Understanding Crazy 8s
Crazy 8s is a rapid visual ideation method where participants create 8 quick sketches in 8 minutes. Unlike text-based ideation methods, Crazy 8s taps into visual thinking and drawing to explore ideas quickly and intuitively. The method is particularly popular in design thinking and product development contexts where visual exploration is essential. The time constraint (1 minute per sketch) forces rapid ideation and prevents overthinking, leading to spontaneous and creative solutions. Originally developed by Google Ventures for their design sprints, Crazy 8s has become a staple in the design and innovation toolkit. The method works because it combines visual thinking, rapid iteration, and low-fidelity sketching to generate many ideas quickly before committing to detailed design work.
The Crazy 8s Process
Follow these steps to run a Crazy 8s session:
- 1
Set Up: Each participant gets 8 panels (like a comic strip) and has 8 minutes total
- 2
Sketch Rapidly: Spend approximately 1 minute per sketch. Don't worry about perfect drawings—focus on capturing the idea
- 3
One Idea Per Panel: Each panel should represent a distinct idea or approach to the challenge
- 4
No Editing: Once a minute passes, move to the next panel. Don't go back to refine
- 5
Keep It Simple: Use basic shapes, stick figures, and simple annotations. Speed matters more than artistic quality
- 6
Complete All 8: Push through to complete all 8 sketches, even if ideas feel weaker toward the end
- 7
Review & Discuss: After time ends, review all sketches, discuss, and identify the most promising directions
Simple Crazy 8s Examples
Here are examples of how Crazy 8s generates visual ideas:
Challenge: "Design a mobile app onboarding flow"
8 different onboarding approaches sketched: step-by-step tutorial, interactive demo, video walkthrough, gamified introduction, quick setup, personalized path, social login flow, and progressive disclosure
A UX designer used Crazy 8s to explore onboarding options. The visual approach helped them quickly compare different flow structures and identify the most promising direction.
Challenge: "Design a landing page hero section"
8 different hero layouts sketched: centered CTA, split-screen, full-width image, video background, animated illustration, testimonial-focused, feature showcase, and minimalist text
A marketing team used Crazy 8s to explore hero section designs. The rapid sketching helped them visualize different approaches before committing to one design direction.
Challenge: "Design a dashboard layout"
8 different dashboard layouts sketched: grid-based, sidebar navigation, tabbed interface, card-based, timeline view, map-centric, list-focused, and widget-based
A product designer explored dashboard layouts using Crazy 8s. The visual method helped them quickly compare different information architectures and user flows.
Crazy 8s vs Other Ideation Methods
Understanding when to use Crazy 8s versus other methods:
Crazy 8s vs Brainstorming
Use Crazy 8s when:
- ✓You need visual exploration of ideas
- ✓You're working on design, UI, or visual concepts
- ✓You want to compare different visual approaches quickly
- ✓You need tangible sketches to discuss and evaluate
Use Brainstorming when:
- ✓You want text-based idea generation
- ✓You need rapid verbal idea sharing
- ✓You're exploring abstract concepts that don't require visuals
- ✓You prefer collaborative discussion over individual sketching
Crazy 8s vs SCAMPER
Use Crazy 8s when:
- ✓You need visual exploration of design concepts
- ✓You're working on UI/UX or product design
- ✓You want to see different visual approaches side-by-side
Use SCAMPER when:
- ✓You're improving existing products systematically
- ✓You need structured transformation prompts
- ✓You prefer text-based ideation over visual sketching
Crazy 8s vs Traditional Sketching
Use Crazy 8s when:
- ✓You need rapid iteration and time constraints
- ✓You want to explore many ideas quickly
- ✓You're in early ideation phase
- ✓You want low-fidelity exploration
Use Traditional Sketching when:
- ✓You need detailed, polished sketches
- ✓You have time for refined drawings
- ✓You're in later design phases
- ✓You need high-fidelity visualizations
Quick Crazy 8s Exercise: 8-Minute Sketching Session
Try this quick exercise to practice Crazy 8s:
8 minutes
- • Paper divided into 8 panels
- • Pen or pencil
- • A design challenge
Instructions
- 1
Choose a design challenge (e.g., "Design a mobile app home screen" or "Create a landing page layout")
- 2
Divide your paper into 8 equal panels
- 3
Set a timer for 8 minutes total (1 minute per panel)
- 4
For each panel, sketch a different approach to your challenge
- 5
Don't worry about perfect drawings—focus on capturing the idea
- 6
Move to the next panel after 1 minute, even if the sketch isn't complete
- 7
Complete all 8 panels
- 8
After 8 minutes, review your sketches and identify the 2-3 most promising directions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Crazy 8s?
Crazy 8s is a rapid visual ideation method where participants create 8 quick sketches in 8 minutes (1 minute per sketch). It's designed for visual exploration of design concepts, particularly useful for UI/UX design, product design, and visual communication challenges.
Do I need to be good at drawing to use Crazy 8s?
No! Crazy 8s is about capturing ideas quickly, not creating perfect drawings. Simple shapes, stick figures, and basic annotations are perfectly fine. The goal is speed and idea exploration, not artistic quality.
How does Crazy 8s work in Ideadrive?
In Ideadrive, Crazy 8s is fully integrated with Excalidraw for seamless sketching. You get 8 separate panels to navigate between, full drawing tools, auto-save every 2 seconds, and a beautiful gallery review where you can vote and comment on sketches. The platform runs for 8 minutes with synchronized timers.
What if I can't finish a sketch in 1 minute?
That's okay! Move to the next panel anyway. The time constraint is meant to prevent overthinking. You can always refine ideas later—the goal is to explore 8 different directions, not perfect each one.
Can I go back and edit previous panels?
The method encourages moving forward, but in Ideadrive you can navigate between panels freely. However, try to resist the urge to perfect earlier sketches—focus on completing all 8 panels first.
What types of challenges work best with Crazy 8s?
Crazy 8s works best for visual design challenges: UI/UX design, product layouts, landing pages, app screens, dashboard designs, visual campaigns, and any challenge where visual exploration is valuable.