diverge · Ideation, Problem Solving · 80–140 min · 2-10 people · medium energy
Four-Step Sketch
Each person works alone through four steps to produce a detailed solution sketch: notes (gather material from the room), ideas (rough private doodles), Crazy 8s (eight quick variations), and the solution sketch itself, a three-panel storyboard that stands on its own. Sketches are anonymous and self-explanatory, so they can be judged on merit later.
When to use Four-Step Sketch
Use when a team needs well-developed solution concepts from every member, not just the ideas of whoever talks most in a brainstorm.
What it solves
Group brainstorms produce a wall of shallow sticky notes and nobody owns a worked-out idea.
How to run Four-Step Sketch, step by step
- Notes: walk the room and copy down goals, questions and inspiration gathered so far (20 min).
- Ideas: privately doodle rough ideas, then circle the most promising ones (20 min).
- Crazy 8s: fold a sheet into eight and sketch eight variations of your best idea, one minute each (8 min).
- Solution sketch: draw a three-panel storyboard on sticky notes on a sheet of paper, with a catchy title, that explains itself without you there (30-90 min).
- Collect the sketches face down without names, ready for the decision step (2 min).
Materials needed
- Paper and sticky notes
- Thick markers and pens
- Clipboards
- Timer
Facilitator tips
- Work alone together. Silence in the room is a good sign.
- Words matter. Encourage real headlines and text in the sketch, not lorem ipsum.
- Make sketches anonymous so seniority does not decide.
Common pitfalls
- People skip the notes step and sketch from memory.
- Solution sketches that only make sense when their author explains them.
Variations
- Run steps 1-3 in the afternoon and the solution sketch as homework.
Running it online or hybrid
Everyone works alone on paper; final sketches are photographed and posted to a shared board for the decision step.
What it produces
One detailed, anonymous solution sketch per person, ready for the team to review and decide on.
Origin
The core individual ideation method of Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky's Design Sprint, developed at Google and Google Ventures. — source
Build a session around Four-Step Sketch
METODIC places Four-Step Sketch inside a complete, timed session plan — agenda, worksheets, facilitator guide and slides — matched to your group and goal.