LEGO^® SERIOUS PLAY™ as a tool for sociology research
May 2008

I was privileged to meet Professor David Gauntlett, from the University of Westminster in London, at the recent LEGO SERIOUS PLAY partner conference. David has carried out some very interesting research into the role and perception of identity using LEGO SERIOUS PLAY.

Of particular interest, he found that using a creative process such as LEGO SERIOUS PLAY led to different set of responses than you would get from conventional interviews, for instance. He also highlighted the ease with which people are able to communicate complex concepts using metaphors, and how people need time to reflect in order to construct new knowledge. His research also looked at the very concept of identity, and the types of identity that exist, as well as into the role that media plays in defining our identity.

A summary of David's research is available on Youtube and I have linked to the video of his key findings below. This is a fascinating illustration of how powerful LEGO SERIOUS PLAY can be for expressing who we are, whether in a business or personal context, and I encourage you to watch it.

David's book "Creative Explorations: New Approaches to Identities and Audiences" is also one of the best available written accounts of an application of LEGO SERIOUS PLAY for those who want to find out more and understand how this approach really unlocks the brain. The book is available on www.amazon.co.uk and you can find out more about David's work at www.artlab.org.uk.