The Crazy Eights exercise is a rapid ideation technique used in design thinking to generate a wide variety of ideas in a short amount of time. It typically involves each participant sketching eight different ideas in eight minutes. To successfully execute this exercise, participants need appropriate tools that facilitate quick drawing or writing, allow for physical interaction, and time management.
Having drawing or writing tools enables participants to express their ideas visually without constraints. Paper provides the canvas for these sketches, allowing flexibility and ease of use, particularly when ideation is fast-paced. The inclusion of a timer is crucial, as it establishes the time limit for the exercise, encouraging quick thinking and spontaneity in idea generation.
While markers and a whiteboard may facilitate some discussions or brainstorming sessions, they do not allow for the same quick turnaround and individual creation that paper and drawing tools provide. Digital design software, while useful for other phases of design, is not necessary for the Crazy Eights exercise, which emphasizes speed and quantity of ideas rather than polished design. Lastly, a laptop and internet access, while helpful for many aspects of project work, are not essential to the physical, hands-on nature of Crazy Eights.
Thus, the combination of drawing or writing tools, paper, and a timer