A Designfulness™ workshop exploring how embodied presence and play can unlock new perspectives, creative problem-solving, and collaboration.

The experience

At the 2026 EPIC International Summit, themed Collective Exploration, I facilitated a 90-minute workshop inviting participants to explore creative problem-solving through the body, presence, and play.

We began by creating space to arrive, connect with ourselves, and become present with one another. Participants then used LEGO® Serious Play® and hands-on exploration to represent challenges, imagine possibilities, and explore solutions beyond conventional ways of thinking.

Rather than relying solely on discussion and analysis, the experience invited participants to engage their senses, creativity, and different perspectives in the process.

What surfaced

The experience highlighted the value of creating a supportive environment where people feel comfortable sharing ideas and exploring possibilities without immediately judging them.

Through playful, hands-on problem-solving, participants could approach challenges from different angles, make their thinking tangible, and build on one another's contributions. The workshop also explored how presence and psychological safety create the conditions for people to participate more openly and creatively.
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The shift

For Michelle, the experience extended beyond the workshop itself. She described taking ideas from the session into her teaching practice, adapting playful, sensory approaches to problem-solving with her students. She also reflected on using these methods in her personal life to generate new possibilities and imagine the future differently.

Her experience illustrates how a workshop can offer more than an inspiring moment: it can introduce practices that people adapt and carry into their own contexts.

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The takeaway

Innovation doesn't always come from thinking harder or following a more linear process. Sometimes, it begins by changing how we approach a challenge.

By combining presence, play, and hands-on exploration, we can create space for new perspectives, more imaginative solutions, and more inclusive collaboration.