Edward de Bono invented the term 'Lateral Thinking'.  Recently he developed the concept of 'Six Hats Thinking'.

The traditional problem in meetings has been:
- Someone presents a new idea.
- Others think of the problems with it.
- Another person with an idea keeps quiet – does not want to be ridiculed.
- Creative thinking is stifled.

Edward de Bono is a world famous author of many books on creative and lateral thinking. He described in 'Serious Creativity', the idea of six hats thinking which is to avoid the traditional western style of argumentation where people take opposing sides of an argument. The concept recognises six styles of thinking. The object is to manage the six styles to enhance creative outcomes.


* White:
Neutral in an argument.
Concerned 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?

* Red:
Fire and warm. 
Has to do with feelings and emotions, intuition, hunches:
	What I feel about this project is … 
	My gut feeling is that this proposal will … 
	My intuition tells me that prices will … 


* Black:
The stern judge or parent. 
Comes down heavily on wrong doers.
Is critical.
Advises caution and care:
	The regulations do not permit us to do that.
	We do not have the production capacity to meet that order.
	When we raised the price, sales dropped off.
	He has no experience to do that job.

* Yellow:
Sunshine and optimism. 
Positive outlook - thinks how to make a plan work.
Looks at the benefits of a plan or project:
	This plan can work if we start here ... 
	That is a good idea after we have ...  

* Green:
Lush vegetation and growth.
Creative thinking, new ideas, provocation, alternatives and hypotheticals:
	We need some new ideas here.
	We are stuck - does any one have another idea.
	Could we do this work more efficiently if … 
	Could there be another reason why this is happening …  

* Blue:
Think to the sky and overview.
Looks at the process, how something is being done.
Asks for summaries and offers summaries.
Normally the organiser of a meeting.
Sets the agenda for which thinking hat to wear:
	We have spent much too long on this unimportant point.
	I suggest we try some green hat thinking to get new ideas.

Cereal consumption 1999 in Venezuela:
Total domestic production = 2.16 million Mt
Total exports = 0.04 – 0.06 million Mt
Total imports – 2.16 million Mt

How can Venezuela become self-sufficient in the cereals that it needs?
The goal: Food Sovereignty.

Use Six Hats Thinking to come to proposals and solutions ...

White hat – neutral, information
Red Hat – feelings, intuitions, hunches
Black Hat – cautious, regulations, legalities
Yellow Hat – positive, optimistic
Green Hat – creative, original, unrestrained
Blue Hat – processes, organises, summarises