Best Practices for Running LEGO® Serious Play® in Hybrid Teams
Hybrid teams—where some members join in-person and others remotely—pose unique challenges for engagement, collaboration, and communication. Traditional team-building exercises often struggle to bridge the gap between physical and virtual participants. However, LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP) can be adapted to ensure equal participation, creativity, and engagement across both environments.
In this guide, we’ll explore best practices for facilitating LEGO® Serious Play® workshops in hybrid teams, helping you create impactful and inclusive experiences.
Why Use LEGO® Serious Play® for Hybrid Teams?
LSP is a hands-on, experiential method that fosters creative problem-solving, storytelling, and deeper collaboration. Adapting LSP for hybrid teams offers several advantages:
Ensures Equal Participation – Both remote and in-person members actively contribute.
Enhances Team Connection – Encourages deeper conversations and shared understanding.
Engages Multiple Learning Styles – Combines hands-on building, storytelling, and reflection.
Makes Ideas Tangible – Helps teams visualise abstract concepts and solutions.
Best Practices for Running LEGO® Serious Play® in Hybrid Environments
1. Set Clear Expectations & Prepare the Right Tools
Before the session, communicate expectations to all participants and ensure they have the necessary materials.
For In-Person Participants:
A shared LEGO brick set for group use.
A workspace with good lighting and camera visibility.
For Remote Participants:
A personal LEGO kit sent in advance or guidance on selecting their own.
A webcam setup that allows clear visibility of their models.
Access to digital collaboration tools like Miro or MURAL for capturing insights.
Technology Setup:
Use a 360-degree conference camera (e.g., Owl Labs) to give remote participants a full view.
Assign a co-facilitator to assist with managing virtual engagement.
Have a dedicated screen to display virtual participants prominently in the room.
2. Start with a Hybrid-Friendly Warm-Up
Icebreaker activities help participants get comfortable with LEGO building and hybrid engagement.
Warm-Up Exercise: “Build Your Mood”
Prompt: “Build a model that represents how you’re feeling today.”
Remote participants share their models via webcam; in-person participants hold up their models.
Facilitator ensures everyone gets a chance to share their story.
3. Facilitate Hybrid LEGO Serious Play Activities Effectively
Adjust LSP exercises to accommodate both in-person and remote team members.
Exercise 1: Team Identity Mapping
Prompt: “Build a model representing your role in the team.”
Hybrid Adaptation:
In-person participants build together, sharing a physical LEGO space.
Virtual participants build their models separately and share via webcam.
Use a shared digital whiteboard (Miro/MURAL) to capture key themes from both groups.
Exercise 2: Problem-Solving with LEGO
Prompt: “Build a model representing a challenge your team faces.”
Hybrid Adaptation:
Remote participants position their webcam to show their models clearly.
In-person participants use a shared table setup but ensure their models are visible on camera.
Facilitator bridges the discussion by summarising insights from both physical and virtual participants.
Exercise 3: Creating a Shared Vision
Prompt: “Build a collective model of the team’s ideal future.”
Hybrid Adaptation:
Virtual participants build individual models and describe them.
In-person members build sections of a shared group model.
Use screen-sharing and digital tools to integrate both perspectives into a unified vision.
4. Ensure Equal Engagement & Participation
One of the biggest challenges in hybrid facilitation is keeping remote participants engaged.
Rotate sharing order – Ensure remote participants share first to prevent them from feeling secondary.
Use polling tools – Engage both groups with quick questions on platforms like Mentimeter.
Leverage digital collaboration spaces – Capture ideas visually in real time with Miro/MURAL.
Assign hybrid buddies – Pair in-person and virtual participants to ensure inclusivity in discussions.
5. Capture Insights & Follow Up Effectively
To ensure that insights from the session translate into action:
Take photos of all models (both in-person and remote builds) for documentation.
Use a shared digital board to capture key takeaways.
Summarise learnings and next steps in a follow-up email or report.
Encourage ongoing reflection by revisiting LSP models in future team meetings.
Tools & Resources for Running Hybrid LEGO® Serious Play® Sessions
To enhance hybrid facilitation, consider using:
Zoom or Microsoft Teams – For video conferencing and breakout discussions.
Miro/MURAL – For real-time visual collaboration.
Owl Labs 360 Camera – For an immersive in-room experience.
LEGO Digital Designer – For remote participants without physical bricks.
Facilitating LEGO® Serious Play® for hybrid teams requires thoughtful adaptation, but when done right, it fosters engagement, inclusivity, and creative problem-solving—no matter where participants are located.
By following these best practices, you can create transformative experiences that connect both virtual and in-person team members.
Looking to master hybrid LEGO® Serious Play® facilitation?
At The Brick Coach, we offer a comprehensive online LEGO® Serious Play® training designed for coaches, facilitators, and team leaders.
