LEGO SERIOUS PLAY
Creating different models using lego to specific criteria (e.g. what makes a good park?), communicating on the results and reflecting on the discussion.
Workshops could be run during which participants are invited to build lego models in response to a specific question e.g. what makes a good park? What would improve the park? Participants would then be invited to share and discuss what they have built and why. This can be used to facilitate deeper exploration of topics.
Lego is a fun and creative way to engage various different age groups in activities together, allowing people to have time to process their thought on what they are making whilst they are.
Overview of the Engagement Tool/Innovation:
Lego Serious Play is a facilitation tool or method which was originally developed by Lego and is now open-source. The method uses lego as a metaphor. A facilitator encourages creativity and storytelling through various exercises using Lego. Each participant has an opportunity to speak out, sharing their ideas and thoughts. Serious Play is based on core principles such as: hearing all voices in the room; people taking ownership and being part of the bigger purpose.
Role in decision-making:
Lego can be used during a design phase, where it is important to gain the opinions of participants in relation to ideas they would like to be implemented. This is because Lego Serious Play uses creativity and storytelling to enable participants to discuss concepts and designs they find important through use of lego brick creations. It would be possible to record preferences displayed when Lego was being used. The method can be used to gather more emotional or conceptual information, as well as for design of physical spaces or objects.
Engaging: using lego as a metaphor invites creativity and fun into engagement activities.
Inclusive: lego can be used with adults, but also works well with younger people and children.
Suitable for:
This works with any group who would enjoy a creative and interactive experience. Young people aged 7-25 will respond well to Lego, but it could also be used where inter-generational communication is sought. Families might be drawn to a workshop where Lego is used. It is important to bear in mind that standard Lego is a choking hazard for under-threes.
Resources needed:
You need Lego pieces in sets for each participant, preferably with base plates. The Lego shop could be used to source appropriate bricks. Lego bricks come in a variety of shapes, colours and sizes, and there are trees and flowers that might fit well with park-related themes. You could make cards with each task on for participants. You could use a camera to take pictures of the models. You might want to give people post-its to note down their ideas during the session. Staff would be needed to organise and run workshops and collate and analyse feedback.
Advantages:
- Lego is well-known and appealing to a lot of people.
- This method works well with visual thinkers and people who don’t always speak up in group situations.
- It’s fun and engaging and would particularly appeal to children and young people, but can also be enjoyed by people of all ages.
- Encourages creativity and imagination which could lead to abstract and ‘out of the box’ ideas.
Challenges:
- Lego is expensive, although it is possible to source second hand lego which can be washed in a mesh bag in the top of a dishwasher.
- Small lego pieces may not be suitable for very young kids due to it being a potential choking hazard.
Sources, good practice and case studies:
In Garde and van der Voort (2016), students were consulted on their ideas related to coffee. In the first stage, they were asked to build a tower and customise it to show what they love about student life. In the second stage, they were asked to individually build models showing key aspects of great coffee experiences. In the third phase, each model was discussed, models were grouped into categories and made into a landscape model with a story to go alongside it. A different group of students worked on ideas related to bike riding. They were asked to build towers telling stories about nightmare bike riding experiences. They could add as many bricks as they wished. Then, in the second phase, they identified ideal biking experiences and represented them with Lego. Thirdly, they consolidated these ideas by grouping models with similar aspects and made a combined model. They developed a story to complement this model. This study found that participants were more engaged where there was a greater chance of the ideas being implemented.
More information/links
You can buy ready-made lego packs for different aspects of Serious Play at Lego.com here: https://www.lego.com/en-gb/themes/serious-play The ‘identity and landscape’ kit is perhaps most relevant. You can also get a sense of what could be provided for each participant, if following the Serious Play method.
The following is a website that explains the method in some detail: https://www.bricksandbusiness.com/lp/lego-serious-play-the-method.html
For a research paper discussing whether Serious Play is useful for co-design, and suggested adaptations see:
https://dl.designresearchsociety.org/drs-conference-papers/drs2016/researchpapers/98/
The following is another research paper reflecting on the use of Serious Play in co-design https://ijmar.org/v5n4/18-023.html
There is an extensive guide here: https://davidgauntlett.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/LEGO_SERIOUS_PLAY_OpenSource_14mb.pdf