Case Study: Using LEGO® as a community participatory method
The Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) recently offered a hands on workshop in using LEGO® as a ‘qualitative community participatory’ method. This session was delivered in collaboration with Dr Emilia Trapasso (Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Public Engagement Research Associate, Healthy Urban Places) at University of Liverpool and Cathy Knamiller (Senior Research Fellow) at Born in Bradford.
The workshop was delivered as an interactive, face-to-face session, led by a certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator. This hands-on workshop offered a unique opportunity for participants to gain insights into how LEGO® can be a powerful tool for answering research questions and foster meaningful connections with people of all ages. The session was designed to be a safe space, encouraging open dialogue and critical reflection among participants.
This workshop was specifically tailored for Local Authority staff, researchers and voluntary community organisations, and was designed to inspire creativity and inclusivity in research and community engagement. Researchers, educators, community organisers and council staff unleashed their inner LEGO® master builder by creating solo and group builds. Participants also used LEGO® bricks as metaphors to explore ideas and insights.
Attendees explored how to incorporate these techniques into their own research projects, public engagement initiatives, and collaborations across sectors. The workshop equipped individuals and organisations with a creative tool to connect with diverse groups and gather valuable perspectives in an inclusive and imaginative way.
A total of 53 participants attended over two sessions. The mix of attendees was particularly significant, as it marked the first time the workshop was delivered to a joint audience bringing academics, VCSE and local authority staff into one space for collective learning and reflection whilst enabling connections and brokering relationships across sectors.
The workshop was structured to include:
- A balanced mix of presentations and interactive group work.
- Exercises and discussions that encouraged active participation.
- Real-world examples and insights from the facilitators.
- Opportunities for participants to reflect on their own practices and share experiences.
Feedback from the participants was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting their plans to implement any of the knowledge or skills gained from the workshop into their professional practice, and what they would like to use it for:
“Staff creative thinking and problem solving”
“We would like to use it to identify research priorities and map processes in early years services”
“Using it to gather ideas from the public to try and develop visualisation of air quality data and trends”
“I would use this learning as an additional resource to my current focus groups and future guidance”
Key take aways
The workshop successfully achieved its objectives, with participants reporting several significant take aways:
- Participants found it very informative, fun and novel session.
- Would recommend colleagues and run a creative thinking workshop.
- Would use to engage young people’s group focusing on scenarios.
- Participants would like to educate their team by running a similar type of session and would also like to use in practice as they work with a conversation led model of support to gather views and wishes.
- New techniques were shared for engaging more diverse populations in consultations and service planning.
Conclusion
The LEGO® Workshop was a resounding success, providing Local Authority staff Researchers and VCSE organisations with the tools and techniques necessary to better serve their diverse communities. The positive feedback and meaningful takeaways from the workshop highlight the importance of engaging with communities using a variety of methods in both public service and research.