Think back to your childhood. Building towers. Creating miniature worlds. Inventing stories with nothing but a pile of colourful bricks. That’s the magic of LEGO. But what if we told you that same magic could help businesses solve their toughest challenges?
LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP) is more than just child’s play. It’s a powerful, hands-on tool that helps organisations think, communicate, and innovate in ways that traditional methods just can’t match. Here’s why it works:
It gets everyone involved
Ever sat through a meeting where the loudest voice dominates, and half the room zones out? LSP flips that dynamic. By putting LEGO bricks in everyone’s hands, it ensures every participant has an equal chance to contribute. It’s a democratic process where ideas come to life—literally.
It unlocks creativity
We’re all creative. Yes, even you. But traditional brainstorming sessions often fail to tap into that creativity. LSP engages both hands and minds, allowing participants to think more freely. The tactile nature of building with LEGO helps bypass mental blocks, uncovering ideas that might otherwise stay buried.
It makes abstract concepts tangible
How do you describe something like “customer experience” or “corporate culture”? Words can feel limiting. With LSP, you build models to represent these concepts, making the intangible tangible. It’s easier to discuss, refine, and align on something you can see and touch.
Real-world examples
Curious about who’s using LSP? Let’s dive into a few success stories.
1. NASA
When NASA wanted to improve communication and collaboration among their teams, they turned to LEGO Serious Play. By building models of their challenges and solutions, participants uncovered insights that might have been missed in a traditional workshop. The result? Better alignment and stronger teamwork—essential for missions where precision is everything.
2. Coca-Cola
Facing a competitive market, Coca-Cola’s European marketing team needed fresh ideas. They used LSP to reimagine their brand strategy. Building models of customer journeys and brand touchpoints helped the team identify opportunities they hadn’t considered before. The process didn’t just spark ideas—it brought the team closer together.
3. Toyota
Toyota’s leadership team used LSP to explore their corporate culture. By building models of their values and behaviours, they identified areas for improvement and created a shared vision for the future. The hands-on nature of LSP made the conversation more engaging and productive than a traditional strategy session.
4. Google
Google has used LSP to foster innovation in its product teams. By building and sharing models, team members uncovered new ways to approach user experience design. The process helped break down silos and inspired creative problem-solving.
5. IKEA
IKEA used LSP to rethink its customer service strategy. Teams built models of customer pain points and explored potential solutions. This hands-on approach helped them develop more empathetic and effective service offerings.
6. Unilever
Unilever’s HR department adopted LSP to improve employee engagement. Participants built models representing their ideal workplace culture, leading to actionable insights and initiatives that boosted morale and retention.
7. Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic used LSP to enhance their in-flight customer experience. By building models of passenger journeys, the team identified small but impactful changes to improve comfort and satisfaction.
8. Deloitte
Deloitte employed LSP during a major organisational transformation. Teams built models of the challenges they faced and worked collaboratively to visualise solutions. This approach helped accelerate change and fostered buy-in across departments.
9. LEGO Group
It’s no surprise that the LEGO Group itself uses LSP. They’ve applied it to everything from product development to internal strategy workshops, proving the method’s value across diverse applications.
10. Pfizer
Pfizer utilised LSP to streamline its R&D processes. Teams built models of the drug development pipeline, identifying inefficiencies and opportunities for innovation. The results included faster time-to-market and improved collaboration.
The takeaway
LEGO Serious Play is more than a fun workshop activity. It’s a proven method to foster collaboration, spark innovation, and solve complex problems. Whether you’re a global brand like Coca-Cola or a team just starting out, LSP can help you build your way to success.
Ready to unlock your team’s potential? Pick up the bricks. Let’s play.
in a world of endless meetings and digital overload, sometimes the best way forward is to build it.
Cognitive Union is a progressive, boutique learning and performance consultancy. We work with forward-thinking businesses. Transforming their people. Shaping their culture. Helping them embrace change and take on the world. Find this blog useful? Sign up to our email newsletter (bottom of this page) where you can receive articles like this and other insights (not publically published), and you can also follow us on LinkedIn.