FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who do you usually work with?
Our BrickSmart team can run LEGO® Serious Play® workshops with any size company – from SMEs to corporates to not-for-profit organisations. The method works with any level within an organisation; any education level; any age, and any amount of LEGO-handling experience. At BrickSmart, we love working with people who wish to solve and resolve business problems and discover a radical new way to communicate with each other.
What does a LEGO® Serious Play® session look like?
It looks a lot like this:
Are your workshops templated or bespoke, and how much do they cost?
Every team is different and every team’s problem or objective is different, therefore every LEGO® Serious Play® workshop that we run is bespoke-designed to your specific team requirements. Because of this, the cost will also vary depending on your requirements. Please get in touch with the BrickSmart team to talk more about how LSP can work for you.
Can you run a LEGO® Serious Play® session in one hour?
We refer to one-hour sessions as ‘Lunch ‘n’ Learn’ opportunities to introduce people to the LSP concept, which can be appropriate in some circumstances. You would gain a taste of LSP in one hour, but it would be very top-level. LSP sessions usually last between 2 hours and half a day (or longer), depending on what you are trying to achieve. The longer the session, the deeper the insights.
Where do you run the workshops?
We can run the workshop on-site at your company, or at a venue of your choice. In terms of space, all we need is a large table and a chair for each participant. A whiteboard and projector are ideal, but we can work around it if the venue does not have this equipment. Venue costs and any catering would be charged in addition to the cost of the workshop.
I've used LEGO in a team-building session before, is this the same thing?
If you didn't hear the words “LEGO® Serious Play®” then it probably wasn’t the same thing. There are plenty of ways of using LEGO bricks to create fun team-building activities that are not related to LSP.
What is the typical reaction from participants during a session?
People are often hesitant and slightly sceptical when they first encounter a LEGO® Serious Play® session. Your Certified Facilitator will take the group through a series of warm-up activities to get everyone used to handling the LEGO bricks. They will also explain how the LEGO® Serious Play® methodology works and how it can help achieve the group’s objectives. The vast majority of sceptical participants revise their view after experiencing the power of LEGO® Serious Play®.
Can anyone design and run a LEGO® Serious Play® workshop?
Technically, yes; practically, no. Much of the power behind a successful LSP workshop is in the planning, question-setting, and being able to bring the best, actionable ideas and conversations out of the participants. To do this requires a facilitator who has been specifically trained in the LEGO® Serious Play® methodology.
How many people can be involved per session?
We usually run sessions of up to 20 people. If you have more than 20 people, then please let us know.
A member of our team has a physical disability, can they still participate?
Absolutely! If they can sit at a table, and handle and manipulate LEGO bricks, then they can directly participate. If they cannot easily handle the bricks themselves, then they are welcome to bring along someone to assist them with the physical portion of the workshop.
How old do you need to be to participate?
The LEGO® Serious Play® methodology is usually applied within a business setting where a minimum age is not normally a consideration. LSP can also be used for non-business groups such as families, clubs and organisations, which may include younger people. If so, the participants should be old enough to understand the purpose of the session and be able to contribute their ideas in a meaningful way.
I am not a particularly ‘creative’ person, will the workshop still suit me?
You don‘t have to be ‘creative’ in the traditional sense of the word. You just have to be willing to share your ideas with the group. Each of the LEGO® Serious Play® ‘builds’ (an exercise using the bricks) takes around 5 minutes, so that’s not enough time to create a masterpiece, even if you were highly ‘creative’! You’ll be just fine.
Where are you located?
The BrickSmart team is located in Auckland, New Zealand. Our Certified LEGO® Serious Play® Facilitator is available to run workshops nationally and internationally as required.