Action Learning and Six Thinking Hats

Covering Assessment Criterion 1.4 of 5CO02, this video examines two collaborative approaches to decision-making: Action Learning, developed by Professor Reg Revans in the 1940s, and Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats methodology. Revans's formula — L = P + Q, where Learning equals Programmed knowledge plus Questioning insight — sits at the heart of the Action Learning discussion, and the video explains how this challenges conventional expert-driven problem-solving. De Bono's framework, which separates thinking into six distinct modes represented by coloured hats (White, Red, Black, Yellow, Green, and Blue), is introduced as a structured means of preventing the cognitive confusion that arises when fact-finding, risk evaluation, emotional response, and idea generation all occur simultaneously.

The video examines how Action Learning Sets function in practice, covering their typical composition, the nature of the real organisational challenges members bring, and the central role of questioning over advising. It addresses how the structured questioning process within a set can surface unexamined assumptions, introduce fresh perspectives from people across different functions, and maintain momentum through a commitment to action. The Six Thinking Hats discussion covers both sequential and selective uses of the framework, including the coordinating role of the Blue Hat and the specific function lateral thinking plays when the Green Hat mode is applied.

Both approaches are considered within the broader landscape of decision-making processes referenced in 5CO02's indicative content, which also includes best fit, future pacing, and the problem-outcome frame. The video addresses how Action Learning is particularly suited to novel, complex challenges, while Six Thinking Hats lends itself to group decisions requiring comprehensive, structured exploration. It also touches on how multiple frameworks can be combined within a single decision-making process rather than treated as mutually exclusive alternatives.