La méthodologie Lego Serious Play
The Lego® Serious Play® Methodology
Participants in a Lego® Serious Play® workshop are engrossed in responding to a question I set for them. They are building their response with Lego bricks and are working individually at this stage. They will share their response with the group just after. Later in the workshop, they will build a collective model integrating all perspectives.
What is the Lego® Serious Play® methodology?
The Lego® Serious Play® methodology is a means of facilitating groups, of mediation and creating shared understanding and engagement using selected Lego® bricks. It brings ideas, concepts, situations and topics to life in a pragmatic way as these can now be seen on the table. The bricks are a common language shared by the group and allow each participant to connect to their ideas and those of others. Using our hands to build something mobilises more areas of our brain and allows participants to unlock hidden knowledge, providing richer perspectives and insights.
Each participant is fully engaged by the process of building a model in response to the question at hand. All participants are heard equally by the debriefing process, thus removing any constraints induced by rank, seniority or any other formal or informal group dynamics.
This methodology is very inclusive and allows the introverts to think deeply and gives opportunity for the extroverts to express themselves! Unlike other creative methods (drawing, plasticine, theatre, etc.) where participants can easily doubt their creative capacities, all that is required by the Lego® Serious Play® methodology is to be able to assemble bricks!
Lego® Serious Play® allows you to explore important topics with great depth, in a collaborative way, using all the perspectives in the room. It unlocks your potential to innovate whilst encouraging authentic and meaningful interaction between participants.
The time invested in a Lego® Serious Play® workshop will yield more than any other workshop and will be remembered and have a greater impact in terms of participant involvement and engagement for the future actions.
When to use Lego® Serious Play®
The method can be used for almost any application provided the answer is unknown and you are willing to set yourself time aside with your team to see what emerges from a process in which you will be using Lego® bricks in a professional context!
A partial view of a shared vision and team values built during a Lego® Serious Play® workshop. The meaning is not self-evident, you needed to be there! As a participant, this would speak volumes to you.
Strategy
- Defining a long-term strategy, a desired state, exploring a vision and defining a mission.
- Exploring possibilities, analysing risks and opportunities.
- Managing the complexity of interdependence within the organisation or with your business ecosystem.
- Creating team alignment and cohesion around a shared ambition.
Team management
- Define values for a group, create alignment and understanding between group members.
- Explore in a safe space sensitive topics (elephants in the room, beliefs, sources of conflict, etc.)
- Establish and consolidate partnerships around shared objectives.
- Give and receive feedback, explore team talents, literally see other people’s perspectives (often a conflict diffuser).
Designing innovative products and services
- Defining your positioning as a company, function, department.
- The Lego® Serious Play® methodology can also be coupled with other methods like the Business Model Canvas or other frameworks.
Each Lego® Serious Play® workshop is custom designed for you!
Depending upon your needs and context, I will create the flow and exercises for your workshop. There are workshop design principles that ensure the participant experience, learning and workshop success which only a certified facilitator can provide.
On my own, I can deliver to a group of 5 to 12 participants, and I also have a network of trusted certified facilitators I can rely on for bigger events. The facilitator’s role is an important one as they maintain a safe space to talk, ensure that the sharing is fluid, keeps the process on track and helps the emergence of group intelligence. The deliverable is of course important, and so is the way that you will get there.
Don’t be mistaken, a workshop using Lego® bricks is not necessarily a Lego® Serious Play® workshop! Get the real deal!
By running a workshop, you contribute to local employment
In order to keep your costs down, I can provide the specific kits you will need for your workshop.
After each workshop, these kits are reconditioned by ESAT de Saint-Sébastien. This is a company offering support and employment to people in a situation of handicap or with special needs. We have been working together since 2017, and your workshop will provide revenue to those who need it in our community.