Crazy Eights

Purpose

Crazy Eights forces rapid ideation through time pressure. By giving participants only one minute per sketch across eight panels, the exercise pushes past obvious first ideas into more creative territory. It is a staple of Google Design Sprints and works for any problem that benefits from visual exploration.

At a glance

How to run

1. Prepare (1 min): Each participant folds an A4/letter sheet into 8 panels (fold in half 3 times).
2. Set the challenge (1 min): State the design problem or question clearly.
3. Sketch (8 min): Start a visible timer. Every 60 seconds, call "Next!" Participants sketch one idea per panel. No erasing, no perfection — speed is the point.
4. Share (optional, +5 min): Participants show their sheets and highlight their favourite 1–2 ideas.

Materials needed

• A4 or letter paper (one sheet per person)
• Markers or pens (thick tips work best for speed)
• A visible countdown timer

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Spending too long on one panel: Enforce the 60-second beep ruthlessly.
• "I can't draw": Emphasise that stick figures and boxes are perfect. It is about ideas, not art.
• Identical panels: If someone draws the same idea 8 times, encourage them to vary at least one element per panel.
• No follow-up: Crazy Eights generate raw material — always follow with a selection or voting step.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Reassure non-artists that visual fidelity does not matter.
• Offer verbal description as an alternative for participants with motor impairments.
• Use large paper for participants with low vision.
• In remote settings, a digital drawing tool with a grid template works well.

Variations

• Crazy Fours: Four panels, two minutes each — less pressure, more detail.
• Crazy Sixes: Six panels for a middle ground.
• Solution Sketch: After Crazy Eights, pick the best idea and develop it into a detailed three-panel storyboard.

When NOT to use this

• When the problem requires data analysis, not ideation.
• When participants are deeply unfamiliar with the domain — provide context first.
• When the group is fatigued — the time pressure can feel stressful rather than energising.

Source & further reading

• Jake Knapp, *Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days* (2016)
• Google Design Sprint methodology
• AJ&Smart: Crazy Eights tutorial