Many Combinations, Unlimited Knowledge

512 470 670 was the unique combination (from the 915 103 765 possible combinations) number I got using six 2x4 Lego bricks on my visit to Lego House (which I totally recommend).

While these numbers might seem insignificant, they actually represent how dynamic and expandable Lego bricks are.

The Beginnings

It took many years of work to develop the Lego brick as we know it today. From the "self-locking building brick" in 1949 to the "clutch power" (the current brick clicking system) in 1958, thousands of experiments were needed. Then the Lego wheel was invented in 1961, later in 1967 the Lego Duplo, and then the Minifigure and all the different Lego theme sets we know today. *

But not only the brick has changed. The way in which the bricks are used has also changed:

• As a toy for children
• As a tool for learning science, math, technology and engineering in schools
• Used by designers for prototyping, simulation and visualizations
• Used by consultants for team building and logistic processes
• As a language in the Lego? Serious Play? methodology
• And more... *

When you build things in the world you build things in your mind

The Lego brick is the common language used on the Lego? Serious Play? methodology.

Lets do a quick exercise!

Take some random Lego bricks and build a model (a representation) to answer the following question: "What would you like to improve about yourself?"

Don't worry about creating a physical representation of your idea. Instead, give each brick your own meaning. Once finished, share the story of what you have built to someone else or yourself, having in mind the initial question. Let the other person (or yourself) ask questions about your representation. **

Finally reflect about the feelings you experienced and the knowledge you discovered during the previous exercise.

What you have just experienced and learned from this exercise belongs to you and it is something you can identify with, and by the way something easier to remember the next time you think about "what would you like to improve about yourself?".

The above mentioned refers to a principle called constructionism, which allows to learn by building something the learner can identify with, as opposed to instructionism that occurs when somebody tells you what that person thinks you should know.

This is just one of the principles the Lego? Serious Play? methodology is based on. Let me know if you would like to learn more!

Thanks for reading,

Erik

* Information taken from the book Building a Better Business using the Lego? Serious Play? Method.

** Quick exercise. A real Lego? Serious Play? workshop would take more time and would involve more details and instructions.