Crazy 8’s is a core sprint method. It’s a fast sketching exercise that challenges people to sketch 8 ideas in 8 minutes (not 8 variations of one idea or 8 steps of one idea, but 8 distinct ideas). The goal is to push beyond your first idea, which is frequently not the most innovative, and generate a wide variety of solutions to your challenge.

Some team members without a design background might find this method intimidating at first, so it’s helpful to reassure everyone that these are rough sketches. They don’t need to be perfect or beautiful— they just need to communicate the idea. If necessary, you could even hold a quick “how to sketch” tutorial session. It’s also important to remember that the ideas don’t have to be great- the exercise is about quieting the inner critic and giving space to our more creative impulses. Weird, impossible, and impractical ideas often give way to truly inspired ones. It’s called Crazy 8's for a reason-- go nuts!

Directions:

Time: 8 min
Activity: Individual

1. Take your paper and fold it into 8 sections.
2. Set the timer for 8 minutes.
3. Each team member sketches one idea in each rectangle.
4. When the timer goes off, put your pens down.