#thinking hats

⚪️White Hat: Look at the situation objectively – What are the facts? Figures, Information, Details, Proof

🔴Red Hat: Look at the situation emotionally – What is your feelings tell you? Guesses, Hunches, Gut Reactions

🔵Blue Hat: Think broadly – What is the best overall solution? Working Out, Analysis, Organisation, Reasoning, Thinking

🟢Green Hat: Think creatively – What are some alternative ideas? Solutions, Recommendations, Proposals, Possibilities

🟡Yellow Hat: Use a positive perspective – Which elements of the solution will work? Benefits, Advantages, Improvements, Optimism

Oh, hang on... I just found it!

I just had a brain wave, and although I felt a little bit stupid at first, I feel so relieved now. Basically, for some reason my "creative student thinking hat" got blown off in the wind and I must have accidentally put on my "day job thinking hat". 

I've made a decision; No, my project / brand is not about how to settle in the UK, deal with culture shock or how to open a bank account. It is about being creative! 

For some reason part of me still thought I had to cover all aspects of student support with this project (just like a university or government might do), but actually, whatever I do will be a lot stronger and authentic if I focus on the one thing that kept me going from the day I got here to today, and that's my aspirations and creative drive.  

Let's think about my initial research question again: "How can graphic design provide information and support to international art and design students in GB"

There are many ways how this can be done, and I identified various areas of providing this support to students. But actually, my idea, in fact the key idea is, that by reminding students why they are here in the first place - no matter how down they are, or if they get stuck, if they find that inner creative drive and are inspired to follow your aspirations, you'll be able to deal with just about anything. 

Having made the conscious decision to focus on the creativity aspect will not only help me focus, but I also feel more passionate about my project and in fact I can finally put on my "design student thinking hat" again. It should make it a lot easier to rework my brand's proposition and to rethink my primary research approach.

Thinking Method: Six Thinking Hats

How do you get time for creative thinking? How can you ask someone to make some creative effort? How do you stop someone from being persistently negative? How do you encourage people to look at the benefits of an idea? How do you express your intuition and gut feeling in a serious meeting?

Used with well-defined and explicit Return On Investment success in corporations worldwide, Six Thinking…

Update:

Dear Science Circus 2012,

The Psychic Knitting Society of North QLD has chosen you to receive a random act of kindness.

 Many hours, stitches and metres of yarn have gone into crafting twenty, one of a kind          "Thinking Hats". Thinking hats are for those times when you need to be inspired or when you want to inspire someone else.

In order to receive a Thinking Hat you need to play the game of swap or steal.

So get ready to play the game.

Everyone is to take a number to determine the order in which you play.

Number one takes a parcel and puts the content on their head to model for the group.

Number two then chooses a parcel and puts the content on their head. They have a choice of either keeping their hat or forcing number one to swap with them.

Number three chooses their parcel and puts the content on their head. There are now more choices- keep, swap or "force a swap between two others".

You should get the hang of the game by now. Continue until you have all had a turn.

Now number one don't be feeling ripped off. You have the last say in the game. You now get your chance to keep, swap of force a swap between two others.

Now play the game

I hope you  enjoy your Thinking Hats, now you need to pay it forward and perform a random act of kindness yourself within the next week- see if you can put a smile on the face of someone else.                              It can be as simple as helping someone carry something or putting a note on someone's desk to give a positive affirmation or doing something for a total stranger. So get out there and inspire others. Put your thinking hats on!

Be inspired from the Psychic Knitting Society of North QLD.