Your Basket (0 items)What is LEGO Serious Play
LEGO® Serious Play® is a facilitated workshop methodology that uses LEGO bricks to help people think more clearly, communicate more openly, and solve complex problems together.
At its core, the method is designed to get everyone involved. Instead of relying on traditional discussion, participants build models that represent their ideas. Those models then become the starting point for conversation.
It might seem unconventional at first, but that shift in approach is exactly what makes it effective. By working with their hands, people often express ideas they would not normally share in a typical meeting or workshop setting. Today, the method is used by organisations, educators and coaches as a practical way to unlock thinking, improve collaboration and encourage meaningful participation. Many organisations choose to work with experienced providers offering LEGO Serious Play facilitator training to ensure sessions are structured and outcome-focused.
The origins of LEGO Serious Play
The methodology has its roots in the LEGO building system itself.
In the mid-1990s, the LEGO Group began exploring new ways to support strategic thinking within organisations. The idea was simple but powerful. If children could use LEGO to build and explore ideas, why not apply the same concept to adults in a business context?
This led to the development of LEGO Serious Play as a structured approach to problem-solving and strategy.
The concept was further developed with input from academics, including professors from IMD in Switzerland, who were exploring alternative ways to approach strategy and organisational development. Together, they recognised the value of using physical models to represent complex business challenges.
Since then, the methodology has evolved into a widely used facilitation approach across industries.
How LEGO Serious Play works in practice
A LEGO Serious Play session is always guided by a trained facilitator.
Rather than open discussion, the session follows a structured process:
- A question or challenge is set
- Participants build a model
- Everyone shares their model
- The group reflects and connects ideas
This process changes how people engage. Conversations become more focused, participation increases, and ideas tend to be explored in greater depth.
Organisations looking to run sessions like this often invest in facilitator training programmes to develop the skills needed to guide these workshops effectively.
Where LEGO Serious Play is used
In organisations
It is commonly used for strategy sessions, leadership development and team workshops. It helps teams align around ideas and work through complex challenges together. Many organisations also use these workshops to support team development and collaboration.
In education
Educators use the method to encourage hands-on learning and deeper understanding. It can make abstract concepts more accessible and engaging. Explore LEGO Serious Play education training for classroom and learning environments.
In coaching
Coaches use the approach to help individuals explore goals, challenges and perspectives in a visual and structured way. See how this applies in LEGO Serious Play coaching training.
Across all of these settings, the aim is the same. To create a space where people can think more openly and contribute more effectively.
Why the method works
There are a few key reasons why the method is so effective.
First, it encourages full participation. Everyone builds and shares, which removes the usual imbalance where a few people dominate the conversation.
Second, it helps people think differently. Building something physical often unlocks ideas that would not come through in a purely verbal discussion.
Third, it makes ideas visible. Complex thoughts become easier to explore when they are represented as models.
This aligns closely with approaches such as practice based learning, where people learn more effectively by doing rather than just listening.
For many organisations, this leads to clearer thinking, better communication and more meaningful outcomes from workshops.
Becoming a LEGO Serious Play facilitator
While the concept is simple, running a session effectively requires training.
A facilitator needs to understand not just the process, but also how to guide discussion, ask the right questions and create the right environment for participants.
For those looking to apply the methodology professionally, LEGO Serious Play facilitator training provides a structured way to learn these skills.
Unlike traditional training models, SERIOUSWORK focuses on practice-based learning. This means you are not just learning the theory, but actively facilitating during the training itself, building the confidence and capability to apply the method immediately.
Depending on your focus, there are also specialist options such as:
These programmes are designed to help individuals use the method confidently in real-world environments.
Why choose SERIOUSWORK
If you are looking to become a facilitator, the quality of your training matters.
SERIOUSWORK has spent years refining both the LEGO Serious Play methodology and how it is taught. Their approach goes beyond the traditional framework, focusing on real-world application and measurable outcomes.
Our practice-based learning model ensures that by the end of the training, you are not just familiar with the method, you are ready to facilitate outcome-driven workshops with confidence.
Participants consistently describe it as one of the most valuable and engaging training experiences they have taken.
Talk to us about training options.
LEGO Serious Play FAQs
What is LEGO Serious Play used for?
LEGO Serious Play is used for strategy, team development, leadership workshops and problem-solving sessions.
Do you need training to run LEGO Serious Play?
Yes, effective facilitation requires structured training.
How long is a LEGO-based workshop?
Workshops can range from a few hours to multiple days.
Who should facilitate these sessions?
Trained facilitators who have completed LEGO Serious Play facilitation training.
