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Six Thinking Hats

The whole team wears one thinking mode at a time: facts, feelings, risks, benefits, ideas, and process. Prevents debate ping-pong and gives quiet voices structure.

Steps

  1. 5 min
    Blue hat: set up

    Explain the hats and agree the focus question for the retro.

  2. 10 min
    White hat: facts

    Only data and events from the sprint — no interpretation yet.

  3. 10 min
    Red hat: feelings

    Gut reactions to the sprint — no justification required.

  4. 12 min
    Black hat: risks

    What could go wrong, what's fragile, what worries us.

  5. 12 min
    Yellow hat: benefits

    What went well and why; what strengths can we build on.

  6. 16 min
    Green hat: ideas

    Generate improvements freely — build on others, defer judgment.

  7. 10 min
    Blue hat: wrap up

    Pick the strongest ideas and turn them into owned actions.