Lego Serious Play helped build up next generation of businesses at Huddersfield Media Centre

Feb 25 2009 by Henryk Zientek, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

PLAYING with Lego could help budding entrepreneurs build up successful businesses.

The popular children’s toy has been transferred from the nursery to the office as part of an unusual initiative at Huddersfield’s Media Centre.

The centre at Northumberland Street, which is already home to 130 creative firms, has launched Connect – a service to help scores of people hit by redundancy start their own businesses.

The radical idea – which also aims to help existing firms buck the economic downturn – has already got the vote of Ajaz Ahmed, Huddersfield-based founder of internet giant Freeserve and Media Centre board member, who has argued that a recession is a great time to start a business, if you have a genuinely good idea.

Connect provides dozens of desks for use by people researching ideas for a new business, graduates, home or studio-based businesses and those who work mainly from their laptops rather than an office.

As well as providing workspace, networking opportunities, “think-tank” areas, advice and office-based support, the initiative features Lego Serious Play – a unique business tool which uses Lego bricks and systems to help people “think through their fingers” as a way of unleashing insight, inspiration and imagination.

Working in teams to build a variety of structures, participants can develop team-working, organisational skills and the ability to achieve objectives.