#1 Start with WHY?

Project/Practice-Based Learning (P²BL) is an effective educational approach that promotes active learning through practical, hands-on projects. When applied to the requirement development process, P²BL can enhance creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. In this article, we will explore how the LEGO Serious Play method can be used as a scope for P²BL in requirement development and provide two example applications.

Example Application 1:

Creating User Stories In the requirement development process, understanding user needs is crucial. With P²BL using LEGO Serious Play, a team can engage in a collaborative activity to create user stories. Here's how it works:

1. Define the project: The team identifies the project's objectives and scope, such as developing a new mobile app or improving an existing website.

2. Build LEGO models: Each team member builds a LEGO model that represents a specific user or stakeholder involved in the project.

3. Share and discuss: The team members present their models and explain the story behind them. This encourages creative thinking and generates discussions about user needs and expectations.

4. Extract user stories: Based on the LEGO models and discussions, the team identifies and extracts user stories, which are concise descriptions of user requirements.

5. Prioritize and refine: The team prioritizes and refines the user stories, ensuring they align with the project's goals and constraints.

Example Application 2: Prototyping and Iteration Prototyping is an essential part of the requirement development process as it allows teams to gather feedback and refine their ideas. P²BL using LEGO Serious Play can facilitate this iterative process effectively:

1. Define the project: The team selects a specific requirement to focus on, such as designing a new product feature or improving an existing workflow.

2. Build LEGO prototypes: Each team member builds a LEGO prototype that represents their solution or idea related to the requirement.

3. Share and discuss: The team members present their prototypes and explain their functionality and design choices. This stimulates discussions and encourages feedback and suggestions.

4. Iterate and refine: Based on the feedback received, the team members refine their prototypes, incorporating improvements and modifications.

5. Test and validate: The team tests the refined prototypes, assesses their effectiveness, and validates them against the requirement's goals and criteria.

Benefits of P²BL with LEGO Serious Play for Requirement Development:

Engages active participation: P²BL encourages active participation from team members, fostering a collaborative environment where everyone's input is valued.

Enhances understanding and empathy: The hands-on nature of LEGO Serious Play helps teams gain a deeper understanding of user needs, fostering empathy and leading to better requirement development.

Boosts creativity and innovation: P²BL with LEGO Serious Play stimulates creative thinking and fosters innovative solutions, enabling teams to develop requirements that go beyond traditional approaches.

Facilitates effective communication: The visual and tangible nature of LEGO models facilitates effective communication, ensuring a shared understanding among team members and stakeholders.

In conclusion, P²BL with the LEGO Serious Play method offers a unique and engaging approach to requirement development. By utilizing hands-on activities and collaborative discussions, teams can foster creativity, critical thinking, and effective communication throughout the process. Whether it's creating user stories or prototyping and iterating, P²BL with LEGO Serious Play provides valuable insights and promotes successful requirement development.

That's why I started this periodical :)