Generate ideas
Crazy 8s
Also called Crazy eights
Sketch eight different ideas in eight minutes, one a minute, to get past the first obvious idea fast.
- Time15 minutes
- People2 to 10 people, each sketching alone
- Steps4
What it's for
The first idea anyone has is usually the one everyone else had too. A minute per sketch leaves no time to polish or judge, so people keep going past it. Rough is the point: boxes, arrows and a few words are enough.
Use it after the problem is framed, when you want quantity before choosing.
How to run it
Set the question2 min
Agree the question everyone is sketching ideas for.
Sketch eight ideas8 min
One panel a minute. Draw with the pen or describe each idea on a note.
Share10 min
Each person walks through their eight in under two minutes.
Vote3 min3 votes each
Vote for the panels worth developing.
Tips
- Run the timer out loud and call each minute. The pressure is what makes it work.
- Variations of one idea count. Panel six is often a better version of panel one.
Where it comes from
Popularised by Google Ventures (GV) as part of the design sprint described in Sprint (2016) by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky and Braden Kowitz. The exercise grew out of earlier work with Google teams.
Pairs well with
Storyboard
Show an idea as a short sequence of panels, from the person's problem to their life after using it, before building anything.
Brainwriting 6-3-5
Six people write three ideas each, then pass them on to be built on, five rounds over, for up to 108 ideas in half an hour.
Dot voting
Everyone gets a few votes to place on the options they prefer, which shows where the group leans in a couple of minutes.