6-to-1 Sketching
Sketch 6 ideas in 5 minutes. Then pick the best one and refine it.
What is it?
6-to-1 is a rapid ideation sketching exercise where each participant draws 6 rough concepts in 5 minutes on a single sheet of paper, then selects the strongest idea and develops it into a more detailed sketch. It forces divergent thinking before convergence.
When to use it
Use 6-to-1 during workshops or design sprints when you need to quickly generate a wide range of ideas before committing to a direction. It's ideal early in the design process after problem framing.
How to do it
Fold a sheet of paper into 6 equal panels.
Set a timer for 5 minutes. Sketch one idea per panel — rough is fine.
Review all 6 sketches and circle the one with the most potential.
Take a fresh sheet and develop the chosen concept in more detail (5-10 min).
Share your refined sketch with the group for critique and discussion.
Pro tips
Speed is the point. Ugly sketches are perfectly fine — it's about volume of ideas.
Combine the best elements from multiple panels into your final sketch.