IMA and Lego® Serious Play®: gamification in Corporate training

The LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methodology (LSP) is the brainchild of two researchers from the IMD Business School in Switzerland, in collaboration with LEGO®Group.

Lego® Serious Play® is a radical and innovative method strongly based on the learning sciences that involves the use of the famous Lego bricks. IMA has implemented the LSP methodology in its training courses, through which it is possible, thanks to the game concept, to support experiential learning processes through new scenarios building, thus increasing awareness-rising, decision-making, communication and problem solving skills.

Games in corporate training have introduced the concept of Gamification, intended as “to learn by playing”. Besides improving memory and concentration of attention, its main merit is to put employees in situations close to the real life and train them to find concrete solutions accordingly. Also known as “Think with your hands”, the LSP method deepens the reflection process and supports an effective dialogue for everyone in the organization.

The Lego® Serious Play® workshop is part of the “Problem Solving” training course within the IMA Training Catalogue. The use of LEGO® is seen as a metaphorical tool for participants to express themselves, supporting mutual discussion, and exploring the relationship between people and their world. Moreover, Lego® Serious Play® helps predict hypothetical scenarios and increase imagination for better creative thinking, encouraging seeing things from different perspectives and breakingthose paradigms that prevent change and innovation.

All the practical activities are carried out within the IMA Academy along with a trained LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator who leads the group. Each participant builds his/her own model in response to the facilitator’s question using selected LEGO® elements: these 3D models serve as a basis for group discussion, knowledge sharing, problem solving and decision-making. The model is fundamental for the Soft Skills development: the “Learning by Doing” method allows the acquisition of concrete working tools through direct experience, in order to be then able to apply them in the business life.

IMA and the Lego® Serious Play® workshop are the proof of how IMA Group commits to providing training courses that are constantly updated, and how continuous learning is the primary objective for the Company.