Lego Serious Play

Lego Serious Play is a facilitation methodology that leverages LEGO bricks to foster creative thinking, problem-solving, and team collaboration. This hands-on approach encourages participants to build models representing ideas, promoting open communication and sharing insights. It finds applications in strategy development and team building, though it demands effective facilitation and time commitment.

Table of Contents

Principles of Lego Serious Play

LSP is guided by several key principles:

Hands-On Learning: Participants use their hands to build models with LEGO bricks, which enhances engagement and encourages active learning.
Equal Participation: LSP promotes equal participation within a group, ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard and valued.
Metaphor and Storytelling: Participants use their LEGO models as metaphors and storytelling tools to express thoughts and concepts.
Serious Play: While LSP involves play, it is a serious tool for addressing complex issues, sparking creativity, and finding innovative solutions.

Methodology of Lego Serious Play

The LSP process typically consists of the following stages:

Challenge Identification: Participants identify the challenge or problem they want to address using LSP.
Building: Individuals build physical models using LEGO bricks that represent their thoughts, ideas, or solutions related to the challenge.
Sharing and Storytelling: Participants share their models and stories, explaining the meaning and significance behind their creations.
Reflection and Discussion: The group reflects on the shared models and engages in a facilitated discussion to explore insights and potential solutions.
Iterative Process: The process is often iterative, with participants building new models and insights emerging through successive rounds.

Applications of Lego Serious Play

LSP has a wide range of applications in various contexts:

Team Building and Collaboration: LSP can enhance team cohesion, communication, and collaboration. Team members gain a deeper understanding of each other’s perspectives and strengths.
Innovation and Problem Solving: Organizations use LSP to generate innovative ideas, address complex challenges, and develop creative solutions.
Strategy Development: LSP is employed in strategic planning processes to help organizations visualize their future goals, strategies, and potential obstacles.
Change Management: When organizations undergo change, LSP can facilitate discussions and help employees navigate transitions.
Leadership Development: LSP is used in leadership programs to develop self-awareness, empathy, and leadership skills.

Benefits of Lego Serious Play

Enhanced Creativity: LSP fosters creativity by encouraging participants to think in a non-linear and visual manner.
Improved Communication: It promotes effective communication, as participants use storytelling to express their ideas.
Deeper Understanding: LSP allows for a deeper understanding of complex issues through tangible representations.
Engagement: The hands-on nature of LSP engages participants and keeps them actively involved in discussions.
Inclusivity: LSP ensures that all voices are heard, making it an inclusive tool for group discussions.

Conclusion

Lego Serious Play is a remarkable methodology that harnesses the power of play, creativity, and collaboration to address challenges, generate ideas, and foster innovation.

By using LEGO bricks as a medium for expression, participants can transcend traditional verbal communication and tap into their creative potential. Whether applied in team building, strategy development, or innovation workshops, LSP offers a unique and engaging way to unlock creativity, encourage participation, and facilitate meaningful discussions.

As organizations and individuals seek innovative solutions to complex problems, Lego Serious Play stands as a testament to the transformative potential of play in serious endeavors.

Key Highlights of LEGO Serious Play:

Definition: LEGO Serious Play is a facilitation methodology that uses LEGO bricks to promote creative thinking, problem-solving, and team collaboration.
Hands-On Approach: Participants engage in hands-on building with LEGO bricks, making the process interactive and tangible.
Collaborative Sessions: It fosters teamwork and encourages the sharing of insights and ideas among participants.
Benefits:
- Creativity Enhancement: Stimulates innovation and creative thinking through playful construction and exploration.
- Open Communication: Encourages open dialogue and shared understanding among participants.
Process:
- Building: Participants construct physical models using LEGO bricks to represent their ideas or concepts.
- Sharing: Individuals explain their models and the significance behind their creations.
- Reflection: Participants explore insights gained from the exercise and make connections.
Applications:
- Strategy Development: Used for collaboratively crafting and visualizing strategic plans and goals.
- Team Building: Enhances team dynamics, cooperation, and communication among team members.
Challenges:
- Time Intensive: LEGO Serious Play sessions may require a significant time investment, which can be a challenge in busy work environments.
- Facilitator Skills: Effective facilitation is crucial for the success of LEGO Serious Play sessions, requiring skilled facilitators to guide the process effectively.

Framework	Description	When to Apply
Design Thinking	– Design Thinking: Lego Serious Play (LSP) is a methodology often used in conjunction with design thinking processes to enhance creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving. Understanding design thinking principles helps organizations empathize with users, define challenges, ideate solutions, prototype concepts, and iterate based on feedback. Interventions may involve LSP workshops within the design thinking framework to facilitate team alignment, foster innovative thinking, and generate actionable insights for product or service development.	– Enhancing creativity and collaboration through LSP workshops within the design thinking process, in innovation teams or product development projects where organizations seek user-centered solutions, in implementing ideation sessions that stimulate creative thinking and exploration, in adopting approaches that foster empathy and iteration through design thinking principles.
Team Building	– Team Building: Lego Serious Play is widely utilized for team building activities to enhance communication, trust, and cohesion within groups. Understanding team dynamics and communication patterns helps facilitators design LSP workshops that encourage active participation, foster psychological safety, and strengthen interpersonal relationships. Interventions may involve team-building exercises, icebreaker activities, and group reflection sessions using LSP to promote team bonding and alignment around shared goals and values.	– Promoting communication and trust through LSP team-building exercises or icebreaker activities, in team offsites or retreats where organizations aim to strengthen relationships, in implementing group reflection sessions that foster open dialogue and shared understanding, in adopting approaches that build psychological safety and cohesion through team-building principles.
Change Management	– Change Management: Lego Serious Play can be applied in change management initiatives to facilitate organizational transformation and employee engagement. Understanding change management principles helps organizations navigate resistance, communicate vision, and empower stakeholders to embrace change. Interventions may involve LSP workshops to explore change scenarios, identify barriers and enablers, and co-create strategies for implementation, fostering a culture of adaptability and resilience.	– Facilitating organizational transformation through LSP change management workshops, in change initiatives or transformation programs where organizations aim to engage employees, in implementing visioning sessions that clarify goals and expectations, in adopting approaches that empower stakeholders and foster adaptability through change management principles.
Innovation Management	– Innovation Management: Lego Serious Play supports innovation management by providing a structured yet creative approach to idea generation, problem-solving, and decision-making. Understanding innovation management frameworks helps organizations establish processes, allocate resources, and nurture a culture of innovation. Interventions may involve LSP sessions to explore new opportunities, prioritize ideas, and develop prototypes, fostering a culture of experimentation and continuous improvement.	– Exploring new opportunities and prioritizing ideas through LSP innovation management sessions, in innovation labs or ideation workshops where organizations seek breakthrough solutions, in implementing prototyping exercises that bring concepts to life, in adopting approaches that foster experimentation and iteration through innovation management principles.
Leadership Development	– Leadership Development: Lego Serious Play is utilized in leadership development programs to enhance self-awareness, strategic thinking, and communication skills among leaders. Understanding leadership principles helps organizations cultivate effective leadership behaviors and empower individuals to lead with authenticity and purpose. Interventions may involve LSP workshops to explore leadership styles, practice decision-making, and envision future scenarios, fostering leadership competencies and empowering leaders to inspire and motivate teams.	– Cultivating effective leadership behaviors through LSP leadership development workshops, in leadership training programs or executive coaching sessions where individuals develop skills, in implementing decision-making exercises that simulate real-world challenges, in adopting approaches that foster authenticity and purpose in leadership through leadership development principles.
Organizational Development	– Organizational Development: Lego Serious Play can support organizational development efforts by engaging stakeholders, aligning values, and co-creating strategies for growth and change. Understanding organizational development principles helps organizations diagnose issues, design interventions, and facilitate cultural transformation. Interventions may involve LSP sessions to assess organizational culture, address systemic challenges, and envision future scenarios, fostering collaboration and innovation across the organization.	– Aligning values and co-creating strategies through LSP organizational development sessions, in culture change initiatives or organizational assessments where organizations seek to evolve, in implementing systemic change exercises that address structural issues, in adopting approaches that foster collaboration and innovation through organizational development principles.
Creativity and Innovation	– Creativity and Innovation: Lego Serious Play fosters creativity and innovation by providing a hands-on, playful approach to problem-solving and idea generation. Understanding creativity and innovation frameworks helps organizations nurture a culture of innovation, encourage experimentation, and embrace diverse perspectives. Interventions may involve LSP workshops to brainstorm ideas, prototype concepts, and challenge assumptions, fostering a culture where creativity thrives and breakthrough innovations emerge.	– Encouraging experimentation and embracing diverse perspectives through LSP creativity and innovation workshops, in innovation teams or design sprints where organizations explore new possibilities, in implementing idea generation sessions that stimulate creative thinking and collaboration, in adopting approaches that foster a culture of innovation and experimentation through creativity and innovation principles.
Strategic Planning	– Strategic Planning: Lego Serious Play supports strategic planning processes by enabling stakeholders to visualize strategies, explore scenarios, and align around shared goals. Understanding strategic planning frameworks helps organizations clarify vision, set objectives, and develop actionable plans for the future. Interventions may involve LSP workshops to craft mission statements, define strategic priorities, and map out implementation strategies, fostering alignment and commitment to organizational goals.	– Visualizing strategies and aligning around shared goals through LSP strategic planning workshops, in strategy sessions or visioning workshops where organizations define direction, in implementing priority-setting exercises that focus efforts and resources, in adopting approaches that foster alignment and commitment through strategic planning principles.
Team Dynamics	– Team Dynamics: Lego Serious Play provides insights into team dynamics by facilitating open communication, enhancing collaboration, and surfacing underlying tensions or conflicts. Understanding team dynamics helps organizations build high-performing teams, improve decision-making processes, and resolve interpersonal issues. Interventions may involve LSP sessions to explore team roles, discuss group norms, and address team challenges, fostering a culture of trust and psychological safety within teams.	– Improving decision-making processes and resolving interpersonal issues through LSP team dynamics sessions, in team-building activities or conflict resolution workshops where organizations address challenges, in implementing role-playing exercises that simulate real-world scenarios, in adopting approaches that build trust and psychological safety through team dynamics principles.
Change Leadership	– Change Leadership: Lego Serious Play can be used by change leaders to facilitate conversations, engage stakeholders, and drive transformational change initiatives. Understanding change leadership principles helps change agents inspire vision, mobilize support, and navigate resistance to change. Interventions may involve LSP workshops to explore change narratives, identify change champions, and co-create strategies for implementation, fostering a culture of adaptability and resilience in the face of change.	– Inspiring vision and mobilizing support through LSP change leadership workshops, in change initiatives or transformation programs where leaders drive change, in implementing stakeholder engagement activities that foster buy-in and ownership, in adopting approaches that promote adaptability and resilience through change leadership principles.

Technique	Description	When to Apply
Mind Mapping	Visualizes ideas and their relationships.	When exploring connections between ideas.
Brainwriting	Silent brainstorming where participants write down ideas.	When you want to encourage individual input without group influence.
SCAMPER	Modifies existing ideas through Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse.	When you need structured creativity to improve or change an idea.
Round-Robin Brainstorming	Participants take turns contributing ideas.	When ensuring equal participation in idea generation.
Affinity Diagrams	Groups ideas into categories for analysis.	When organizing a large number of ideas into meaningful categories.
SWOT Analysis	Identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.	When assessing strategic position and opportunities.
Fishbone Diagram (Ishikawa)	Identifies root causes of problems.	When solving complex problems by tracing causes.
Six Thinking Hats	Examines ideas from multiple perspectives.	When needing a comprehensive evaluation of an idea.
Brainstorming Sessions	Group activity to generate ideas.	When needing to generate a wide range of ideas quickly.
Rapid Ideation	Generates ideas quickly under time constraints.	When time is limited and you need a burst of creativity.
Idea Board	Visual display of ideas for collaboration.	When needing a central place to gather and refine ideas.
Random Word Association	Uses random words to trigger new ideas.	When stuck in conventional thinking patterns.
Brainstorming Web	Connects related ideas visually.	When exploring the relationships between different ideas.
Reverse Brainstorming	Focuses on how to cause a problem instead of solving it.	When needing to identify potential pitfalls or weaknesses in an idea.
Gap Analysis	Identifies gaps between current and desired states.	When assessing the current situation against goals.
Wishing Technique	Participants wish for ideal outcomes.	When looking for aspirational and innovative ideas.
Concept Fan	Expands on an initial idea to generate more ideas.	When needing to deepen or broaden an initial concept.
Question Storming	Generates questions to uncover new ideas.	When needing to explore a problem deeply through questioning.
Starbursting	Explores an idea through questions starting with Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How.	When needing a thorough examination of an idea from all angles.
Trigger Method	Uses triggers to spark new ideas.	When needing external stimuli to generate ideas.
Lotus Blossom Technique	Expands on core ideas by surrounding them with related ideas.	When needing to develop a central idea in detail.
Idea Box (Morphological Analysis)	Combines different parameters to generate ideas.	When needing to explore all possible combinations of factors.
Crawford’s Slip Writing	Participants write down ideas anonymously.	When needing to gather uninfluenced and honest ideas from participants.
Nominal Group Technique	Structured method for group brainstorming.	When requiring structured and equal participation from all group members.
Disney Creative Strategy	Uses three roles: Dreamer, Realist, and Critic.	When needing to refine ideas by looking at them from different perspectives.
BRAIN	Blueprint, Random connections, Assimilate, Integrate, New thinking.	When needing a structured approach to creative problem-solving.
Attribute Listing	Lists attributes of a problem and explores variations.	When needing to dissect and innovate on a specific aspect of a problem.
Analogies and Metaphors	Uses analogies to generate new ideas.	When needing to think about problems in a new and unfamiliar way.
Collaborative Brainwriting	Participants build on each other’s ideas in writing.	When encouraging collaborative idea development without verbal discussion.
Dot Voting	Participants vote on the best ideas using dots.	When needing to prioritize ideas quickly and democratically.
Forced Connections	Combines unrelated concepts to generate new ideas.	When needing to break free from conventional thinking patterns.
Negative Brainstorming	Focuses on what not to do.	When needing to identify risks and potential pitfalls.
Freewriting	Writes continuously to generate ideas.	When needing to bypass internal filters and generate raw ideas.
Crowdsourcing	Collects ideas from a large group of people.	When needing a wide range of ideas from a diverse group.
Idea Lottery	Randomly selects and combines ideas.	When needing to combine elements in unexpected ways to generate new ideas.
Whiteboarding	Uses a whiteboard to visualize and connect ideas.	When needing a collaborative space for group idea generation.
Bodystorming	Acts out scenarios to generate ideas.	When needing to physically engage with a problem to generate ideas.
Role Storming	Participants assume different roles to generate ideas.	When needing to see a problem from various perspectives.
Group Passing Technique	Each participant adds to the previous idea.	When needing collaborative idea building with a structured process.
Storyboarding	Visualizes ideas in a sequential format.	When needing to communicate and develop ideas through a narrative.
Mind Scripting	Writes scripts to explore different scenarios.	When needing to explore and develop ideas through detailed scenarios.
Idea Ranking	Ranks ideas based on criteria.	When needing to prioritize ideas based on their potential impact and feasibility.
Circle of Opportunity	Uses a circular diagram to explore ideas.	When needing to visualize and connect various opportunities.
Problem Reversal	Reverses the problem to find new solutions.	When needing to think about a problem from a completely different angle.
Word Storming	Focuses on key words to generate ideas.	When needing to generate ideas centered around specific terms or concepts.
Concept Mapping	Visualizes relationships between concepts.	When needing to explore and understand the connections between various ideas.
Hexagonal Thinking	Uses hexagons to connect ideas.	When needing to visually and spatially organize and connect ideas.
Idea Speed Dating	Pairs participants to rapidly exchange ideas.	When needing quick and varied input from multiple participants.
Empathy Mapping	Uses empathy to understand user needs and generate ideas.	When needing to generate ideas that are deeply rooted in user needs and perspectives.
Visioning	Imagines future scenarios to generate ideas.	When needing to think long-term and generate aspirational ideas.
Divergent Thinking	Generates many different ideas.	When needing a broad range of ideas and solutions.
Convergent Thinking	Narrows down ideas to the best ones.	When needing to refine and select the best ideas from a large pool.
User Stories	Creates user scenarios to generate ideas.	When needing to develop ideas based on specific user needs and experiences.
Customer Journey Mapping	Visualizes customer experiences to find opportunities.	When needing to identify pain points and opportunities within the customer journey.
Action Priority Matrix	Prioritizes ideas based on impact and effort.	When needing to focus on the most impactful and feasible ideas.
Thought Experiment	Explores ideas through hypothetical scenarios.	When needing to test and explore ideas in a safe, theoretical context.
Pre-Mortem Analysis	Anticipates potential failures to improve ideas.	When needing to identify and address potential risks before implementation.
Brain-netting	Conducts brainstorming sessions online.	When needing to collaborate and generate ideas remotely.
Painstorming	Focuses on pain points to generate ideas.	When needing to address and solve specific problems or challenges.
Idea Splicing	Combines parts of different ideas to create new ones.	When needing to innovate by merging existing concepts.
Socratic Questioning	Uses deep questioning to generate ideas.	When needing to explore ideas through rigorous and thoughtful questioning.
Five Whys	Asks “why” five times to get to the root cause of a problem.	When needing to uncover the underlying causes of a problem.
Innovation Tournament	Competes to generate the best ideas.	When needing a competitive element to drive idea generation and refinement.
SWOT Brainstorming	Combines SWOT analysis with brainstorming.	When needing to assess and generate ideas based on internal and external factors.
Idea Matrix	Organizes ideas into a matrix for evaluation.	When needing to systematically evaluate and compare ideas.
Brainwriting Pool	Collects written ideas in a pool for group discussion.	When needing to gather and pool ideas for collective evaluation and discussion.
Innovation Sprint	Short, focused sessions to generate ideas.	When needing rapid and intense idea generation and development.
Role Play Brainstorming	Uses role play to generate ideas.	When needing to understand and generate ideas from different perspectives.
Chunking	Breaks down problems into smaller parts to generate ideas.	When needing to manage and solve complex problems by addressing smaller components.
Opportunity Mind Map	Maps opportunities visually.	When needing to visualize and explore various opportunities.
Sailboat Retrospective	Uses a sailboat metaphor to reflect and generate ideas.	When needing a creative and engaging way to reflect on progress and generate new ideas.
Idea Journaling	Keeps a journal to capture and develop ideas.	When needing to continuously capture and refine ideas over time.
Affinity Mapping	Groups similar ideas together.	When needing to organize and make sense of a large number of ideas.
Futurism	Envisions future possibilities to generate ideas.	When needing to think ahead and generate ideas based on future trends and scenarios.
Customer Feedback Analysis	Uses customer feedback to generate ideas.	When needing to generate ideas based on actual customer insights and experiences.
Business Model Canvas	Maps business components to find opportunities.	When needing to explore and innovate on business models.
Lean Canvas	Simplifies the business model canvas for rapid idea generation.	When needing a quick and efficient way to develop and test business ideas.
Problem Framing	Reframes problems to generate new ideas.	When needing to see problems in a new light to find innovative solutions.
Lightning Decision Jam	Rapidly generates and decides on ideas.	When needing quick and actionable ideas with immediate decision-making.
Ethnographic Research	Observes users to generate ideas.	When needing deep and contextual insights into user behavior and needs.
Idea Tournament	Competes to refine and select the best ideas.	When needing a structured competition to drive innovation and idea selection.
SWOT Workshop	Conducts workshops combining SWOT and brainstorming.	When needing to integrate strategic analysis with creative idea generation.
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)	Analyzes failures to generate improvement ideas.	When needing to proactively identify and mitigate potential failures.
Analogical Thinking	Uses analogies to generate ideas.	When needing to leverage similarities between different concepts to generate new ideas.
Interactive Brainstorming	Uses interactive tools to facilitate brainstorming.	When needing dynamic and engaging methods to generate ideas.
Stakeholder Brainstorming	Engages stakeholders in idea generation.	When needing input and buy-in from various stakeholders.
Idea Parking Lot	Keeps a list of ideas for future consideration.	When needing to capture and save ideas that cannot be addressed immediately.
Strategic Brainstorming	Focuses brainstorming on strategic goals.	When needing to align idea generation with long-term strategic objectives.
Productive Thinking Model	Uses structured thinking to generate ideas.	When needing a systematic approach to creative problem-solving.
Opportunity Canvas	Focuses on opportunities within the business model.	When needing to identify and develop new business opportunities.
Conceptual Blockbusting	Overcomes mental blocks to generate ideas.	When needing to break through creative barriers and generate fresh ideas.
Hybrid Brainstorming	Combines different brainstorming techniques.	When needing to leverage multiple methods for diverse idea generation.
Challenge Mapping	Maps challenges to find solutions.	When needing to understand and address specific challenges in detail.
Design Charrette	Intensive planning session to generate ideas.	When needing a focused and collaborative effort to solve a design problem.
Braintrust Sessions	Uses a trusted group to generate and refine ideas.	When needing expert input and collaboration for idea refinement.
Value Proposition Canvas	Develops value propositions through brainstorming.	When needing to create and refine value propositions for products or services.
Innovation Jam	Intensive, collaborative brainstorming sessions.	When needing a concentrated burst of creativity and idea generation.
Delphi Method	Uses expert consensus to generate ideas.	When needing to leverage expert knowledge and consensus for idea generation.
Creative Problem Solving (CPS)	Structured process for generating ideas.	When needing a step-by-step approach to solve complex problems creatively.
World Café	Facilitates large group brainstorming through roundtable discussions.	When needing to engage a large group in collaborative idea generation.