successful… / What do you like about…? / List your favourite… / What are the advantages of…?

This is the hat of creativity, alternatives, proposals, what is interesting, provocations and changes.

Design… / Draw… / Create… / Invent… / Imagine… / What if…? / How many ways can you…? / Make… / Illustrate...	Devise… / Plan… / Construct… / Develop… / Predict...

This is the hat of creativity, alternatives, proposals, what is interesting, provocations and changes.

Design… / Draw… / Create… / Invent… / Imagine… / What if…? / How many ways can you…? / Make… / Illustrate...	Devise… / Plan… / Construct… / Develop… / Predict...

This is the overview or process control hat. It looks not at the subject itself but at the 'thinking' about the subject. "Putting on my blue hat, I feel we should do some more green hat thinking at this point." In technical terms, the blue hat is concerned with meta-cognition.	What thinking is needed to…? / How did _________ help you solve…? / What were you thinking when…? / Tell us what strategies you used to… / What steps were required to…? / Describe how________ works….

This is the overview or process control hat. It looks not at the subject itself but at the 'thinking' about the subject. "Putting on my blue hat, I feel we should do some more green hat thinking at this point." In technical terms, the blue hat is concerned with meta-cognition.	What thinking is needed to…? / How did _________ help you solve…? / What were you thinking when…? / Tell us what strategies you used to… / What steps were required to…? / Describe how________ works….