Imagineering with Lego Serious Play Methodology - Study guide

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
• Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the principles of imagineering and the LEGO® Serious Play® methodology, including their theoretical underpinnings and applications.
• Apply LEGO® Serious Play® techniques to address complex challenges, enabling the exploration of diverse perspectives
• Leverage LEGO® Serious Play® to improve team communication, build trust, and stimulate collaborative innovation within diverse and interdisciplinary groups
• Plan and facilitate interactive workshops using LEGO® Serious Play® to engage participants in meaningful dialogue, collaboration, and strategic thinking
• Integrate imagineering and LEGO® Serious Play® methodologies into real-world business and organizational contexts to design transformative experiences
• Critically judge the role of play and serious play methods to inspire creativity, enhance engagement, and drive meaningful organizational change.

The course has no prerequisites.This course unit is part of the master's degree's curriculum. Completion of the course requires master's study entitlement.

• Imagineering process
• Theories underpinning the LSP methodology
• Principles behind LSP methodology
• Core process of LSP methodology
• Application techniques of LSP methodology
• LSP building levels – individual, shared, system
• Imagineering with LSP methodology

When the implementation type of the course is CONTACT, ONLINE or BLENDED it is required that the student is present during those teaching hours that are marked in the study schedule. If you are absent more than 25 %, your grade will be lowered by one. If you are absent more than 50 %, the course is failed.

The student understands the imagineering process in the development of innovative experiences, has experience of the theories underpinning the LSP methodology and knows the key principles behind LEGO SERIOUS PLAY methodology. Can gain deeper insight into the core process and the application techniques of LSP. Has attended the LSP workshop an as end-user participant by practicing a new approach to solution focused innovation and idea generation – unleashing hidden creativity. Has understood the value of physical model building and prototyping in the imagineering process. Can increase their own creative confidence. Can partially think in metaphors and communicate in stories. Can partially harness the power of play to increase creativity. Can relate to a participatory culture of experimentation.

In addition to skills and competences mentioned for grade 1, the student applies the imagineering process to the development of innovative experiences. Makes use of the theories and the key principles behind LEGO SERIOUS PLAY methodology. Utilises the core process and the application techniques of LSP. Judges the value of physical model building and prototyping. Creates generative metaphors to tell stories. Can harness the power of play to increase creativity.

In addition to skills and competences mentioned for Grades 1 and 3, the student judges the imagineering process, and the theories and the key principles underpinning the LSP methodology. Creates meaning via physical model building. Implements imagination, sense-making and sense-giving to generate meaning and high-concepts.

This course follows the constructionist learning theory and uses LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methodology as the embodied pedagogical approach, supported by three main learning forms: (1) contact learning; (2) directed learning; and (3) self-directed Learning. A proportion of the course hours provide the opportunity for three interactive learning contact sessions between students and the facilitators. Forms of directed learning used are individual pre- and post-learning activities. Self-directed learning is also an important part of this course, and students are encouraged to develop the ability to learn on their own and thus to take more responsibility for setting the objectives of their study work. This course uses Moodle as the course’s virtual learning environment.

In short, this course provides:
• 24 hours of contact teaching/learning
• 110 hours of directed and self-directed learning
• 1 hour of assessment of one’s own learning

Mario Passos Ascencao

The course will draw on a fair amount of both conceptual and empirical readings, which requires a high degree of personal study, and participants are expected to find relevant materials, read widely and think critically. A modest amount of reading prior to each day/session is to be expected. Below, participants can find several indicative publications, which serve as background to the course. Other resources relevant for this course will be available on the course’s Moodle page.
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• Blair, S., Rillo, M. & Partners 2016. Serious Work: How to Facilitate Meetings & Workshops Using the Lego Serious Play method. London: ProMeet - Professional Meeting Facilitation.
• Executive discovery 2002. The Science of LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY™. Enfield: executive discovery llc.
• Kristiansen, P. & Rasmussen, R. 2014. Building a Better Business Using the Lego Serious Play Method. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.

Students will engage in learning activities that promote self-reflection and explore perspectives of various stakeholders.

Pasila Campus

This course does not include any exams

English

This course cultivates an international mindset by integrating global perspectives and examples into its content. The facilitators use instructional methods that are appropriate for culturally diverse participants with lessons conducted in English and readings drawn from international sources. Learning activities may be completed in either English or Finnish, encouraging participants to engage with glocal issues and perspectives while fostering intercultural competence.

16.03.2026 - 20.03.2026

In this course, the learning activities are as follows: • 50% In-class tasks • 50% Individual post-course assignments

• Session 1: Thu 19.3.2026, 9:00-15:45 at Pasila Campus
• Session 2: Fri 20.3.2026, 9:00-15:45 at Pasila Campus
• Session 3: Sat 21.3.2026, 9:00-15:45 at Pasila Campus

MAEXPE
CONTACT
MAEXPFHA
INTENSIVE

Recognition of prior learning (RPL):
If students have acquired the required competences in previous work tasks, recreational activities or on another course, they can show their competences via a demonstration. The demonstration must be agreed with the course teacher. More information and instructions for recognising and validating prior learning (RPL) are available at https://www.haaga-helia.fi/en/recognition-learning Look at "Instructions to students (master)"

Mario Passos Ascencao, Aarni Tuomi

12 - 24

This course employs both formative and summative assessment methods.
The Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences grading scale is not a proportionate scale and does not therefore fully correspond to the ECTS grading scale. The difference is: the ECTS system is based on an expectancy of the distribution of different grades, the Finnish system is not. This means that in the Finnish system there is no rule or expectation as to how big a proportion of the participants in any given course can be given what grade; each student is graded on his/her individual performance, not in relation to the performance of others.

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