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LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® is a facilitated workshop methodology co-developed at the end of the 90s by Per Kristiansen, Robert Rasmussen, Johan Roos and Bart Victor in collaboration with IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland. Participants use LEGO bricks to build three-dimensional models representing their thoughts and ideas. The physical act of building activates neural pathways not engaged by verbal discussion alone, enabling groups to explore complex problems and reach deeper shared understanding.

LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® was co-created by Robert Rasmussen & Per Kristiansen (both directors at the LEGO Group), Johan Roos and Bart Victor (both professors at IMD, Lausanne). The methodology was developed between 1996 and 2002. In 2010, the LEGO Group released it under a Creative Commons licence, allowing certified facilitators to deliver workshops independently. Per Kristiansen & Robert Rasmussen led the development of advanced application techniques after 2010 under the Association of Master Trainers of the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method (https://seriousplay.training/). Per Kristiansen is currently managing partner at Trivium International.

LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® is grounded in constructionism — the learning theory developed by Seymour Papert at MIT, which holds that people learn most effectively when building a shareable physical artefact. Research in neuroscience shows that hand-based activities engage different cognitive pathways than verbal reasoning, allowing participants to access tacit knowledge (insights they hold but cannot easily articulate). This produces richer and more honest group dialogue.

Traditional team building focuses on social bonding and morale. LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® is a structured methodology for working on specific business challenges: strategy, culture, complex problem-solving. Every participant builds and shares in equal measure without options to stay passive. The outcomes are documented insights and agreed commitments, not just a positive experience. LSP is typically used to address a defined organisational question.

Design Thinking is a user-centred innovation process that typically runs over multiple weeks, involving empathy research, ideation, prototyping and testing. LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® is a facilitation methodology for surfacing and aligning group thinking within a single workshop lasting usually from half a day to two days. The two can complement each other: LSP is often used in the early empathy or alignment phases of a Design Thinking sprint.

Per Kristiansen is one of the four co-creators of the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methodology, developed in collaboration with IMD in Lausanne at the end of the 90s. He is a Master Trainer certified by the Association of Master Trainers in LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and co-author of ‘Building a Better Business with the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method’ (Wiley, 2014). He is currently partner at Trivium CEU, the Central European LSP consultancy led by Beatrix Daros.

LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® works best for groups facing complex, ambiguous challenges where diverse perspectives need to be heard equally such as strategy reviews, culture change, merger integration, leadership alignment. It is suitable for teams of 4 to ca. 300 people. It is less suited to simple information-sharing sessions or situations where one person’s decision is already final. Contact us to discuss whether your challenges can be solved by the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method.

Standard LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® workshops run from 2 hrs intro sessions over half a day (3–4 hours) or a full day (6–7 hours). For complex strategy or culture work usually two-day formats are applied. The format type depends on the depth of the challenge and the number of participants. Trivium CEU International recommends a brief scoping call before confirming format.

Yes. Remote LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® workshops are possible using standard video conferencing platforms and pre-shipped LEGO mini bags for each participant. The format is limited to basic application techniques and a maximum duration of 2 hrs. However, the in-room experience with physical models on a shared table, real-time building, and face-to-face dialogue produces much stronger outcomes. That’s why Trivium CEU International has a main focus on in-person delivery.

LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® has been used across all types of industries like pharmaceutical, financial services, technology, manufacturing, fashion, banking, NGOs and public sector organisations throughout Switzerland and Central Europe. Trivium CEU International has facilitated sessions for organisations in Zurich, Vienna, Munich, Berlin and across the whole DACH region. The methodology is industry-agnostic. It is the nature of the challenge, not the sector, that determines a fit.

The costs for a LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® workshop are individual depending on the project scope, as all workshop concepts are tailor-made. The budget is determined by 6 cost drivers: 1) Facilitation time 2) Participant number & format 3) Workshop design & preparation 4) Facilitator experience level 5) Reporting requirements 6) Location

The price includes: facilitation by Beatrix Daros (certified LSP facilitator since 2017) and her Trivium partners, all LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® materials, pre-workshop preparation and objective-setting and a written summary of outcomes. Not included: venue hire, catering, travel and accommodation outside Zurich, and any pre-workshop diagnostic interviews (available on request).

The minimum entry price fee ranges between 2.200 – 2.500 CHF for a crisp session focusing only on one specific topic and with the purpose to familiarize the group with the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method (team size = max 12 participants, without reporting and travel expenses).

Use the connect form on this page or email directly to beatrix.daros@trivium.dk to initiate the booking process for your team alignment, strategy or organizational change sessions with the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method. We will respond within one business day. A scoping call will be arranged to discuss your objectives, team size, audience and preferred dates. A fixed-price proposal is then sent.

Yes. Trivium CEU International facilitates workshops in Switzerland and Central Europe, including Austria and Germany as well as offsite events at special venues across Europe. Travel costs and accommodation (where required) are quoted separately. For international locations beyond Central Europe, contact us to discuss feasibility.