Participatory Methods

Crazy 8

Crazy 8 is a collaborative activity designed to unlock creativity and rapidly generate diverse ideas within a limited time frame. Inspired by the Crazy 8’s method, participants are challenged to sketch or outline eight different ideas in eight minutes. This approach helps move beyond initial, conventional ideas and encourages innovative solutions to a specific challenge.

No design experience or artistic skills are required—the sketches don’t have to be perfect; the focus is on communicating ideas. Even unconventional or quirky proposals can spark new, groundbreaking concepts.

Preparation

  1. Define the purpose:
    • Brainstorm multiple creative solutions quickly.
    • Push beyond initial ideas to foster innovation.
    • Encourage creative thinking by overcoming self-criticism.
  2. Prepare materials:
    • Sheets of paper (one per participant), preferably A4 or letter size.
    • Markers, pens, or pencils for sketching.
    • Timer or stopwatch.
  3. To run the activity virtually:
    • Use collaborative platforms that enable real-time sketching or idea sharing, such as digital whiteboards or online design tools.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Introduction:
    • Explain the goal: to generate eight unique ideas in eight minutes, with one idea in each section of the sheet.
    • Reassure participants that artistic skills aren’t necessary; simple sketches or symbols will suffice to convey ideas.
    • Create a safe and supportive environment, emphasizing that there are no wrong ideas.
  2. Prepare the sheet:
    • Instruct participants to fold their sheet into eight equal sections or draw lines to divide it into eight boxes.
  3. The challenge:
    • Set a timer for eight minutes.
    • Participants must fill each section with a different idea, aiming for as much variety as possible.
  4. Wrap-up:
    • When the timer ends, participants stop sketching regardless of progress.
    • Allow participants to share their ideas with the group, fostering discussion and feedback.

Crazy 8 is an effective way to break creative barriers, generate fresh perspectives, and discover unique solutions collaboratively.

Recommendations
  • Ask participants to work on a specific topic or challenge of interest.
  • Encourage ideas to be as “crazy” or unusual as possible to stimulate out-of-the-box thinking.
  • Conduct a second round with the most prominent concepts to explore them further.
  • Introduce categories for the sketches (e.g., innovation, sustainability, interaction).
  • Before the activity: Create a relaxed and non-judgmental atmosphere to foster creativity.
  • During the activity: Keep a fast pace to prevent participants from overthinking each idea.
  • After the activity: Reflect on the ideas generated and select the most promising ones to work on collaboratively.
Inspiration

Dynamic variations for different uses

  • Collaborative editing: After generating eight ideas, participants pair up to combine or improve their most interesting ideas.
  • Thematic exploration: Assign a specific theme to each frame, such as “sustainable ideas” or “technological solutions.”
  • Creative competition: Divide participants into teams and evaluate the ideas based on criteria like innovation, feasibility, or impact.
  • Group review: After completing their sketches, participants explain their ideas to the group for feedback and suggestions.
  • Digital format: Participants use platforms like Miro or Canva to create their sketches and share them in real-time.
Materials
  • Sheets of paper (A4 or letter size)
  • Markers, pens, or pencils
  • Stopwatch or timer
Online platforms
Purpose
The purpose of Crazy 8 is to unlock creative thinking, encourage rapid idea generation, and explore innovative solutions that go beyond conventional proposals.
Type of activity
Participatory DesignParticipatory Interaction
Level of participation
Collaboration, Knowledge generation, Exchange of perspectives
Target audience
Educators, Facilitators, Students, Community leaders, NGOs and social collectives, Business teams, Government, Creative designers, Researchers
Fields of application
Education and training, Community development, Organizational and business management, Urban and rural planning, Health and social well-being, Art, culture, and creativity, Sustainability and environment, Public policies and governance, Innovation and design, Research and evaluation, Conflict resolution, Technology and digital environments, Citizen and social participation
Estimated duration
8 minutes for sketching, plus 10–15 minutes for sharing and discussion.
Ideal number of participants
From 4 to 20 participants.
Topics related to this activity
Collaborative DesignCollaborative DrawingCollaborative InnovationCreative ExerciseCreative Problem SolvingDesign ThinkingGroup CreativityIdea ExchangeIdea GenerationIdea VisualizationParticipatory DesignParticipatory InnovationPractical CreativityProblem SolvingQuick ThinkingRapid PrototypingVisual Thinking
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