LEGO Serious Play

As it’a big event weekend for LEGO fans on both sides of the Atlantic, news is light on the ground, so while looking around for something to write about I stumbled upon a part of LEGO.com I’ve not come across before called LEGO Serious Play. So what is Serious Play well this is what I’ve found out:

Lego Serious Play is a consultant service offered by a Lego Serious Play Certified Facilitator. Its goal is fostering creative thinking through team building metaphors of their organizational identities and experiences using Lego bricks. Participants work through imaginary scenarios using visual three-dimensional Lego constructions, hence the name “serious play”.

The method is described as “a passionate and practical process for building confidence, commitment and insight”. The approach is based on research which suggests that hands-on, “minds-on” learning produces a deeper, more meaningful understanding of the world and its possibilities. It is claimed that participants come away with skills to communicate more effectively, to engage their imaginations more readily, and to approach their work with increased confidence, commitment and insight.

LEGO SERIOUS PLAY is built upon a process which stems from the heart of LEGO bricks and the LEGO^® building system. Looking for a tool to unlock imagination and innovation within the company, the LEGO Group realized that a solution might be found in the LEGO^® system itself: just as the LEGO Group had been telling children to ‘build their dreams’ for decades, so perhaps adults could be asked to build their visions for future strategy.

The idea of LEGO^® SERIOUS PLAY^® originated in 1996 when the two professors Johan Roos and Bart Victor at IMD in Switzerland and LEGO Group CEO and owner Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen were exploring alternative strategic planning tools and systems. They developed an understanding about the value of employees and the concept of evolving, adaptive strategy that included using LEGO elements as three-dimensional models of business issues and challenges, which later became known as LEGO^® SERIOUS PLAY^®. Together they formed a company called Executive Discovery Ltd., which developed and launched the LEGO^® SERIOUS PLAY^® concept. In 2004 the company merged into the LEGO Group, which took over the ownership, concept and distribution of LEGO^® SERIOUS PLAY^® materials. In 2010 the LEGO Group decided to offer the LEGO^® SERIOUS PLAY^® methodology in a community based model and the LEGO^®SERIOUS PLAY^® materials are now available for purchase on LEGO.com. It is today the only community-based business model using LEGO^® materials that is officially approved by the LEGO Group.

The LEGO^® SERIOUS PLAY^® Method is a facilitated meeting, communication and problem-solving process in which participants are led through a series of questions, probing deeper and deeper into the subject. Each participant builds his or her own 3D LEGO^® model in response to the facilitator’s questions using specially selected LEGO^® elements. These 3D models serve as a basis for group discussion, knowledge sharing, problem solving and decision making.

The LEGO^® SERIOUS PLAY^® Method is a technique which improves group problem solving. By utilizing visual, auditory and kinesthetic skills, the Method requires participants to learn and listen, and it provides all participants with a voice. The Method serves as a shared language regardless of culture or position. It is also a method that requires a trained facilitator.

The LEGO Group strongly recommends the use of certified facilitators, therefore, if you are a client looking for an experienced LEGO^® SERIOUS PLAY^® facilitator to run a workshop, we encourage you to search the Internet for LEGO^® SERIOUS PLAY^® facilitators within your country or search these online community platforms:

http://seriousplaypro.com/
http://strategicplayroom.ning.com/
http://www.seriousplay.training

When you have identified the facilitators you feel match your requirements, we suggest you check that the facilitator holds a certification as a LEGO^® SERIOUS PLAY^® facilitator.

I found it all rather interesting and you can find out more by visiting the site here.