LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method Certification for Facilitators
Facilitating a workshop using the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method can be an incredibly rewarding experience. This innovative process transforms traditional meetings into dynamic spaces for enhanced communication, creative thinking, and collaborative problem-solving.
This is where deeper imagination kicks in, enabling a collaborative approach to developing innovative solutions for complex challenges. Participants leverage LEGO® bricks to build tangible 3D models that encapsulate their innovative ideas, latent creativity, and deep understanding of business scenarios, strategy development, and team building.
This guide aims to equip you with the thinking tools, practical tips, and techniques needed to become a confident and experienced facilitator. It helps you develop and deliver impactful workshop experiences, promoting breakthrough ideas and fresh ideas for business strategy.
The LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method: An Overview
At its core, the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method is a hands-on facilitation approach that employs specially selected LEGO® bricks, including basic bricks and colorful bricks. These metaphorical models serve as a powerful tool for visual presentation, enabling participants to construct business models that represent complex concepts and abstract ideas.
By creating individual models and collaborative 3D representations, participants engage in a deeper understanding process, allowing for a broader thinking perspective and effective communication among participants. This structured method encourages a safe environment where a team meeting becomes a valuable tool for continuous learning and mutual understanding.
The method promotes both individual and community-based model-building, helping facilitators drive a culture of creativity, organizational development, and team development while addressing business challenges.
A Brief History of the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method
Developed in the late 1990s, the methodology emerged from a collaboration between the LEGO Group and academic researchers Johan Roos and Bart Victor. Initially designed to assist executives in navigating strategic planning within complex business environments, the approach has since expanded into a wide range of industries, influencing business planning, product development, and professional facilitators.
Today, it is widely used by business leaders ready to engage people in meetings, fostering creativity and leadership development. Professional facilitators, marketing students, and leadership students implement the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method to enhance learning experiences and the learning process in both traditional meetings and classroom environments.
Guiding Principles for Effective Facilitation
To be an effective facilitator, it’s essential to adhere to these guiding principles:
- Inclusive Participation: Ensure that every participant engages in hands-on activities, helping break traditional communication barriers and enabling team collaboration.
- Exploration Through Building: Encourage participants to engage in the process of building models, translating abstract customer experiences into physical representations.
- Storytelling for Understanding: Engage participants in storytelling models to develop a deeper understanding of complex topics and team identity.
By committing to these principles, facilitators establish a safe and supportive environment for facilitation practice and mutual understanding.
Structuring a LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Session
A well-structured LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® workshop typically follows a four-step process:
- The Challenge: Present an open-ended question related to business challenges, innovative approaches, or the business landscape.
- Model Building: Participants use LEGO® bricks to create 3D models, from simple shapes to complex metaphorical models.
- Story Sharing: Each participant shares ideas by explaining their model in response to the posed challenge.
- Reflection and Feedback: The group engages in rich dialogue, discussing innovative strategies and potential of people.
This process transforms business processes by enhancing problem-solving skills and bridging unrelated ideas into a solid understanding of complex business concepts.
Key Components of Your Toolkit
To effectively facilitate workshops, you’ll need a well-rounded toolkit, including:
- Starter Kits : A diverse assortment of bricks, including colorful bricks and simple shapes for developing a prototype of ideas.
- Special Elements: Items like gears, transparent bricks, and mini-figures to bring abstract concepts to life and encourage a hands-on approach.
- A Road Map: A step-by-step facilitation guide that includes brainstorming sessions and experiential learning activities.
The Benefits of Utilizing the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method
Engaging in the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method leads to several benefits, such as:
- Enhanced Problem-Solving Skills: Encourages divergent thinking tools for tackling complex challenges.
- Improved Collaboration: Fosters teamwork by eliminating barriers to communication and promoting team building.
- Strategic Thinking Development: Strengthens logical thinking and critical thinking for navigating business scenarios.
- Faster Consensus: Uses a physical language approach to align different perspectives in a collaborative experience.
These benefits make the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method a powerful tool for driving organizational development and learning styles.
Practical Applications of the Method
The LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method applies across various sectors, including:
- Business Strategy Development: Enhancing strategic planning through a creative approach.
- Leadership Workshops: Strengthening facilitator training and leadership development.
- Higher Education: Used by institutions like Royal Roads University and Pepperdine University for experiential learning.
- Corporate Training: Adopted by management teams for hands-on experience in problem-solving.
Unlock Your Full Potential as a Facilitator
The LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method is a powerful pathway to unleash collective creativity and develop a lifetime of conversation. By mastering facilitation skills and facilitator training, facilitators can amplify their impact, ensuring communication among team members remains effective and productive.
For further guidance, explore our facilitation training courses at Serious Play Business and take your facilitation skills to the next level!
Important Update
Our website has changed! We now go by Serious Play Business, so all internal links now direct to our updated platform. Explore facilitator training, certification, and more at our new website.
Additional Resources
For more information on LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® facilitation, training, and certification, visit:
This structured approach ensures that facilitators are well-equipped to handle complex business models and drive high-impact workshops!
