1 of 76 MSc Reading Group The first reading for the MSc reading group will be: “The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Web Search Engine”, S. Brin & L. Page The is the original paper describing the Google search engine and is available at: There is a video here of a lecture delivered by Sergey Brin more recently which might also be interestinghere

2 of 76 Review Week The plan for review week: –No new material –Catch up on journal entries We can redo any of the exercises if you like –Revise any topics that you feel need revision

Course Website: Problem Solving, Communication & Innovation: Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats

4 of 76 Contents In today’s lecture we are going to look at de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats technique: –Edward de Bono again –Origins of the Six Thinking Hats –The hats! –How to use the Six Thinking Hats –Novel uses of the Six Thinking Hats system

5 of 76 Edward de Bono Born in Malta in 1933 Studied medicine in Malta and then psychology and physiology in Oxford Received a Ph.D. from Cambridge Has held academic appointments in Oxford, London, Cambridge, Harvard and now DCU Could well be said to be the world’s best known “thinker”

6 of 76 Parallel Thinking The Six Thinking Hats method is based on the idea of parallel thinking Parallel thinking is an alternative to adversarial thinking Put simply we all channel our thinking efforts in the same direction at the same time A B C A B C A B C ABC Adversarial ThinkingParallel Thinking

7 of 76 The Six Thinking Hats A thinking system based on 6 imaginary hats which represent 6 different modes of thinking

8 of 76 When To Use The Six Hats? The six hats technique can be used individually or in groups Similarly, a single hat can be used for a brief thinking exercise, or the complete system can be used to solve a problem The most common use is that the hats are used as a full system in group meetings ACHTUNG! The hats are NOT categories of people. Everyone at the meeting puts on the same hat at the same time – parallel thinking

9 of 76 The Six Thinking Hats Taken from Edward de Bono’s “Six Thinking Hats” White is neutral and objective Red suggests anger, rage and emotions Black is sombre and serious Yellow is sunny and positive Green is grass, vegetation and abundant fertile growth Blue is cool and is the colour of the sky, which is above all else

10 of 76 The White Hat The white hat is concerned with objective facts and figures Separates fact from speculation Specifies action needed to fill gaps in our knowledge Assesses the relevance and accuracy of information Notes both points of view when there is conflict “Neutral & objective”

11 of 76 Facts Vs Beliefs It can be useful to make a distinction between –Checked facts –Unchecked facts (beliefs) Both are useful, but we must be sure to specify what kind of fact we are dealing with “In 1991 the Russian merchant fleet carried 464 million tons of cargo” “I think I am right in saying the Russian merchant fleet carries a significant part of world trade”

12 of 76 Typical White Hat Statements Some typical “white hat” statements: –18% of defects were cause by human error –The cost of the plastic tray has increased by 15% –How many of our staff can speak a 2 nd language? –The project is 10 days ahead of schedule –Do we know what the ain causes for the increase in absenteeism are? –The majority of people surveyed felt the president was incompetent

13 of 76 The Red Hat The red hat gives the emotional view Gives permission to express feelings, hunches and intuitions Does not require justification or explanation Should be given a limited amount of time Can be used to help make a decision “Anger, rage & emotions”

14 of 76 Typical Red Hat Statements Some typical “red-hat” statements: –My red hat feeling is that this is a terrible idea –I really feel that she is the right person for the job –This design is hideous: it will never catch on –I don’t think that lowering prices is going to work –My gut jus tells me this is the right choice –I have a soft spot for Jim. I know he’s a conman and he certainly conned us, but he did it with style. I like him!

15 of 76 The Black Hat The black hat is cautious and careful and points out the weaknesses in an idea Explores why an idea may not work Points out difficulties Must give logical reasons for concerns “Sombre and serious”

16 of 76 The Black Hat (cont…) Should always be used if an idea seems attractive Should always be used when action is going to be taken Actually limits negativity by giving it it’s own time and place Like salt – useful in moderation, but dangerous if overused!

17 of 76 Typical Black Hat Statements Typical “black-hat” statements include: –This project does not fit the new regulations on data protection –If too many people accept our offer how will we cope? –It would be very easy to forge these gift vouchers –Those loose pieces may be swallowed by children –In introducing a wage freeze might cost us some of our best people

18 of 76 The Yellow Hat The yellow hat is optimistic and covers hope and positive thinking Explores the benefits of an idea Must give reasons why an idea is valuable or might work Reinforces creative ideas and new directions Takes more work than using the black hat! “Sunny and positive”

19 of 76 Yellow Hat Questions To spur on some yellow hat thinking, try asking the following questions: –What are the advantages? –What are the values in the idea? –Who might benefit from it? –How might the idea be made feasible? –Is the concept behind the idea good? –How might the idea be made more attractive? –Are there any potential values in the idea?

20 of 76 Typical Yellow Hat Statements The following are some typical “yellow-hat” statements: –Optimal flexitime would be attractive to those with families or those that live far away –Using retired people offers the advantage of a more experienced work force –The new packaging would allow us get on more supermarket shelves –Failing that exam was the best thing that ever happened to Jim – he would never have been happy as a hairdresser

21 of 76 The Green Hat The green hat indicates creativity and new ideas Encourages a search for new ideas Seeks to modify and remove faults from existing ideas Makes time for creative effort - brainstorming “Grass, vegetation & abundant fertile growth”

22 of 76 Typical Green Hat Statements Typical “green-hat” statements include: –We could modify this idea by making it optional rather than compulsory –Maybe we could make the box a different colour –How about decreasing the volume by 10% while only reducing the price by 5%? –Some time could be used for training –How about making it circular instead –Why not manufacture hardware as well as software?

23 of 76 Yellow Hat → Black Hat → Green Hat PMI

24 of 76 The Blue Hat The blue hat is concerned with control, the organisation of the thinking process and the use of other hats Thinking about thinking, not the topic The role of the facilitator Makes calls for the group to make decisions Prevents drift and waffle “Cool and the colour of the sky”

25 of 76 Blue Hat Uses During blue hat thinking we’ll decide: –Which of the hats will be used? –In what sequence will they be used? –How long will be spent on each? –Is each hat being used correctly? So, we use it to lay out the thinking agenda The blue hat is slightly different to the others as the facilitator keeps it “half-on” throughout an entire meeting

26 of 76 Typical Blue Hat Statements Some typical “blue-hat” statements: –There is not much information on this topic, we need some white hat thinking –That is a black hat comment we are supposed to be doing yellow hat thinking at the moment –Are there any alternative approaches? It’s time for some green hat thinking –Let’s pause and recap on what’s been decided so far –Before going ahead with this idea it would be good to black hat it first for pitfalls

27 of 76 The Six Thinking Hats Summary Taken from Edward de Bono’s “Six Thinking Hats” White is neutral and objective Red suggests anger, rage and emotions Black is sombre and serious Yellow is sunny and positive Green is grass, vegetation and abundant fertile growth Blue is cool and is the colour of the sky, which is above all else

28 of 76 Quick Exercise Match the statements to the hats – invent context where appropriate Retooling would take a minimum of three months My intuition tells me that won’t work Most of the work on this project has already been done The cost of the plastic tray has increased by 15% She can speak French very well Are we ready to come to a final decision? That secretarial agency is very expensive

29 of 76 Single Use Of The Hats The use of one hat specifically to request a certain type of thinking Useful as a means to direct thinking Examples: –Could you give me your black hat on that? –Everybody take do minutes and green hat the possibilities –I think you might not be happy, give me your red hat of the situation –I don’t think we’ll go ahead with this, but give me a quick yellow hat on it just to be sure

30 of 76 Systematic Use Of The Hats The most common use of the six hats system is in meetings The hats are particularly useful when: –Those in the meeting have strongly held differing views –When there is a rambling discussion not getting anywhere –When time is short and a subject needs to be examined carefully

31 of 76 Advantages Of The Hats The following are the key advantages of using the six hat system: –Harnesses the full power of those present –Saves time –Removes ego –Focuses on one thing at a time – avoids confusion

32 of 76 Six Hat Sequences There are three broad categories of sequences for using the hats: –Fixed sequences Note: Not every hat has to be used and hats can be used more than once if required

33 of 76 Six Hat Sequences (cont…) –Contingent and flexible sequences

34 of 76 Six Hat Sequences (cont…) –Evolving sequences We need an experienced facilitator to make evolving sequences work well However, they are useful for complicated matters that may require long, unpredictable discussion ????

35 of 76 Six Hat Sequences (cont…) The following are a list of possible fixed sequences for different thinking scenarios: –Short sequences First ideas Evaluation (PMI) Explanation –Long sequences Problem solving Creative effort Decision

36 of 76 Six Hat Sequences: First Ideas Blue: Set the focus and define the subject White: Lay out what we know about the situation Green: Generate ideas

37 of 76 Six Hat Sequences: Evaluation (PMI) Yellow: Search for benefits and values Black: Identify difficulties and dangers Green: Generate ideas and alternatives

38 of 76 Six Hat Sequences: Explanation White: Gather information Green: Generate ideas and alternatives

39 of 76 Six Hat Sequences: Problem Solving Blue: Define the problem Green: Generate possible solutions White: Look at all available information Yellow: Check the feasibility of each solution Black: Assess the weaknesses of each solution White: Match between solutions and information Red: Choice of final solution

40 of 76 Six Hat Sequences: Creative Effort Blue: Clarify the creative need Green: Generate ideas White: Look at all available information Yellow: Find the benefits of the ideas Black: Identify the faults in the ideas Red: Decide how we feel about the idea Blue: Summarise the exploration Green: Remove faults

41 of 76 Six Hat Sequences: Decision Blue: Define what we need to decide Green: Generate and review alternatives White: Assess what is known about the situation Yellow: Assess fit of the alternatives Black: Assess lack of fit of the alternatives Black: Assess the decision Blue: Summarise and plan next steps Red: Make a decision

42 of 76 Some Notes About The Sequences The sequences are guidelines, so don’t be afraid to try to roll-your-own Don’t be afraid to use some of the other techniques we have spoken about in conjunction with the hats –Brain storming rules for green hat –Root cause analysis for white hat –Force filed analysis for red hat after yellow and black hats Drop in the blue/red hat periodically for a short period to make sure everything is okay

43 of 76 Using The Six Hats In Meetings When using the hats to run a meeting keep the following in mind: –Set out short amounts of time for each hat 1 minute per person present for each hat (up to ~5 minutes) Much shorter for red hat (~30 seconds) Don’t be afraid to extend/shorten timings –Always use the designated hat –Encourage everybody to get involved under each hat Don’t let people sit there waiting for the black hat to come along!

44 of 76 Using The Six Hats In Meetings (cont…) –Hats are directions, not descriptions –The facilitator always keeps the blue hat on Prompt people to get involved – not for white hat Stop people from talking outside the hats –Conflicts should not arise during six hat meetings, if they do use the hats to put both sides on the table –Copious note should be taken Maybe a page for each hat –Ask people to perform some white hat thinking before the session

45 of 76 Six Hats Exercise 1 First Ideas –“There is a suggestion that after the age of 60 years, people should pay a lower rate of income tax” –In a group perform a three hat first ideas sequence on this Remember to elect a facilitator Remember to keep an eye on the timings

46 of 76 Six Hats Exercise 2 Evaluation (PMI) –“On a prominently displayed board in the workplace each person can indicate one of two things: that he or she is under pressure at the moment and is not available for discussions or further work or that he or she is not under such pressure” –In a group perform a three hat evaluation (PMI) sequence on this Remember to elect a facilitator Remember to keep an eye on the timings

47 of 76 Six Hats Exercise 3 Perform an 8 hat creative effort sequence on one of the following: –“Young students are not taking up science, engineering and technology courses in school or at third level. What can we do about this?” –“As the Irish minister for finance we are going to do something about stamp duty on homes purchased”

48 of 76 Six Hats Summary The six hats is a technique which can be used to guide thinking It’s particular advantages are: –Harnesses the full power of those present –Saves time –Removes ego –Focuses on one thing at a time – avoids confusion Particularly useful for meetings

49 of 76 Six Hats And Teaching/Presentation One novel use of the six hats is using it for presenting information/teaching Use the hats organise the information being presented Here is a quick example on the French resistance prepared by Damian Gordon

The French Resistance

Blue Hat

The French Resistance When Marshal Henri-Philippe Petain came to power in France he immediately began negotiations with Adolf Hitler and on 22nd June 1940 signed an armistice with Germany.

The French Resistance The agreement divided France into occupied and unoccupied The occupied zone was run by the Germans. The unoccupied zone was run by the French government at Vichy under Petain.

White Hat

The French Resistance  Some members of the French Army led by General Charles De Gaulle managed to escape to England. Soon after arriving he made a speech where he argued that : "whatever happens, the flame of French Resistance must not and will not be extinguished."

The French Resistance At first, humiliated by Germany's easy victory, few French people sought to continue the war. There were scattered acts of sabotage but these people were unorganized and in most cases were quickly arrested by the authorities.

The French Resistance After the war General Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote: "Throughout France the Resistance had been of inestimable value in the campaign. Without their great assistance the liberation of France would have consumed a much longer time and meant greater losses to ourselves."

The French Resistance Many of them were former soldiers, others were former socialists and communists who had fled the Gestapo.

The French Resistance Many of them hid in the forested regions, especially in the unoccupied zone.

Yellow Hat

The French Resistance Boosted the morale of theFrench People( propaganda value) Created a governmental structure post-occupation Created leaders amongst the French Created a counter to possible historical recollections of WWII for future generations Inspired later generations of Resistance fighters The downed fliers who were saved by the resistance fighters

Black Hat

The French Resistance the whole military "impact" of the French resistance was less than the impact of RAF pilots in one night. The French resistance fighters blew up bridges, derailed trains, directed the British in the bombing of German troop trains, kidnapped and killed German army officers, and ambushed German troops. The collaboration of the French resistance with the British was a violation of the French Armistice Operating the escape lines for the downed fliers lead to many deaths

Green Hat

Interesting Facts Samuel Beckett Simone de Beauvoir Jean-Paul Sartre Albert Camus

Interesting Facts A number of underground newspapers and magazines were created by the resistance

Interesting Facts On 5th June, 1944, General Dwight D. Eisenhower asked the BBC sent out coded messages to the resistance asking them to carry out acts of resistance during the D-day landings in order to help Allied forces establish a beachhead on the Normandy coast.

Green HatYellow HatBlack Hat P MI

Red Hat

Emotional Phase Emotional and people-oriented aspects of Evacuation(OPV) Imagine what it would be like for a member of the Resistance? Imagine what it would be like for a member of the Vichy ? Were they right to fight ?

White Hat

Summary of New Facts What did we all learn together ?

Blue Hat

Finish Off Thank you very much for your time, and patience, I hope you have a nice weekend. Damian

76 of 73 Questions, Thoughts Or Opinions? ?