Ideal Analysis for Decision Making in Critical Situations through Six Thinking Hats Method

Abstract

Six thinking hats is a recently introduced technique which outlines different thinking styles associated with analysing a given problem in an effective way. Six hats correspond to six different thinking styles used in a systematic problem solving procedure with different approaches. Alternately, by conceptualizing each type of hat with a different colour, the person focuses on the predominant style of thinking associated with each colour so that the problem can be analysed from different angles or frame of references. This method supports lateral thinking possibilities and enables new outcomes during problem solving sessions so that the optimum solution can be reached. Each type of hat generates plenty of solutions to any situation/problem based on neutral quantitative judgement, humanistic thinking, optimistic, creative, negative or managerial thinking and choosing the best solution among each possibility is the first stage. The best solution thus chosen gives a set of optimum solutions. The best out of all these optimum solutions is the ideal solution. In this paper, we have tried to examine how six thinking hats technique could be used in the ideal analysis for decision making in critical situations.