Lego® Serious Play®
Lego® Serious Play® facilitates thinking, communication, ideating, strategizing, or problem-solving by jointly building 3D-models with bricks in structured and moderated settings.
Level of participation
Ideation
Consultation
Duration of participation process
Preparation: 1-3 months for invitation of the participants etc.
Implementation: ½-2 days
Follow-up: 1-2 days for analysis and documentation
Target group size
<15 people
15-30 people
Costs
$$
General props and Lego®
Human resources needed
The method: what is it, when to use it and what outcome to expect
Lego® Serious Play® (LSP) was developed in mid-90’s by The Lego group. Participants visualize any thought, idea, experience, or project by building 3D models using Lego® bricks. These models help to convey information and reduce misunderstandings.
LSP is a playful yet very focused way to co-create strategies, processes and projects, foster team building and story telling, capture collective knowledge or navigating an organizational crisis. Through it’s process, LSP fosters creativity, communication, and understanding of participants with everyone being truly engaged and active throughout.
One can expect detailed results and visions that are supported by the whole group as well as more cohesion and togetherness within the group.
The process: how to conduct it in an in-person setting or online using a PC/laptop with video option
The method follows four steps:
1. The challenge: The facilitator introduces the question or issue of the workshop, the so-called challenge which shall be solved or discussed.
2. Building individual models: Participants are given time to build their answer or solution to the challenge using Lego® bricks, resulting in a so-called model.
3. Sharing stories: Each participant explains their model and its meaning to the group.
4. Reflection: Both participants and facilitator ask questions about the individual models or the relation between models, making sure every attendee is given a chance to speak.
These four steps are repeated several times during a session on individual, group, and system level and may be performed with several groups in parallel.
As a final part of the whole session, the outcome, vision and next steps are documented, e.g. having the group explain it via video.
Blended participation
Digital communication
Useful to mobilise participants to
join for the session (Whatsapp groups, Facebook) and to share results (pictures, videos) of the actual models.
Good to know
- Lego® offers specially assembled kits of bricks: https://www.lego.com/en-us/themes/serious-play
- The facilitator has a vital role:
– Makes sure every participant contributes
– Ensures all participants agree to the LSP rules: https://insights.tt-s.com/en/design-a-workshop-using-legor-serious-playr
– Has great influence on the conversion through the questions posed
– Usually is a certified LSP Facilitator
- A maximum group size of 12 participants per facilitator is recommended
- Read further:
– Books: https://seriousplaypro.com/facilitators/books
– Blog: https://seriousplaypro.com/
– Online LSP: https://www.serious.global/read/how-to-facilitate-lego-serious-play-online/