Summary of thoughts and frequently used metaphors during Corporate Roundtable at The Heart, Warsaw Spire in Poland on February 28, 2018.

1. Platform Economy Corporate Roundtable
with LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® workshop
Summary of thoughts
February 28, 2018
Magda Dobrowolska-Sagan
Anloko
anloko.pl
Monika Sońta
COMM.on communication boutique
komunikujemy.com
Per Kristiansen
LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®method co-author
www.trivium.dk

2. • Platform Economy is a challenging buzzword for companies as it requires:
• change of mindset and attitude
• breaking down the habits... and
• being bold enough to unlock hidden potential and transform the buzzword into
interpretations accurate in the context of their businesses.
• During 1 hour LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® workshop we gained the level of trust of
60 participants of Corporate Roundtable that enabled us to think with hands and
find deeper insights around the theme of Platform Economy and its meaning to
their businesses.
• They expressed it by... building methapors with bricks.

3. Here is a summary of
frequently used metaphors
about
Platform Economy

4. #network #connection#network #connection
The most frequently used word for describing platform economy was…
… connection
„huge connection between every single entity (partner, customer)”
„we see the value of connections - by connecting to other people we can make bigger value”
„Two worlds are linked with the ladder – normally a ladder was vertical, now it is horizontal”
„Creating higher value is about creating and sharing common goods
– linking numerous inputs for shared good”
„This is the client who drives the whole platform. We are just building the connection for him”
„We need to create points of contact between the technology and our Clients”
„Platform economy creates opportunity for us to get connected closer to the Client"
Platform Economy is about…

5. About LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®
Method
#customers
• Improving the process of problem solving and enhancing customer experience is the key to innovate
„they are in the center, but they also climb the platform”
”our clients have their own worlds and expectations and we need to find a way to plug them into our
ecosystem - so that they can feel comfortable and are happy with our services”
• Equal access both for developer and customers
„there is us and our customers on separate sides, we want to work together but there is a lot of noise between
us. We need to face this disturbances and find way to work together”
• Platform as a set of connections around the Customer
Customer as a central point and network of data around him/her
Platform Economy is about…

6. #SolidBase
• Being stable while moving
• Ensuring stability of the core processes
“we need to stabilize the dragon, not let it collapse”
„core business needs to be based on stable fundamentals”
”when business is built on shaky foundations we can’t add new things
or customize it”
Platform Economy is about…

7. #technology
#drones
• Wide-scale use of drones
Drones deliver services
Drones as metaphors of the constant observation of environment and reacting to changing conditions
• Use of many drones, not just one as an example of R&D case study
„it is important to develop companies in many directions and scale up the innovation”
#OpenAPI
People mostly talked about Open API - as a way for everyone to create a platform together, but also about
Platform Economy in general - that it's a way of cooperation that requires many elements to work
Platform Economy is about…

8. #VUCA
• Constantly moving business
• Pivotal changes to different core
• Switching between tracks of thoughts
• Giving up the core
„We need to change the structure of the model to make it a platform”
One of the participants describing the model „snail with a propeller”
„we see that world is changing and we want to adjust to the changing conditions to
keep up with the speed”
Platform Economy is about…

9. #DataBase
• Strong database is a MUST
• Network orchestration (data flow) as a standard
One of the participants describing the model „antenna”
„Downloading, grasping the data, everybody is downloading, we are in the center of this download
process”
• Raw data delivered by developers to customers as a ready-to-use and final solution
„end to end platform: future model should be set up so that customers from the comfort of their
homes can do everything and have value delivered to them”
„the end of advertising: no ads, just personalized offers"
Platform Economy is about…

10. #HumanFactor
• Participants described their models as very complex platforms which collect information from different
sources and make it useful for organisation. In the center of the whole model there is always a human.
• Other frequent mentions: diversity and cooperation, corporate responsibility, coherence
„we are focused on what we do, we want to create good conditions for our employees to grow but we
constantly look outside to check what is changing around us and to accommodate”
„Wellbeing is important”
Platform Economy is about…

11. Reflections about Platform Economy
„Keeping an eye” metaphors were frequently
used for describing:
• Control
• Watching everything
• Observation
• Helicopter view
• Being mindful
Platform Economy is about…

12. Monika Sońta Magda Dobrowolska-Sagan
https://www.linkedin.com/in/monikasonta/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/magda-dobrowolska-sagan-4977a152/
monika@komunikujemy.com magda@anloko.pl
It was just a 1 hour demo workshop.
If you want to play more seriously, contact local certified facilitators of LEGO® SERIOUS
PLAY® method

13. About LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®
MethodThe LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Method is a facilitated meeting,
communication and problem-solving process in which you will explore the
relationships and connections between people and their world, observe the
dynamics both internal and external, explore various hypothetical scenarios, and
gain awareness of the possibilities.
During the facilitated meeting, you will be building landscape models with LEGO
elements, giving them meaning through story-making, and playing out
various possible scenarios
More: https://www.lego.com/en-us/seriousplay/the-method
About the method