Let Your Hands Think
Our journey with LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®
In a world where decisions are often made in a rush and words dominate our way of communicating, stopping to think with our hands might seem like an unusual idea. Yet, that’s exactly what we did this morning at Deix, guided by the amazing Elisabetta Maier, through a session of LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®.
It was an experience that led us to reflect on our roles within the team, what success means to us, and the future Deix we want to build. And we did it not through presentations or long discussions but with LEGO bricks, transforming thoughts and visions into tangible models.
Thinking with Your Hands: The LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method
The LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method is a facilitation technique that helps individuals and teams explore complex ideas through physical construction. Based on the concept of "building to understand," this approach allows us to visualize abstract concepts, stimulating creativity, collaboration, and strategic thinking.
The method follows four key steps:
- Challenge → The facilitator presents a question or problem.
- Building → Each participant responds by creating a model with LEGO bricks.
- Sharing → Everyone explains their model and the meaning behind it.
- Reflection → The group discusses and builds a shared vision.
Beyond its apparent simplicity, this process leads to deep insights and remarkable team alignment.
What Did This Experience Teach Us?
During the session, we found ourselves shaping our thoughts, discovering new perspectives, and building visual metaphors to express who we are and where we want to go. Here are some key takeaways:
- The power of metaphors – A LEGO model can tell a story more effectively than a thousand words.
- Everyone has a voice – The method puts everyone on equal footing, fostering open dialogue.
- Building helps us see – Translating an idea into a tangible object clarifies and strengthens its message.
- The future is built together – Envisioning the Deix of tomorrow requires collaboration, vision, and creativity.
What’s Next? Let’s Keep Building!
This experience showed us the importance of pausing to reflect, exploring ideas in new ways, and building a shared vision together. And we can’t wait to put what we’ve learned into practice!