Think quickly
Participants sketch eight ideas in eight minutes.
Design thinking resource
Crazy 8s
A rapid sketching activity designed to generate multiple solution concepts within a limited timeframe.
Avoid perfection
The focus is speed and exploration, not artistic quality.
Increase divergence
The time constraint encourages participants to move beyond obvious ideas.
Put the method to work
Put Crazy 8s into practice
Fold paper into eight sections.
Sketch one idea per section.
Continue until all sections are complete.
Share and discuss outcomes.
Why it matters
What Crazy 8s makes possible
Generates multiple concepts quickly
Encourages visual thinking
Reduces overthinking
Creates momentum
Worked example
See it in action
An illustrative learning example, not a documented project case study. Observations, choices and outcomes show how the method could be applied; they are not research findings.
Challenge
Improve the student timetable experience.
Eight rapid concepts
- Drag-and-drop timetable
- AI timetable assistant
- Calendar integration
- Conflict alerts
- Study group recommendations
- Travel time visualisation
- Mobile-first timetable
- Weekly planning dashboard
Reflection
The exercise produced several directions that would not have emerged through discussion alone.
Selected concepts
- AI timetable assistant
- Weekly planning dashboard
- Travel time visualisation
Why selected
Most aligned with identified student needs.
Common mistake
Spending too much time perfecting sketches.
Continue exploring
Return to Explore Possibilities.
Place this method back within the broader 5E Design Thinking Framework and continue developing your understanding.