Play Design is key to product development
Over the past ten years, LEGO has collaborated with Kolding School of Design’s MA in Design for Play. At LEGO, this partnership has had a clear impact on innovation and product development. According to Søren Lethin, Innovation Catalyst at the LEGO Group, the key strength of play designers lies in their ability to understand the needs behind play.
- Play is constantly evolving – not just over the past ten years, but continuously. If you don’t understand where children are heading, it becomes very difficult. And that’s where play designers truly excel, says Søren Lethin.
Needs before products
A core principle of Play Design is that the design process starts with people – not products. Rather than beginning with an idea for a product, the focus is on understanding children’s experiences, motivations and behaviour.
- What they are particularly good at in Play Design is what I would call uncovering needs. They know how to define the problem, dig into fundamental needs and understand where the target group is heading. It’s about understanding the entire user journey – not just designing a thing, says Søren Lethin.
Curiosity and the courage to challenge
The combination of playful processes, design methods and a deep understanding of children and users is crucial in shaping future products and experiences. Over the years, LEGO has welcomed many students and interns from Kolding School of Design, and today several former Play Design students are employed within the company.
According to Lethin, their curiosity, courage and strong design expertise are key to their impact.
- They are curious about how the world works, but also brave enough to challenge established ways of working. Everyone we’ve had with us has pushed boundaries and tried new things. Those kinds of provocations are actually something we really benefit from.
An education with international potential
Søren Lethin also highlights that the programme has developed into an education of international calibre. For LEGO, Play Design is not just about toys – it’s about a broader understanding of people and creative development. By placing play at the centre, Kolding School of Design challenges companies to think differently.
- Play Design is not just about making toys. It’s an essential part of understanding how people behave in a modern world. Kolding School of Design does something quite unique with Play Design. Now it’s about taking it out into the world and showing what it can do, he says.
He hopes that even more companies will recognise the value of these competencies in the future.
