De Bono's DATT Techniques

Direct Attention Thinking Tools (DATT)™

We’ve all said it. Too much to do, too little time. But what if you could really focus. Cut out all the distractions and funnel your thoughts until you drill down to the right action? Think how much more you could accomplish. DATT gives you 10 simple strategies for sharpening your perception and focusing your thinking in a more comprehensive, effective and efficient way. DATT will enable you to have a broad and inclusive viewpoint. The tools create a framework for defining a situation. That framework will improve your ability to consider consequences before you take action.

Our modern lives - both business and personal - are very fast paced and full of action. We often confuse action with accomplishment and frequently jump to action without enough thought. We love to take action and see what happens - if it’s good, we keep going; if it’s bad, we stop and clean up the mess we have created. Sure, it’s better than doing nothing at all but it’s inefficient at best and costly at its worst.

Tool 1 -- Consequences and Sequels - Look ahead to see the consequences of an action, plan, decision, or rule.

Tool 2 -- Plus, Minus, Interesting - Ensure that all sides of a matter have been considered before a decision or commitment is made.

Tool 3 -- Recognize, Analyze, Divide - Break a larger concept into smaller, more manageable parts.

Tool 4 -- Consider All Factors - Explore all factors related to an action, decision, plan, judgment, or conclusion.

Tool 5 -- Aims, Goals, Objectives - Focus directly and deliberately on the intentions behind actions.

Tool 6 -- Alternatives, Possibilities, Choices - Deliberately try to find other ways.

Tool 7 -- Other People’s Views - Put yourself in others’ shoes.

Tool 8 -- Key Values Involved - Ensure that your thinking serves your values.

Tool 9 -- First Important Priorities - Select the most important ideas, factors, objectives, consequences, etc.

Tool 10 -- Design/Decision, Outcome, Channels, Action - Direct attention to the outcome of the thinking and action that follows.

For More on DATT - http://www.debonothinkingsystems.com/