What is the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methodology, and when did it come about?
The LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methodology uses LEGO® bricks as a tool to make group communication, problem-solving and the development of ideas and strategies easier.
It came about in the early 1990s in the home country of the LEGO® Group, Denmark, with the help of Johan Roos, a Swedish professor at IMD, and Bart Victor, a professor at Vanderbilt University in the United States.
Johan and Bart were very interested in creativity and innovation in business. Fascinated by LEGO® bricks and their potential to spark creativity and innovation, they began working with the LEGO® Group to explore innovative ways of improving business processes and strategy.
Along the way they realised that traditional meetings and workshops are not always effective at uncovering ideas, solving problems or developing strategies. Instead, they wanted to create a methodology that would let all participants take part equally, making creative thinking and the exchange of ideas easier.
LEGO® bricks — a tool for solving business problems
They also wanted to answer the question: “What would happen if we used LEGO® bricks as a tool for solving business problems?”
For its time, the idea was quite revolutionary. They soon began to experiment. They organised a series of workshops with students and managers to test the concept, and the results were surprisingly positive: participants were inspired to use LEGO® bricks to express their ideas, opinions and perspectives creatively.
After a series of iterations, Johan and Bart came to these insights:
- Participants were much more open and creative when they used LEGO® bricks than when they discussed things the “classic” way.
- The workshops created deeper connections between participants.
- Team spirit improved considerably.
- Everyone took an active part.
Through experimentation, further development of the methodology and adaptation to the different needs and challenges of organisations, Johan and Bart finally defined the structure and processes that are the basis of every LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® workshop today.
For years now, the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methodology has been used around the world in different organisations and industries, helping them improve teamwork, innovation, communication, decision-making and the solving of complex problems. It lets every participant take an active part, and use their hands and visual thinking to express their thoughts and ideas.
By organising LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® workshops you can improve performance and collaboration within your organisation, and the satisfaction of your employees. Every workshop is led and carefully designed by a certified LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® facilitator. Every workshop uses specially designed LEGO® bricks as a tool for building metaphorical models that represent ideas, concepts and strategies.
Milica Arsić, the author of this text, is a certified LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® facilitator and can help you organise a LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® workshop fully tailored to the needs and goals of your organisation.
If you want to improve team collaboration in your organisation, work on the topic your organisation needs most right now, and give your employees a workshop they will remember for a long, long time, contact Milica and Brick Hub today.
