Six Thinking Hats

Design process is an important factor of a successful project delivery. Over the years I’ve developed my own type of process and thinking when tackling a web project. I put myself in different “modes” when looking at different aspects of the project. By doing this, I can be be more objective, and more efficient when it comes to time management.

While working my way through Serious Creativity by Edward De Bono, he talks about a method he created called “the Six Thinking Hats.” The idea is that, when solving a problem, have the team members or the individual (if you’re working alone) put on different colored imaginary hats. Each hat represents a different type of thinking. Doing so allows the team or individual to fully explore the possibilities and avoid ego clash. It’s engaging, focusing and productive.

It’s a method that’s very similar to what my colleagues and I use. Although we never thought of it in terms of hats, or as many colors. I think Mr. de Bono’s method is a lot more clear, and easier to comprehend.

Let’s explore these hats, and how they can help us with web design. (I’ll give a few examples of my own, but feel free to add yours in comment section.)

White Hat

“Think of white paper, which is neutral and carries information. The white hat has to do with data and information.

What information do we have here?
What information is missing?
What information would we like to have?
How are we going to get the information?”

This would be the business requirement process. We need to identify:

• Has the client given us everything we need?
• What is the goal for the web site? Is it to sell a product, service, or simply to create a brand?
• Who is the targeted audience?
• How deep is the project scope? Will we eventually be designing a sister site or a web application suite to go with the site?
• Are all the stake holders involved so far? Know who the key decision maker is among them.
• Does the client have an existing marketing team already? If so, check with what print and media materials they’ve created already to support the branding.
• Go over the time line, and set up big and small milestones.

Red Hat

“Think of red and fire and warm.

The red hat has to do with feelings, intuition, hunches and emotions.
In a serious meeting you are not supposed to put forward your emotions, but people do this buy disguising their emotions as logic.
The red hat gives people permission to put forward their feelings and intuitions without apology, without explanation, and without any need to justify them.”

This is the part where we go with our gut-feeling. We simply approve or disapprove of ideas based on our feelings.

• Use a red color scheme to bring out the branding.
• The lay-out is not appropriate for the content.
• I don’t like using XHTML Strict doctype.
• Use flash for the main attraction box for an extra kick.
• I just don’t like the typography choice.
• This design is good, but not good enough compared to competitors’ site.

Black Hat

“Think of a stern judge wearing black robes who comes down heavily on wrong-doers.

The black hat is the “caution” hat.
The black hat prevents us from making mistakes, doing silly things, and doing things which might be illegal.
The black hat is for critical judgment.
The black hat points out why something cannot be done.
The black hat points out why something will not be profitable.”

With black hat, we question the decisions we have made.

• Does the design look good in all browsers, with minimal supported resolution?
• How will using fancy Javascript/AJAX affect accessibility?
• Is it feasible to display the huge data-table in HTML? What are the RIA alternatives?
• What are the drawbacks of using third party tools? Will we get free support?
• Does the color scheme match the existing branding?
• Are all the stock photos royalty free? Double check.

Yellow Hat

“Think of sunshine.

The yellow hat is for optimism and a logical positive view of things.
The yellow hat looks for feasibility and how something can be done.
The yellow hat looks for benefits – but they must be logically based.”

We look for the benefits of our design decisions with the yellow hat.

• By implementing a CMS on the site, the client can update the content themselves and reach out to their customers.
• Making skinnable interface helps with future re-designs without having to touch the back-end code.
• Using common design elements for both the web site and web app sections helps the user with learnability and familiarity.

Green Hat

“Think of vegetation and rich growth.

The green hat is for creative thinking.
The green hat is for new ideas.
The green hat is for additional alternatives.
The green hat is for putting forward possibilities and hypotheses.
The green covers “provocation” and movement.
The green hat requests creative effort.”

Under the green hat, we let our creativity flow and seek other efficient ways to solve the challenges.

• Use Javascript library instead of Flash for simple animations
• I saw a cool magazine layout, it could be adopted to the web.
• What other methods can I use to write back-end code to speed up loading time for dynamic content?
• Study the competitors’ sites, and enhance on the areas they’re lacking.

Blue Hat

“Think of the sky and an overview.

The blue hat is for process-control. The blue hat thinks about the thinking being used.
The blue hat sets the agenda for thinking.
The blue hat suggests the next step in the thinking.
The blue hat can ask for other hats.
The blue hat asks for summaries, conclusions, and decisions.
The blue hat can comment on the thinking being used.”

Blue hat lets us recap on our process, gather lessons learned and plan ahead.

• Did the design render correctly in all the browsers we planned to support?
• Did we spend too much time on implementation and not enough on researching existing tools?
• Is XHTML Strict doctype worth using?
• What can we do in the next version?
• Did we meet all of our milestone goals on time? If not, why?

Conclusion

I’m sure we all have asked these sort of questions at some point, to ourselves or our team mates. But often they are mixed together, without clear distinction. I feel Mr. de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats helps us to clarify the process. The Hats method not only applies to design, but also other problem solving situations as well. “Six Thinking Hats” is covered in length in a separate book, it will be on my reading list.