Why Top Facilitators Are Adding LEGO® Serious Play® to Their Toolkit
Facilitation is evolving. Whether you’re leading corporate workshops, designing learning experiences, or coaching teams, the demand for engaging, experiential, and transformative methods has never been higher. Traditional facilitation tools—post-it notes, brainstorming sessions, and whiteboards—are useful, but they often fail to unlock deep engagement and creativity. This is why top facilitators, instructional designers, and group coaches are integrating LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP) into their toolkit.
LEGO® Serious Play® is more than just playing with bricks—it’s a proven methodology designed to facilitate deep thinking, shared understanding, and breakthrough insights. In this article, we’ll explore why LSP is becoming an essential tool for facilitators and how it can transform the way you engage with groups.
What is LEGO® Serious Play®?
LEGO® Serious Play® is a facilitated problem-solving and communication method that uses LEGO bricks to externalise thoughts, foster collaboration, and drive innovation. Participants build models that serve as metaphors for their ideas, challenges, and goals, allowing them to think differently and communicate complex ideas more effectively.
Originally developed by LEGO in collaboration with researchers, LSP is now used worldwide by facilitators, educators, and organisational leaders to improve team alignment, leadership development, and creative problem-solving.
Why Facilitators Are Embracing LEGO® Serious Play®
1. It Creates Psychological Safety & Inclusivity
One of the biggest challenges in facilitation is ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard. Traditional discussions often favour louder, more dominant voices, leaving quieter participants disengaged. LEGO® Serious Play® changes this by giving every participant an equal opportunity to contribute—because everyone builds and shares their model.
For a workshop facilitator or group coach, this means better participation, deeper conversations, and greater team cohesion.
2. It Enhances Engagement & Retention
Research shows that people remember more when they actively engage with the learning process. LEGO® Serious Play® activates multiple parts of the brain by combining visual, kinesthetic, and verbal learning, making it more memorable and impactful.
If you’re an instructional designer, integrating LSP into your training programs can result in higher engagement, improved knowledge retention, and more dynamic learning experiences.
3. It Unblocks Creativity & Problem-Solving
Many teams and groups struggle with fixed thinking patterns. Traditional brainstorming often yields predictableideas, as participants tend to rely on familiar concepts.
LEGO® Serious Play® disrupts linear thinking by encouraging participants to express ideas through metaphor and storytelling. This sparks fresh insights and helps teams break through creative blocks.
For facilitators running strategy sessions, innovation workshops, or leadership retreats, LSP is an invaluable tool for fostering bold, outside-the-box thinking.
4. It Makes Abstract Concepts Tangible
Complex challenges—like organisational change, leadership identity, or team culture—are difficult to articulate through words alone. LEGO® Serious Play® helps participants visualise these abstract ideas in a concrete way, making discussions more structured and insightful.
For example, a facilitator leading a change management workshop might ask participants to build a model of how they see their organisation before and after a major transformation. This allows teams to externalise their concerns, discuss barriers, and co-create solutions visually and collaboratively.
5. It Strengthens Team Alignment & Communication
Effective facilitation isn’t just about delivering information—it’s about helping teams understand each other better. LSP fosters open, honest, and meaningful dialogue, making it an excellent tool for improving team communication and alignment.
For team coaches, this means being able to help teams navigate conflict, build trust, and align around shared goalsin a way that is more engaging and productive than traditional discussions.
Real-World Applications for Facilitators
LEGO® Serious Play® is being used by top facilitators across various industries. Here are some real-world applications:
Corporate Workshops & Strategy Sessions – Helping leaders co-create visions, explore challenges, and make strategic decisions.
Leadership Development Programs – Encouraging leaders to reflect on their values, strengths, and leadership identity.
Team Building & Collaboration Workshops – Strengthening relationships and aligning teams around common goals.
Instructional Design & Learning Facilitation – Enhancing training experiences and making learning more interactive.
Innovation & Problem-Solving Retreats – Helping organisations explore new ideas and break free from conventional thinking.
How to Get Started with LEGO® Serious Play®
If you’re a facilitator, instructional designer, or group coach looking to integrate LEGO® Serious Play® into your work, here’s how to get started:
Get Trained & Certified – A structured training program will equip you with the facilitation techniques and confidence to run LSP sessions effectively.
Start Small – Introduce short LSP exercises into existing workshops before designing full sessions.
Experiment with Different Prompts – Adapt LSP exercises to suit different facilitation goals, from team dynamics to innovation challenges.
Blend with Other Facilitation Methods – Use LSP alongside design thinking, systemic coaching, or agile facilitation for a well-rounded approach.
At The Brick Coach, we offer a comprehensive online LEGO® Serious Play® training specifically designed for facilitators, coaches, and L&D professionals. Learn how to integrate this powerful method into your practice from anywhere in the world.
As facilitation evolves, top practitioners are looking for more engaging, immersive, and effective ways to connect with participants. LEGO® Serious Play® is proving to be a game-changing tool that enhances creativity, collaboration, and deeper learning.
Whether you’re a workshop facilitator, instructional designer, or group coach, adding LSP to your toolkit will help you create more impactful experiences, drive meaningful insights, and elevate the way you facilitate.
Ready to take your facilitation skills to the next level? Join our online LEGO® Serious Play® training today!
