Think of the blue sky.
The sky is above everything.
If you were up in the sky you would be looking down at everything below.
With blue-hat thinking you are above the thinking: you are looking down at the thinking.
With blue-hat thinking you are thinking about thinking.
The blue hat is the overview.
The blue hat is the process control.
The blue hat is like the conductor of the orchestra.
With all the other hats we think about the subject matter, but with the blue hat we think about our thinking.
1. Where are we now?
2. What is the next step?
3. Program for thinking
4. Summary
5. Observation and comment
A person who puts on the blue hat steps back from the thinking that is going on in order to watch that thinking.
The blue-hat thinker may suggest the use of another hat, or a summary, or a definition of the focus etc. It may be that no one knows what to do next, so a suggestion is necessary.
It may be that everyone wants to do something different next, so a decision is required.
If there is a clear view of the next step then that step can be taken.
Instead of just choosing the next step, the blue hat can be used for setting out a whole program of thinking on the subject.
This is an agenda or sequence in which various thinking steps will be taken.
The program could cover the whole meeting or apply just to one subject or part of a subject.
In some cases the program may consist of a sequence of the thinking hats.
The blue hat treats thinking in a formal manner.
Just as a computer programmer sets up a program for a computer so the blue hat can set up the program for thinking.
The blue-hat thinker is above the thinking and looking down at what is happening.
So the blue-hat thinker observes and comments.
‘It seems to me that all we have been doing is argue about the objective of this meeting.’
‘We set out to consider some alternatives and we have only considered one so far.’
This blue-hat function makes thinkers conscious of their thinking behaviour.
In practice many people use the blue hat without saying they are doing so.
It is better to declare it openly.
Over-use is not a real problem but must be avoided.
Occasional use is more effective.
The green hat is for action and creativity: for ideas, suggestions and proposals.
These do not have to be worked out in detail.
The blue hat is for the control of the thinking process itself.
Just as we need to be aware of the focus and purpose so we should also be able to set the focus and purpose.
Both from moment to moment and also in setting a thinking agenda (blue hat) you should be able to pick out and define different focus areas—and what you want to do with each focus area.
Overview and control of the thinking process itself.
Direct relationship to AGO, focus and purpose, outcome and conclusion.
Think of the blue sky above.
Think of "overview."
The blue hat is for thinking about thinking.
The blue hat is like the conductor of the orchestra.
The conductor gets the best out of the orchestra by seeing that what should be done is done at the right time.
The blue hat is like the ringmaster of a circus.
The blue hat is for the management of thinking.
The blue hat is for the organization of thinking.
The blue hat is for process control.
Using the blue hat at the beginning of a thinking session defines the situation.
The blue hat may seek alternative definitions of a problem.
The blue hat lays out the purpose of the thinking.
The blue hat lays out what is to be achieved.
It is under the initial blue hat that the agenda or sequence of use of the other hats is laid out.
The blue hat may also specify other thinking processes — even if the hats are not to be used.
The blue hat sets the thinking "strategy."
During the session the blue hat keeps the discipline and ensures that people keep to the relevant hat.
The blue hat also announces a change of hats.
Typically the blue hat is worn by the facilitator, chairperson or leader of the session.
This is a permanent role.
In addition, during a specific blue hat session, anyone can make procedural suggestions.
At the end of a session the blue hat asks for the outcome.
This may be in the form of a summary, a conclusion, a decision, a solution and so on.
The blue hat may even acknowledge that little progress has been made.
Under the final blue hat the next steps can be laid out.
These might be action steps or further thinking on some points.
Control of Thinking
Thinking about thinking.
Instructions for thinking.
The organization of thinking.
Control of the other hats.
«§§§»
Wearing the blue hat we are no longer thinking about the subject; instead, we are thinking about the thinking needed to explore that subject.
The color blue symbolizes overview control since the sky covers everything.
Blue also suggests detachment and being cool and in control.
Computers follow their programs, which tell them what to do from one moment to the next.
The blue hat is the programming hat for human thinking.
Wearing the blue hat we can lay out a plan for thinking with details of what should be happening in a defined sequence.
We can also use the blue hat to give moment-to-moment instructions.
The different ballet steps need a choreographer to arrange them in sequence.
The blue hat is worn when we want to choreograph the steps of our thinking.
This notion of formally structured thinking is very different from the notion of thinking as a free-flowing discussion with no overall structure.
«§§§»
… My blue hat thinking definitely suggests that we ought to be looking for alternatives at this point.
«§§§»
… We do not have much time to consider this matter, so we must use our time effectively.
Would someone like to suggest a blue hat structure for our thinking?
«§§§»
… We have not got anywhere so far.
Putting on my blue hat I would suggest we have some red hat thinking to clear the air.
What do we actually feel about this proposal to decrease overtime?
«§§§»
Thinking often proceeds as drift and waffle and reaction to what turns up from moment to moment.
There is a background sense of purpose, but this is never spelled out either as an overall objective or as sub-objectives.
Suggestions, judgement, criticism, information and plain emotion are all mixed together in a sort of thinking stew.
It seems to be a matter of messing around until a thinker stumbles on some tried approach that seems to achieve what is desired.
It is a haphazard exploration of experience strongly guided by negative criticism.
The underlying assumption is that reasonably intelligent people provided with enough background information will, in the course of a discussion, list the action options and choose the most suitable.
There is also the assumption that the thinking will be molded by past experience and present constraints in such a way that an outcome "evolves" and is purified by criticism.
The analogy with evolution is a direct one, for in Darwinian evolution there is survival of the fittest species and in thinking there is survival of the best-suited idea.
For the harsh pressures of the environment, we substitute the harsh pressures of negativity.
In this type of thinking it follows that those taking part already have the proposals from among which the solution is going to be chosen.
These proposals may have been arrived at through personal thinking or may have been provided by "experts."
In this book I am concerned with the mapmaking type of thinking in which the terrain is first explored and noted.
Then the possible routes are observed and finally a choice of route is made.
Those involved in a situation will claim that their thinking on the matter is taking place all the time and not just when they sit down for a formal discussion.
Indeed, the purpose of such discussions is not so much to think as to exchange the results of the thinking that has already taken place beforehand.
At this point we are getting close to the argument type of debate which is so typical of Western thinking.
I would be happy if I felt that a great deal of mapmaking thinking had gone on before the different views were designed.
This is only rarely the case.
The thinker quickly looks around for a view based on experience and prejudice and then seeks to have that view refined through argument.
This is typified by the traditional method of writing essays in school.
The pupil is encouraged to write the conclusion in the first line of the essay and then to use the essay to support that conclusion.
Thinking is used for support not exploration.
The same thing happens with politics and in the courtroom.
Both sides start out with established positions.
The to and fro of argument provides the momentum for the thinking.
That is why so many people find it easier to think in a group than on their own.
Thinking on one's own has much more need of a blue hat structure.
If we are going to adopt the mapmaking type of thinking, we need to have structure.
Attack and defense can no longer provide structure.
Just as an explorer needs some plan of procedure, so the thinker needs some organizing structure.
A blue hat structure might provide a plan of what is to happen at every moment rather like a computer program.
More often blue hat thinking controls discussion-type thinking in much the same way as a coachman controls the horses by guiding them from moment to moment.
«§§§»
… White hat thinking at this stage.
«§§§»
… Now we need some proposals.
«§§§»
That means yellow hat thinking.
Concrete suggestions please.
«§§§»
… Just hold off your black hat thinking for a moment because I am not satisfied with the ideas we have.
Let's have some green hat thinking at this point.
«§§§»
Most often it will be a matter of inserting the occasional thinking hat into an ongoing discussion of the traditional type .
«§§§»
… I want to get from each of you your red hat thinking on this.
If you remember, when you are wearing the red thinking hat you are allowed to put forward your emotions and feelings without having to justify them in any way at all.
«§§§»
… You may not know it but you have been using black hat thinking — that is to say negative judgement.
You have told us why it will not work.
Now I want you to switch for a few moments to yellow hat thinking.
This is where you make a positive assessment.
«§§§»
… I don't want your opinions or your suggestions.
I want a few minutes of pure white hat thinking.
The facts and the figures without interpretation.
«§§§»
… I think we need to pause and to do some blue hat thinking.
Forget about the subject for the moment.
How should we organize our thinking?
«§§§»
It should be said that blue hat thinking is not limited to organizing the use of the other hats.
Blue hat thinking can also be used to organize other aspects of thinking such as the assessment of priorities or the listing of constraints.
Focus
Asking the right questions.
Defining the problem.
Setting the thinking tasks.
«§§§»
The focus aspect is one of the key roles of blue hat thinking.
The difference between a good thinker and a poor thinker often lies in the ability to focus.
What should the thinking be about?
It is not enough to be conscious of the broad purpose of the thinking.
«§§§»
… We want to focus on preparing a range of possible responses to price cutting by our competitors.
«§§§»
… Let's focus on what each of us wants from this holiday.
… Umbrellas and advertising.
I want creative ideas on how ordinary umbrellas could be used for advertising.
«§§§»
… How can we get satisfied guests to encourage their friends to use our hotel?
This is the specific focus.
«§§§»
… The broad focus is on finding new market segments to use our fast-food outlets.
The tight focus is on getting old people to use our facilities at off-peak times.
A focus can be broad or it can be narrow.
Within a broad focus there may be several tight foci.
The important thing about a focus is that it should be spelled out in a definite manner.
Blue hat thinking should be used specifically to bring about definition of the focus.
Blue hat thinking should be used to monitor any drift from this focus.
Time spent thinking about the thinking is not time wasted.
«§§§»
… I am putting on my blue hat to say that we have drifted very far from what we set out to think about.
We do have a lot of interesting ideas but none of them are relevant to the starting focus.
We need to get back on track.
Any more blue hat comments?
«§§§»
… Put on your blue hats and say how you think we are doing.
Are we getting anywhere?
«§§§»
Asking a question is the simplest way of focusing thinking.
It is very often said that asking the right question may be the most important part of thinking.
Unfortunately, it is much easier to ask the right questions in hindsight — after the answer has been provided.
Nevertheless, careful attention to the framing and focus of a question is an important aspect of blue hat thinking.
Questions are divided into two types.
There is a fishing question, which is exploratory (like putting bait on a hook but not knowing quite what might turn up).
There is a shooting question, which is used to check out a point and which has a direct yes or no answer (like aiming at a bird and hitting or missing).
«§§§»
… The question is not so much what we do but when we do it.
Timing is vital.
What factors should we consider in this timing?
«§§§»
… The question is whether the tax advantages were really perceived by the client or whether they just provided our salesmen with a convenient selling point for insurance.
A problem is really only a special type of question: how do we achieve this?
The definition of the problem is important, otherwise the solution may be irrelevant or unnecessarily cumbersome.
Is this the real problem?
Why do we want to solve this problem?
What is the underlying problem?
«§§§»
… The cold weather is not really the problem.
People's perception of the cold weather is the problem.
That we can change.
«§§§»
… The problem is not that we have no snow but that we have no skiing.
So we take people in buses to where the snow is.
«§§§»
Instead of presuming to find the best problem definition, it is more practical to set out a range of alternative definitions.
This is all part of blue hat thinking.
It is also the role of the blue hat thinker to set specific thinking tasks.
This is even more important when an individual is thinking on his or her own.
«§§§»
… Set out the objective of this meeting.
What sort of outcome would we regard as successful?
«§§§»
… Start by listing the areas of agreement between the two parties.
«§§§»
… The thinking task is to figure out how we might decide this point here and now.
«§§§»
… List four "idea-sensitive areas" to do with school education.
«§§§»
… Black hat our current advertising campaign.
«§§§»
A thinking task may be bite-sized or it may be broad.
A thinking task may require a specific achievement or it may ask for input within an area.
«§§§»
… I just want some exploratory ideas on this business of shopping via TV.
«§§§»
… How can we find out whether their strategy has been successful?
«§§§»
… Why are we having difficulty in deciding between these alternatives?
«§§§»
When a thinking task cannot be carried out, then a note of that failure needs to be made.
«§§§»
… We have not come up with an explanation of this increase in candy eating.
We shall have to come back to it later and see if we can produce some testable hypotheses.
«§§§»
… We have not come up with any ideas for increasing the consumption of lamb.
Perhaps we had better break it down into subproblems.
«§§§»
The blue hat thinker holds up the target and says, "This is it.
Shoot in this direction."
Program Design
Step by step.
Software for thinking.
Choreography.
«§§§»
Computers have their software, which tells them what to do at every instant.
Without software a computer cannot work.
One of the functions of blue hat thinking is to design software for thinking about a particular matter.
It is possible to have fixed structures which can be applied to any situation.
What I want to look at in this section is customized software which is designed for each situation.
«§§§»
… We will start with some blue hat thinking to design the program we want to follow.
«§§§»
… This is an unusual situation.
Where do we start?
What should we be thinking about?
«§§§»
At the end of the last section I mentioned that most of the time six hat thinking will consist of occasional interventions in the course of normal discussion/argument type thinking.
There will be occasional requests for a specific type of thinking symbolized by a thinking hat.
Here I want to consider the formal program possibility which does lay down a sequence of steps.
There is free dance in which the dancers improvise from moment to moment in order to express the overall theme.
Then there is formal ballet in which each step is precisely determined by the choreography.
It is this choreography aspect of blue hat thinking that I am concerned with here.
But I do not want the reader to think that this is the way six hat thinking should be used all the time.
I also want to make clear — as I have done before — that blue hat programs can include many more aspects of thinking than just the six hats.
«§§§»
… We should start by analyzing all the factors that we must take into account in designing this line of children's clothes.
«§§§»
… We should start by mapping out the areas of agreement, the areas of disagreement and the areas of irrelevance in this dispute.
«§§§»
The program will vary from situation to situation.
The program for solving a problem will differ from the program used to design a boat.
A negotiations program will not be the same as a decision program.
Even within the area of decision making, the program used for one decision may differ from that used for another.
The blue hat thinker customizes the program to fit the situation, just as a carpenter plans how he is going to make a chair or a cabinet.
Should the subject be one about which the thinkers have strong feelings, then it would make sense to put red hat thinking first on the program.
This would bring the feelings to the surface and make them visible.
Without this red hat thinking each person might seek to express his or her emotions indirectly through other means, such as excessive black hat thinking.
Once the emotions are made visible, then a thinker is more free of them.
There may even be more pressure on that thinker to be objective.
The next step might be white hat thinking so that all the relevant information can be put on the table.
It is usually necessary to go back to white hat thinking from time to time — as a sort of subroutine — in order to check out different points.
Yellow hat thinking is then used to put forward existing proposals and suggestions.
There can be an interplay between blue hat thinking and yellow hat thinking as the blue hat thinking asks questions and pinpoints problem areas.
White hat thinking can also put forward state-of-the-art approaches to the problem.
«§§§»
… In the past what we have done in these situations is as follows.
«§§§»
… The traditional approaches are known to you all.
Nevertheless, I shall repeat them.
«§§§»
Blue hat thinking might define focus areas that need new concepts.
Green hat thinking would then try to generate some new concepts.
Alternately, there could be a formal green hat period in which each individual thinker carried out his or her own creative pause .
«§§§»
… I would like to see if there might be any simpler ways of adjusting premium payments to an individual's cash flow.
«§§§»
… There has to be a better way of selling books.
I want to green hat that.
«§§§»
At this point a spell of blue hat thinking would organize the available proposals so that there was a formal list.
The proposals might then be put into different categories: those requiring individual appraisal, those requiring further amplification, those which just need to be noted.
A mixture of white hat, yellow hat and green hat thinking might now take place in order to develop and take further each of the proposals.
This is the constructive thinking phase.
Pure yellow hat thinking is now used to give a positive assessment to each of the alternatives that are regarded as serious possibilities.
Black hat thinking is now used in a screening sense.
The purpose of black hat thinking is to point out which alternatives are impossible or unusable.
Black hat thinking can also challenge the value of alternatives that are usable.
Yellow hat and green hat thinking is now used to overcome the objectives made by black hat thinking: faults are to be corrected; weaknesses are to be removed; problems are to be solved.
There is a further black hat scrutiny to point out risks, dangers and shortfalls.
Next might follow a blue hat spell which puts together an overview of what has been achieved and also organizes the "choice of route" strategy.
Red hat thinking now follows to allow the thinkers to express their feelings on the available choices.
The choice procedure now follows as a mixture of yellow and black hat thinking looking for the alternative that best fits the needs.
Finally a blue hat session sets out the strategy for thinking about implementation.
All this may seem a rather complex sequence, but in practice each idiom flows naturally into the next one — like changing gears when driving.
Where there is to be a fixed program, it is essential that it be made visible to each person taking part in the thinking.
If a thinker knows that a black hat session will be coming up shortly, he or she will feel less compelled to put in black hat interjections for fear that otherwise a point will slip by.
It should be remembered that most thinking is actually a mixture of black and white hats — with unexpressed red hat emotions in the background.
«§§§»
… This is what we need to do on this sort of occasion.
«§§§»
… This is why what you suggest will not work.
«§§§»
The blue hat program can be predetermined by someone who is leading the thinking session or it can be designed by blue hat thinking on the part of all present at the session.
Summaries and Conclusions
Observation and overview.
Comment.
Summaries, conclusions, harvesting and reports.
«§§§»
The blue hat thinker is looking at the thinking that is taking place.
He is the choreographer who designs the steps, but he is also the critic who watches what is happening.
The blue hat thinker is not driving the car along the road, but he is watching the driver.
He is also noting the route that is being taken.
The blue hat thinker can make comments on what he or she observes.
«§§§»
… We are spending too much time arguing about this point.
Let us just note it down as a point on which there are conflicting views.
«§§§»
… We seem to be much concerned with the cost of this operation, but we have not yet determined if it would provide any benefit.
Surely that should come first.
«§§§»
… David, you keep pushing this same idea all the time.
We do have a note of it as a strong possibility and we will examine it later.
I think we should try for some further alternatives.
This is meant to be an exploration not an argument.
«§§§»
From time to time the blue hat thinker gives an overview of what has been happening and what has been achieved.
He or she is the person who stands by the flip chart and sets out to list the generated alternatives.
… Let's summarize what we have achieved so far.
«§§§»
… I am going to go through the major points that we have discussed.
If someone disagrees with my summary, let me know.
«§§§»
It is the task of the blue hat thinker to pull into shape what may seem to have been a chaotic discussion.
Although I refer to the blue hat thinker as a single person, it is always possible for these blue hat tasks to be carried out by all members of the group.
Indeed, one blue hat thinker can ask everyone else to put on the blue hat and carry out the task.
«§§§»
… I suggest we pause here.
I suggest we all put on our blue hats and spend the next few minutes individually summarizing what we feel has been achieved so far.
«§§§»
… Let's go around the table.
Put on your blue hats and tell me where we have got to.
«§§§»
Just as it is the role of the blue hat thinker to summarize what has been achieved from time to time, so it is also a blue hat function to pull together the final conclusions.
«§§§»
… Wearing my blue hat it seems to me that our conclusions are as follows.
«§§§»
… Are we all agreed that these are the conclusions that we reached?
«§§§»
It is the business of blue hat thinking to make the final summary and prepare the report.
This does not mean that it is the role of one individual (though it may be).
It means that each thinker switches into his blue hat role to comment accurately and objectively on the thinking that has taken place.
One of the blue hat functions is to be a photographer who observes and records the thinking that is taking place and has taken place.
Control and Monitoring
The chairperson.
Discipline and focus.
Who is in charge?
«§§§»
Normally the chairperson at any meeting has an automatic blue hat function.
He or she keeps order and makes sure that the agenda is observed.
It is possible to assign a specific blue hat role to someone other than the chairperson.
This blue hat thinker will then have the task of monitoring the thinking within the framework set by the chairperson.
It may well be that the chairperson is not himself or herself particularly skilled in monitoring thinking.
I also want to emphasize that anyone at a meeting can exercise a blue hat function.
«§§§»
… I am reaching for my blue thinking hat to say that Ms. Brown's comments are inappropriate at this point.
«§§§»
… I am going to put on my blue hat in order to say that I think we are straying away from the central issue.
«§§§»
… My blue hat thinking tells me that we should define this point as a key problem, then we should attempt to tackle this problem — now or later.
«§§§»
Blue hat thinking makes sure that the rules of the game are observed.
This discipline aspect may be the role of the chairperson or the appointed blue hat thinker, but it is also open to anyone to comment.
«§§§»
… This is red hat thinking.
We want your feelings, not why you hold them.
«§§§»
… I am sorry, that is clearly black hat thinking and out of order at this point.
«§§§»
… That is not the way to treat an idea under green hat thinking.
You are supposed to use movement not judgement.
«§§§»
… Is that really supposed to be white hat information?
It seems more like red hat feeling.
«§§§»
… The blue hat role is to summarize the thinking that has taken place, not to argue in favor of one alternative.
«§§§»
In practice there is quite a lot of overlap between the different hats and there is no need to be pedantic about it.
There may be a lot of overlap between yellow hat and green hat thinking.
There may be a lot of overlap between white hat and red hat thinking due to mixtures of facts and opinions.
It is also impractical to keep switching hats with every remark one makes.
What is important is that if a defined thinking mode has been set the thinkers should be making a conscious effort to think in that manner.
If it is to be yellow hat thinking, then it must be yellow hat thinking.
When no specific hat has been requested, it is unnecessary to suppose that every single comment must fall under one hat or another.
It is also perfectly in order for someone to interject a procedural comment without formally indicating that he is using the blue hat.
On the other hand, it is very important formally to identify the hats from time to time.
It is not enough to suppose that the type of hat will follow from the remark.
It is precisely the discipline of trying to follow a thinking mode that is important.
Otherwise we are back to the waffle and argument mode.
One of the major tasks of blue hat control will be to break up arguments.
«§§§»
… I think the increase in turkey meat sales is due to health consciousness.
«§§§»
… I think it is simply due to the cheaper price.
«§§§»
At this point a blue hat thinker might ask if there is any white hat information that might settle the point.
«§§§»
… As we cannot settle this point, we should note down that there are two offered explanations for this trend.
We do not have to decide which is the right one.
«§§§»
So both points are put on the thinking map.
In this particular case both points of view may be correct.
At other times the two views may be mutually incompatible.
Nevertheless, both views can be noted.
Further discussion can take place later.
«§§§»
… We can now come back to that point we could not decide upon earlier.
Would this be seen as predatory pricing?
Let us now focus directly upon that point.
«§§§»
… Mr. Jones thinks that a guarantee on holiday prices will make a big difference to sales.
Ms. Adams thinks that it will not and that it could prove very expensive.
Let's spend some time examining this point.
What does white hat thinking have to offer?
If we had had such a guarantee in past years, what would it have cost us?
«§§§»
A powerful way of treating opposing ideas is to suppose that each one is correct under certain circumstances.
«§§§»
… Under what circumstances would Mr.Jones be right?
Under what circumstances would Ms. Adams be right?
«§§§»
Both sides can then be seen to be right.
The next step is to see which of the two sets of circumstances most closely resembles the actual state of affairs.
The same approach can also be used in the evaluation of ideas by using the best home method.
What would be the best home for this idea?
«§§§»
… This product would be wonderful for a large company with market dominance.
This other product would be suitable for a small company trying to carve out a market niche.
Well, which are we?
«§§§»
There are times when the blue hat thinker has to be quite blunt.
«§§§»
… We seem to have got stuck in an argument.
We'll note both points of view and come back to it later.
«§§§»
… We are using the map mode and not the argument mode.
If you have different points of view, just note them.
«§§§»
Don't try to prove that yours is right and the other one is wrong.
«§§§»
… You have both had your say.
To go any further is arguing and that is not what we are here to do.
«§§§»
… Will you please stop arguing.
«§§§»
… I want each of you to do some yellow hat thinking on the other person's point of view.
That should stop the argument.
«§§§»
The formality of the blue hat allows any thinker to be much more direct than would otherwise be the case.
Summary of Blue Hat Thinking
The blue hat is the control hat.
The blue hat thinker organizes the thinking itself.
Blue hat thinking is thinking about the thinking needed to explore the subject.
The blue hat thinker is like the conductor of the orchestra.
The blue hat thinker calls for the use of the other hats.
The blue hat thinker defines the subjects toward which the thinking is to be directed.
Blue hat thinking sets the focus.
Blue hat thinking defines the problems and shapes the questions.
Blue hat thinking determines the thinking tasks that are to be carried through.
Blue hat thinking is responsible for summaries, overviews and conclusions.
These can take place from time to time in the course of the thinking and also at the end.
Blue hat thinking monitors the thinking and ensures that the rules of the game are observed.
Blue hat thinking stops argument and insists on the map type of thinking.
Blue hat thinking enforces the discipline.
Blue hat thinking may be used for occasional interjections which request a hat.
Blue hat thinking may also be used to set up a step-by-step sequence of thinking operations which are to be followed just as a dance follows the choreography.
Even when the specific blue hat thinking role is assigned to one person, it is still open to anyone to offer blue hat comments and suggestions.
