UX
Crazy 8s
A practical rapid ideation method for generating a wide range of concepts quickly by forcing speed, variation, and low-fidelity thinking.
How to use Crazy 8s to generate diverse ideas quickly, move past obvious concepts, and create strong starting points for deeper design work.
What it is
Crazy 8s is a rapid ideation method where participants sketch eight different ideas in eight minutes.
It is designed to force speed, reduce glossaryOverthinkingOverthinking in UX is adding unnecessary complexity or analysis that slows down decision-making and delivery.Open glossary term, and encourage a wide range of concepts.
Each idea is quick and low-fidelity, focusing on variation rather than detail.
The time constraint pushes people past their first obvious ideas and into more creative territory.
It is commonly used in glossaryDesign SprintA design sprint is a structured, time-boxed process for solving problems and testing ideas quickly.Open glossary term and workshops.
The goal is to generate a high volume of diverse ideas quickly.
Crazy 8s is most useful when teams need to break out of obvious thinking and create idea momentum fast.
When to use it
Use this method when you need fast, diverse ideas.
It is most useful when:
It is less useful when:
Crazy 8s is often used before deeper design or prioritisation.
Key takeaway
Use Crazy 8s when speed and variation are more important than detail, and you need broad concept exploration in a short time.
How to run it
Set up properly
Be clear on the glossaryPromptA prompt is the input or instruction given to an AI system to guide its output or response.Open glossary term and make sure everybody understands the same problem. Eight minutes leaves no time to clarify a question.
Provide folded paper and a timer, and set the expectation that the sketches will be poor.
Run the method
Crazy 8s asks people to produce eight sketches in eight minutes, one per minute. The absurd pace is the mechanism: it defeats self-editing.
- Give a clear glossaryPromptA prompt is the input or instruction given to an AI system to guide its output or response.Open glossary term everybody can start on immediately.
- Set a timer for eight minutes, one minute per frame, and hold to it strictly.
- Ask for one idea per minute, moving on whether or not the previous one is finished.
- Encourage speed over quality, and say explicitly that most of the output will be discarded.
- Push for variation rather than repetition. Eight glossaryVersionA version is a specific iteration of software or a product at a point in time.Open glossary term of one idea is the common failure and defeats the exercise.
Expect most of it to be unusable and say so beforehand. The value is in the two or three ideas that would never have survived a slower, more self-conscious glossaryProcessA process is a defined sequence of steps used to achieve a specific outcome.Open glossary term.
Capture and make sense of it
The value comes from volume and range. After the glossarySessionA session is a single period of user interaction with a product, from entry to exit within a defined timeframe.Open glossary term, document:
- The ideas produced, kept as sketched
- The two or three worth developing
- Recurring concepts, which suggest a shared instinct worth examining
- Genuinely unusual ideas, which are the reason for running it
Use this inside a longer workshop as a divergence step. On its own it produces eight sketches and no decision.
What to look for
Focus on:
Where it goes wrong
Most issues come from:
If it’s slow, it defeats the point.
What you get from it
Done properly, this method gives you:
Key takeaway
It helps you move fast and explore widely.
Get in touch
If this sounds like something you need, we can help you run fast-paced ideation sessions that unlock better ideas and move your team forward.
No guesswork. No assumptions. Just rapid, effective ideation.
FAQ
Common questions
A few practical answers to the questions that usually come up around this method.
What is Crazy 8s in UX?
It is a rapid sketching method where you create eight ideas in eight minutes.
When should you use Crazy 8s?
Use it during early ideation or design sprints.
Do the ideas need to be good?
No, and expecting them to be defeats the exercise. Eight sketches in eight minutes is designed to get past the obvious first answer. Most of what comes out is discarded, and the value is in the two or three that would never have surfaced with more time to self-edit.
Can you do it digitally?
Yes. As long as it stays fast and structured.
Does Crazy 8s improve UX?
Yes. It helps generate a wider range of ideas quickly.
Quick take
If you want a burst of ideas fast, push yourself to sketch eight in eight minutes.
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