[pt] Estudos recentes sugerem que os materiais ocupam um importante papel nas organizações que precisa ser mais bem compreendido (BOXENBAUM et al., 2018; NICOLINI; MENGIS; SWAN, 2011). Artefatos menos convencionais como LEGOS são empregados em empresas, na intenção de apoiar a organização em seu desenvolvimento e mudança. Esta pesquisa de cunho qualitativo, buscou entender como, na percepção dos facilitadores, os artefatos influenciam e medeiam as interações entre diversos atores, durante as oficinas de Lego Serious Play (LSP), para o alcance de objetivos preestabelecidos. Por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas e o próprio método LSP, 20 entrevistados foram envolvidos na coleta de dados. A análise de conteúdo e um framework para condução de pesquisas, com base em perspectivas sociomateriais (MOURA; BISPO, 2019), serviram de orientação para sua análise. Nessa pesquisa, buscou-se uma fundamentação teórica para promover uma aproximação entre os estudos sobre agência material e o Serious Play (SP) no campo das organizações, de modo a aumentar a compreensão sobre a influência dos artefatos nas práticas de SP realizadas nas empresas. Dessa maneira, observa-se que: (1) os artefatos podem influenciar e mediar as interações humanas estabelecidas em espaços reflexivos; (2) o play na abordagem SP pode ser concebido como um sistema heterogêneo de artefatos que interagem, se complementam e são mutualmente constitutivos; (3) o atingimento dos objetivos preestabelecidos nas oficinas de LSP depende de associações e relações sociais mediadas e influenciadas por esse sistema de artefatos. / [en] Recent research suggests that matters play an important role in organizations that needs to be better understood (BOXENBAUM et al., 2018; NICOLINI; MENGIS; SWAN, 2011). Unusual artifacts like LEGOS have been used in companies with the intention to support individuals and organizations in its development and change. A qualitative research, sought to understand from the facilitators perspective, how artifacts mediate and influence interactions between various actors during the Lego Serious Play(LSP) workshops, in order to achieve a work-related predefined objective. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted for a qualitative research that also adopted LSP as a method for data collection. Content analysis and a framework for a research, based on socio-material perspectives (MOURA; BISPO, 2019), served as guidance for its analysis. In this research, a theoretical basis was sought to promote an approximation between material agency and Serious Play (SP) studies in the field of organizations, in order to increase the understanding of the artifacts influence in SP practices carried out in companies. In this way, we contributed to demonstrate that: (1) artifacts can influence and mediate human interactions established in reflective spaces; (2) play in the SP approach can be conceived as a heterogeneous system of artifacts that interact, complement and are mutually constitutive; (3) the achievement of pre-established objectives in the LSP workshops depends on associations and social relations mediated and influenced by this artifact system.

abstract: Serious play—the notion of bringing the benefits of play to bear on work-related tasks—is receiving more attention as a remedy to many challenges of the modern knowledge economy. Exploring and defining the role of serious play approaches to facilitate collaborative problem-solving and value creation, this dissertation consists of four related research papers. The first research paper (RP1) reconciles three different conceptualizations of knowledge into a new theory of knowledge. This pluralistic definition allows knowledge to change character across the span of the value creation process. The paper further introduces a model called the Wheel of Knowledge (WoK) for mobilizing knowledge throughout the different knowledge conversions of the value creation process. The second research paper (RP2) advocates that serious play can scaffold and accelerate these knowledge conversion processes, it disaggregates existing serious play approaches, and starts to operationalize the WoK by using it to match different types of serious play approaches to different types of knowledge conversion challenges. The third research paper (RP3) validates the WoK by sorting the serious play literature according to how it applies to the different knowledge conversion processes. The paper provides a framework for ascertaining the applicability of serious play methods to specific knowledge conversion challenges and identifies under-explored research areas of the serious play field. The fourth research paper (RP4) tests the recommendations of RP3 by applying the LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP) method to a knowledge conversion challenge focused on tacit knowledge sharing. It reports on a mixed-methods, multi-session case study in which LSP was used to facilitate cross-disciplinary dialogue and deliberation about a wicked problem. Results show that LSP is particularly useful in the beginning of a value creation process and that it facilitates socialization and tacit knowledge sharing. Taken together the papers demonstrate the necessity, potential, and application of serious play as a catalyst for the knowledge conversion processes presented in the WoK. It is now clear that different serious play approaches are suitable as respectively: an accelerator for trust-building and collective creativity, as a conduit for iterative innovation, and as a way of making rote tasks more engaging. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Design 2017

Aim. In close cooperation with an international automotive supplier we developed the “C2” business simulation game in order to meet real work practice needs. Based on the example of a site-location decision and the setup of a new factory in China, the participants of the game experienced the challenges of an interdisciplinary project team as well as project management in complex and rapidly changing situations. During the game we used the creative learning method LEGO® Serious Play®,1 which helps to express different understandings through hands-on modelling. The aim of the game is to acquire and improve both technical project management knowledge and soft skills of the participants. Method. In total, 47 students participated in one of six two-day game sessions. They reported self-perceptions about their skill level through pre- and postgame questionnaires. Further data were collected during the simulation game based on observations, lessons learned reflections of the participants and evaluation questionnaires. Results. Results from our pre- and post-game self-assessment questionnaires show that the “C2” business simulation game improves not only conceptual knowledge about project management but also team working and the participants’ other soft skills. Results indicate that the students’ reactions to the simulation game were positive, and students felt that the LEGO Serious Play method helped them to better cope with challenges of teamwork, influences of stakeholders, risk factors and unpredictable project situations. Conclusion. These results suggest that our business simulation game has the potential to be an effective learning and training tool to provide students with relevant skills necessary for project managers. By giving students the opportunity to act in an authentic scenario based on a real project case, we can support their action-oriented as well as their trial-and-error learning, or in short their learning through experience.