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1.5IntermediateModule 01 · Think Like a Strategist

Six Thinking Hats

You need to evaluate an idea, plan, or decision from every angle logic, emotion, risk,

The prompt

Copy & paste ready
1.5Six Thinking Hats
Act as a strategic facilitator using De Bono's Six Thinking Hats. Topic : [YOUR DECISION OR IDEA - be specific] White Hat : Facts and data we have or need? Red Hat : Gut feelings and emotional reactions? Black Hat : Risks, flaws, what could go wrong? Yellow Hat : Benefits and best-case outcomes? Green Hat : Creative alternatives and new directions? Blue Hat : Recommended next step or process? Give 3 specific points per hat. Be concrete, not generic. Six Thinking Hats Process White Hat 1 Focus on facts and data Red Hat 2 Consider emotions and gut reactions Black Hat 3 Identify risks and problems Yellow Hat 4 Explore benefits and upside Green Hat 5 Generate creative alternatives Blue Hat 6 Define process and next steps
LabelsReplace theseSwap the role below

LabelsReplace theseSwap the role below

Pro tip, from the book

Run this twice once for your plan, once asking AI to argue the opposite position. The gap between the two outputs is where the most useful insight is hiding.

Who should run this prompt

Module role profile

Who should reason through this problem? The quality of your thinking is shaped by whose lens you borrow. A strategist and a risk analyst look at the same problem and see completely different things — both useful, both necessary. Before you prompt, choose who you need in the room. These profiles give you six internal perspectives and four outside views that challenge your assumptions before you commit to them.

Choose any role to drop it into the prompt above. Only the highlighted opening clause changes — the rest of the prompt stays exactly as printed.

Internal rolesThink from inside the organisation
Outside perspectivesChallenge your blind spots

◆◆◆◆◆ → ◆ seniority, board level down to specialist outside the organisation

How to make any role sharper

  1. Add years of experience: "...with 15 years in enterprise SaaS" produces different depth than just the title.
  2. Add what they care most about: "You care most about [X]" shapes every word of the output.
  3. Add their communication style: "Be direct. Flag risks first. No jargon." changes the tone entirely.
See also: 1.3 Role Prompting - The Expert Chair

Use this when

The problem it solves

creativity, facts, and process and your team debates from fixed positions instead of structured perspectives.

How the framework works

From the printed page

Created by Edward de Bono, Six Hats forces parallel thinking everyone examines the same dimension at the same time. White Hat: facts and data. Red Hat: emotions and gut reactions. Black Hat: risks and problems. Yellow Hat: benefits and upside. Green Hat: creative alternatives. Blue Hat: process and next steps. AI runs all six in a single prompt.

The method, in four moves

Do these in order
1

Write a clear, specific description of your idea or decision.

2

Paste the prompt and read each hat section fully never skip Black Hat.

3

Use Green Hat output as your brainstorm starting point for next steps.

4

For team decisions, share the output and discuss where instinct differs. Acomplete 360-degree view of any decision or idea Edward de Bono created Six Thinking Hats in 1985 after observing that most disagreements in meetings were really people thinking in different modes simultaneously, some analysing facts, others protecting feelings, others generating ideas. Separating the modes eliminated 80% of unproductive conflict. The method is now used in over 50 countries in boardrooms and classrooms. ORIGIN STORY

Where the framework comes from

Edward de Bono, Six Thinking Hats, 1985

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Prompt extracted18 Sept 2026
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