Leiden is known as one of the great knowledge cities of the Netherlands. And that knowledge, it sometimes leads to successful ideas and ventures. But knowledge and ideas do not just form by diving nose-first into the books. Sometimes a playful method can work, such as LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®. PLNT, the Leiden centre for innovation and entrepreneurship, may officially call itself the facility centre of LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® in Leiden from this year onwards.
How does the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method work?
Building with LEGO® bricks is a method that captures the imagination and in this way stimulates ideas and facilitates communication. The method is characterised by breaking a problem into parts and solving them by building. And so you build it, yes: with LEGO® bricks. In this way, the method stimulates the creative thinking process, creating innovative solutions and ideas. In addition, it can be a way to build consensus on goals among a team.
What is the role of PLNT?
As an impact hub, PLNT has now been encouraging (start-up) entrepreneurs to shape their innovative ideas for several years. The centre does this by facilitating students and startups in entrepreneurship programmes, workshops, business establishment and events. As of now, a method has officially been added to that, that of facility centre for LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®. That means there are several workshops available at PLNT – given for globally recognised trainers – that use LEGO® to help strengthen an idea or startup.
“It’s actually not about the LEGO®, but about the amazing process where you empower everyone at the table to be able to contribute equally to the issue at hand,” says Sander Kuin, LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® trainer at PLNT. “This lends itself perfectly to super complex issues where you see connections come to the surface that are almost impossible to see with other methods. That’s exactly what LSP can do for a company. And we want to make that available to the wider public with this pilot.”
Build your development in 2024
To kickstart 2024, PLNT is organising a trio of working sessions for companies and entrepreneurs to take their idea, issue or startup in the right direction. Currently, those working sessions are still a pilot, so the ticket price is temporarily reduced. The aim of the sessions is therefore to evaluate, record and perfect the workshops.
Do you get excited by this article and would like to shape your own ideas using the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method? Then take a look at PLNT’s website for more information on upcoming workshops and registration dates. The first workshop will take place on 18 January, followed by two more sessions.
