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Pablo Rodriguez

Ideation Exercises

Ideation Exercises: How Might We and Crazy Eights

Section titled “Ideation Exercises: How Might We and Crazy Eights”

How Might We Exercise

Section titled “How Might We Exercise”

How Might We is a design thinking activity used to translate problems into opportunities for design. This exercise encourages exploration of multiple ideas instead of moving forward with only one solution.

Breaking Down “How Might We”

Section titled “Breaking Down “How Might We””

How

Encourages us to explore a bunch of ideas instead of moving forward with only one. Suggests that we don’t have an answer yet.

Might

Emphasizes that our ideas are possible solutions, not the only solution. Keeps options open.

We

Suggests a collaborative effort. Coming up with ideas requires teamwork.

Example: From Broad to Focused

Section titled “Example: From Broad to Focused”

Problem: Olivia is a parent who needs a way to ride her bike with her 2-year-old Luca because he can’t ride his own bike.

Too Broad: “How might we design a seat for a child to ride a bike with an adult?”

Too Specific: “How might we design a safe, forward-facing seat that attaches to adult’s bicycle, so that a child can choose to ride or sleep while an adult rides on a mountain trail?”

Just Right: “How might we design a safe and comfortable seat for a child to ride a bike with an adult?”

Sweet Spot

The question should be specific in describing the needs of the user, but still have room for innovation in the final product.

HMW Question Generation Techniques

Section titled “HMW Question Generation Techniques”

The Design School at Stanford University outlines several ways to create How Might We phrases:

1. Amp Up the Good

Section titled “1. Amp Up the Good”

“How might we create a traveling experience for a parent and child to enjoy together?“

2. Explore the Opposite

Section titled “2. Explore the Opposite”

“How might we design a bike for a 2-year-old to ride with an adult?” (instead of adult riding with 2-year-old)

3. Change a Status Quo

Section titled “3. Change a Status Quo”

“How might we improve public transportation options in Olivia’s hometown so that she has options other than biking?“

4. Break the Point of View into Pieces

Section titled “4. Break the Point of View into Pieces”
  • “How might we make a 2-year-old comfortable on a bike?”
  • “How might we easily travel from point A to point B?”

Additional HMW Frameworks

Section titled “Additional HMW Frameworks”

Best Practices for HMW Questions

Section titled “Best Practices for HMW Questions”

Quality Guidelines

Section titled “Quality Guidelines”
  • Be broad - Allow for multiple solutions
  • Don’t be too broad - Keep solutions focused enough to be actionable
  • Make multiple drafts - Revise questions if they don’t generate useful solutions
  • Be creative - Use imaginative and fun approaches
  • Write many HMWs - More questions lead to more solution possibilities

Example: Concert Ticket Problem

Section titled “Example: Concert Ticket Problem”

Problem: “Darren is a concert goer who needs to keep track of their concert ticket because they need the ticket when they go through security.”

HMW Examples:

  • “How might we make keeping track of tickets a fun competition among friends?”
  • “How might we create a way to lose tickets?” (opposite approach)
  • “How might we make a non-paper concert ticket?” (change process)
  • “How might we make a way for concert goers to enter a venue without needing a ticket?” (remove negative)

Rapid Sketching (Crazy Eights)

Section titled “Rapid Sketching (Crazy Eights)”

Rapid Sketching, also known as “Crazy Eights,” is a design ideation exercise intended to help you think of several ideas in record time. You’ll sketch eight different designs, each with a new idea for solving the user’s problem - and it only takes eight minutes!

Setup Requirements

Section titled “Setup Requirements”

Paper

Large sheet of paper. Fold in half three times to create 8 rectangles of equal size.

Drawing Tool

Sharpie, pencil, or pen. Many designers prefer Sharpies for distinct lines.

Timer

Set for 8 minutes total - 1 minute per sketch. Use phone, computer, or kitchen timer.

Problem Statement

Clear problem statement to guide your sketching solutions.

The Process

Section titled “The Process”
  1. Fold your paper in half, then in half again, then in half one more time (creates 8 rectangles)
  2. Set timer for 8 minutes (1 minute per sketch)
  3. Sketch rapidly - any and every solution that comes to mind
  4. Don’t judge ideas - draw whatever pops into your head
  5. Move quickly between sketches when timer indicates

Sketching Fundamentals

Section titled “Sketching Fundamentals”

Basic Drawing Elements:

  • Triangles, squares, and circles
  • Straight and squiggly lines
  • Stick figures of humans
  • Text in ALL CAPS if handwriting isn’t neat
  • Write horizontally for easy reading
Pro Tip

You don’t actually have to be an artist to be a UX designer. Your sketches just need to clearly communicate your ideas.

Why Sketch by Hand?

Section titled “Why Sketch by Hand?”

The point of sketching is to move as quickly as possible to record lots of ideas. Technology can sometimes hold us back when our hands want to move faster than our brains. Sketching by hand is a valuable skill to master.

Example: Crazy Eights in Action

Section titled “Example: Crazy Eights in Action”

Problem Statement: “Charles is a retired grandfather who needs a way to keep his essential belongings with him because he often loses track of his wallet.”

Sample Solutions:

  1. Door alarm - Goes off when Charles opens/closes exterior doors to remind him to bring belongings
  2. Front door sign - “Remember to take these things with you. Place them here when you get home”
  3. Doormat checklist - Says “phone, keys, and wallet”
  4. Shoes with false bottoms - He can keep a wallet in special compartment

Best Practices for Both Exercises

Section titled “Best Practices for Both Exercises”

Environment and Team Setup

Section titled “Environment and Team Setup”
  • Do creative warm-up exercises before starting
  • Ensure problem is well-defined - work on one problem statement at a time
  • Don’t judge ideas during generation phase
  • Include diverse group with variety of roles, experiences, abilities, genders, and backgrounds
  • Ideate in comfortable environment that encourages creative thinking

Creative Guidelines

Section titled “Creative Guidelines”
  • Don’t be afraid of sketching - stick figures are perfectly fine
  • Let ideas flow freely without self-censorship
  • Think outside the box - unusual ideas often contain innovative kernels
  • Generate quantity over quality during ideation phase
  • Save evaluation for later - focus purely on idea generation during exercises

Benefits of These Ideation Exercises

Section titled “Benefits of These Ideation Exercises”

How Might We Benefits

Section titled “How Might We Benefits”
  • Reframes problems into opportunities
  • Encourages multiple perspectives on the same challenge
  • Promotes collaborative thinking through inclusive language
  • Generates diverse solution approaches through various framing techniques

Crazy Eights Benefits

Section titled “Crazy Eights Benefits”
  • Rapid idea generation - 8 ideas in 8 minutes
  • Forces creative thinking due to time constraints
  • Prevents overthinking individual solutions
  • Creates volume - with 5 people, you get 40 ideas in 8 minutes
  • Builds creative confidence through practice

Both exercises are meant to be fun and fast-paced. Let your creativity flow without judgment and generate ideas that can be refined and developed in later stages of the design process.