Brickstorms Over Brainstorms: Why LEGO® Belongs at the Table
image credit: University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
I recently had the opportunity to facilitate a session for a combined group of doctoral students in the Sustainability Education program at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and sustainability professionals from the Upper Midwest Association of Sustainability Professionals (UMACS). The session was designed to help folks reflect on what charges their proverbial battery—and how they can tap into aspects of those activities in service of their work.
To drive reflection and discussion, I used one of my favorite, playful facilitation tools—and one of our core offerings at Lighter Side of Climate: LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® (LSP).
LSP is a facilitation method designed to enhance creative thinking, communication, and problem-solving within individuals, teams, and organizations. Participants use LEGO bricks to build three-dimensional models that represent their ideas, challenges, strategies, and solutions. Then, they tell stories about their models—explaining their meaning and connection to the issue at hand. This process clarifies complex ideas, fosters shared understanding, and often leads to deeper insights and more innovative solutions than verbal or written communication alone.
About three years ago, I became a certified facilitator of LSP and have since led a variety of sessions for diverse audiences. LSP purists can be particular about what officially “counts” as the LSP method—something I sometimes find stifling. As an experienced educator with deep theoretical and practical knowledge about how people learn, I often lead sessions that purists might call LSP-adjacent. I’m cool with that.
image credit: University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Regardless of my level of fidelity to the method in any given session, I’ve consistently seen the benefits (and joy!) of using LEGO to foster conversations. First, the method is play-based and non-intimidating. Most people are familiar—if not downright comfortable—with LEGO, so they often jump at the chance to mess around with the bricks. In fact, I’ve noticed that when people see the “LEGO soup” on tables in front of them, they have a hard time keeping their hands off! I see smiles. I hear laughter. It’s not that they’re taking the challenging topics less seriously; rather, the play seems to open the door to deeper, more meaningful conversations—and makes the process enjoyable.
Second, using LEGO helps people make the abstract more concrete. In LSP, participants build 3D representations of their thoughts. When sharing with others, they quite literally hold their idea in their hands, spin it around, point to specific bricks that represent various elements—and communicate in a way that talking alone rarely achieves.
Third, LSP tends to be more equitable and inclusive than other facilitation methods I’ve used. I believe this is because the method centers storytelling. Humans are natural storytellers; we spend countless hours telling—and listening to—stories. LSP invites people to tell stories about the problem at hand and builds in a process that ensures everyone gets space to share their perspective. In an LSP workshop, the conversational playing field is leveled—because we’re all experts in our own stories.
One of the things that motivated Tamara Staton and me to start Lighter Side of Climate was the pervasive air of doom and gloom that so often accompanies discussions of climate change. Don’t get me wrong: those feelings are valid and important. But sometimes we need to tap into people’s playful souls to unlock their ability to imagine a better future. I believe LSP is a tool that can do just that.
Are you interested in bringing LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® to your sustainability-focused organization? We’d love to work with you!
