Edward de Bono's thinking hats

The method gives a subject a thorough working-over from several points of view.

It comes from Edward de Bono, a psychologist who worked on methods of creative thinking.

When to use it

1. When you are weighing up a decision and want to know what its consequences will be.
2. When arguments break out and start circling a handful of details.
3. When you are looking at what solving a problem would do to the organisation.

When not to use it

1. When you are trying to understand how (5W+H) and why (5 Why; the Ishikawa diagram) a problem came about.