In the 21st century, organizations need more than basic agendas and whiteboards to solve complex problems. As the business landscape becomes more dynamic, facilitation methods must evolve to support deeper thinking, inclusive participation, and innovative solutions. Enter the LEGO® Serious Play® vs traditional workshops debate—a comparison that reveals how creative, hands-on approaches stack up against familiar formats.
But how does this method compare with traditional workshops? What makes LEGO® Serious Play® stand out in strategic planning, team development, and organizational growth? Let’s dive into a head-to-head comparison to understand the strengths, limitations, and unique power of both methods.
Setting the Stage: What Are Traditional Workshops?
Traditional workshops typically involve a facilitator leading a session through discussion, flipcharts, post-its, PowerPoints, and breakout groups. These workshops are designed to:
- Share knowledge
- Solve problems
- Foster collaboration
While this method has its merits, it often leans heavily on verbal communication, and participation can be dominated by louder voices or higher-ranking attendees. It remains widely used across business contexts, including public relations, strategic management, and traditional management scenarios.
Common formats include:
- SWOT analyses
- Brainstorming sessions
- Strategic planning meetings
- Roundtable discussions
Introducing LEGO® Serious Play®: A Hands-On Alternative
The LEGO® Serious Play® Method is a facilitated thinking and communication technique where participants use LEGO® bricks to build metaphorical models. These models represent their ideas, experiences, and solutions.
Designed originally by Johan Roos and Bart Victor, the method is grounded in constructivism, neuroscience, and systems thinking. It brings the learning process into the physical world by allowing participants to build individual models, collective models, and tangible representations of abstract ideas. Experts such as Marko Rillo, Patrizia Bertini, and institutions like INVITRO INNOVATION continue to expand its applications across business and academia.
Key Comparison: Participation and Inclusion
Traditional Workshops:
- Often rely on verbal input and group consensus
- Risk of groupthink or silence from introverted participants
- Seniority can influence participation
LEGO® Serious Play® Workshops:
- Every participant builds and shares their model
- Equal airtime and contribution
- Empowers quieter voices and creates psychological safety
In LEGO® Serious Play® vs traditional workshops, inclusion is where the former truly excels. This ensures more inclusive collaboration, a critical feature for organizational development, team development, and leadership development.
Key Comparison: Engagement and Energy
Traditional Workshops:
- Can become passive or monotonous
- Energy levels depend heavily on the facilitator
LEGO® Serious Play® Workshops:
- High energy due to tactile, creative involvement
- Encourages play and curiosity
- Activates both hemispheres of the brain
With hands-on, minds-on engagement, LEGO® Serious Play® sustains attention longer and promotes higher retention of insights.
Key Comparison: Depth of Insight
Traditional Workshops:
- Focus on surface-level discussion and note-taking
- Can fall short in dealing with complex systems
LEGO® Serious Play® Workshops:
- Builds metaphors and 3D models to explore abstract and interconnected ideas
- Surfaces blind spots and hidden assumptions
- Facilitates deeper conversations and alignment
This makes it an ideal tool for strategic thinking, business agility, product development, and adaptive leadership in uncertain environments.
Key Comparison: Output and Application
Traditional Workshops:
- Typically result in notes, lists, and presentations
- Action items often feel disconnected from discussion
LEGO® Serious Play® Workshops:
- Generates physical models as memory anchors
- Enables the creation of action models, roadmaps, and business outcomes
- Supports visual storytelling and shared understanding
Outputs are directly aligned with frameworks like the Business Model Canvas & Value Proposition Design, bridging creativity with business models and implementation.
Where Traditional Workshops Still Shine
Despite the benefits of LEGO® Serious Play®, traditional workshops still play an important role in:
- Short updates or information-sharing sessions
- Highly structured, time-sensitive meetings
- Data-driven reviews
Traditional methods are better suited for sessions with limited need for co-creation or creativity, especially in Agile environments that emphasize iterative delivery.
When to Choose LEGO® Serious Play®
Opt for the LEGO® Serious Play® Method when you need to:
- Navigate complex or ambiguous topics
- Foster cross-functional collaboration
- Build a shared vision or business model
- Engage in Education for Sustainable Development and reflective practice
It’s also a great fit for Agile practices, certification training, and contexts requiring a creative approach to solving complex problems.
A Real-World Example: Traditional vs. LEGO® Serious Play® in Action
Consider a company based in Hong Kong looking to accelerate product development through enhanced team collaboration.
Traditional Workshop:
- Facilitator leads a Kanban-style workflow review
- Teams discuss bottlenecks and goals
- Outcomes: tasks organized, but long-term thinking unclear
LEGO® Serious Play® Workshop:
- Participants build models of customer journeys and product impact
- Teams visualize pain points and prototype bold solutions
- Outcomes: innovation roadmap aligned with Agile project principles and communication skills improvement
Learning and Development Impact
Facilitation is about more than just solving problems—it’s also about learning. LEGO® Serious Play® supports:
- Lifelong Learning by engaging multiple senses
- Development of 21st century competencies in Business Management
- Support from studies at Pepperdine University, Royal Roads University, Kanban University, and CETYS University
Research across 2008–2025 ResearchGate publications shows how LEGO® Serious Play® builds not just skills, but habits of innovation.
Final Thoughts: Reimagining the Workshop Experience
The future of facilitation lies in creating experiences that are immersive, inclusive, and impactful. While traditional workshops have their place, the LEGO® Serious Play® Method offers a richer, more dynamic experience for solving complex problems, unlocking potential, and aligning teams.
Ready to experience the difference?
with Serious Play Business and lead workshops that drive transformation from the inside out.
