Lego Serious Play Session
Time for the team building activity: 90–120 minutes
Setup effort: Moderate
Estimated cost: Medium
Business value: Encourages deep reflection, strengthens communication, and unlocks creative thinking in team building activities
What is Lego Serious Play?
Lego Serious Play is a structured facilitation method where participants use LEGO bricks to build models that represent ideas, challenges, or goals. Instead of staying abstract, people express concepts through physical models—like what successful teamwork looks like, how a project feels, or what the team’s future should become. Each model becomes a storytelling tool: participants explain meaning, metaphors, and relationships, which often makes complex topics easier to discuss.
How do you play Lego Serious Play?
Participants sit at tables with LEGO sets. The facilitator gives a prompt (for example: “Build a model that represents what successful teamwork looks like”). Participants build individually for 5–10 minutes, then each person explains their model and the story behind it. In a second phase, the group may build shared models combining key elements from individual builds to represent collective insights, priorities, or shared goals.
Why it’s great for a team
This method boosts depth and inclusion. It supports creative expression (visual metaphors), inclusive participation (everyone builds before anyone debates), reflection (people think differently when hands are busy), and shared understanding (models make hidden assumptions visible). It often helps quieter teammates contribute more, because the “model story” gives everyone a clear turn to speak.
How to organize it effectively
When possible, use a facilitator trained in Lego Serious Play to keep the method structured and meaningful. Provide enough LEGO pieces for variety and choose prompts connected to teamwork, culture, or strategy. Protect time for sharing—meaning comes from explanation, not building technique. Debrief with: What themes repeated across models? What did the models reveal that normal discussion misses? What one change should we try based on these insights? When facilitated well, Lego Serious Play becomes a deep team building activity that strengthens communication, reflection, and alignment.