Last month I became a Certified LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Facilitator and Workshop Designer. The training was an amazing experience that introduced me to a number of interesting facilitation approaches. During the training I also learned the concept of 3D Note Taking, using Lego bricks instead of a pen and paper or a laptop. This technique was not something that came easily to me. I thought I needed to use a pen to capture my thoughts, to create meaning from what I was hearing through writing down what I heard. As I tested the idea of 3D Note Taking and worked with the bricks to understand what was needed from the client, I realized that something interesting was happening. I was actually thinking about the issue differently. I was getting into the concept in a way that, just by the act of using my hands, allowed me to view the challenge from various perspectives. It wasn’t linear, it wasn’t chronological, but it was logical, and iterative, and absorbing.
Learning to count using blocks, provoking memories by handling objects, or doodling on a page while listening to someone speak, are all examples of the hand-to-brain connection. There is also a direct link to the idea of play and creativity, and the long held belief of building Right Brain/Left Brain connections. 3D Note Taking, and LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®,is based on the neuroscience of play, of hand-to-brain connection, and the creativity that can result from the process. The method provides teams with the opportunity to explore organizational challenges in new and innovative ways, to build systems thinking into our practices, and to identify new approaches to our work.
This fascinating approach to examining ideas has challenged me in a number of ways. It is an unfamiliar and different learning style than I’m used to, but it has allowed me to uncover new ideas about my own practice and how I process information. When exploring organizational challenges and issues, 3D Note Taking would start a conversation in an alternative way than may have been experienced in the past. I look forward to working with organizations and companies to explore the possibilities of this exciting method and introducing a creative approach to problem solving and planning.
