In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Molly and guest co-host Katie Bernal sit down with Garret Westlake to explore how LEGO SERIOUS PLAY can be used to conduct market research that captures deeper and more inclusive insight. Garret shares how his experience as a neurodivergent learner shaped his view that many research and learning environments reward certain voices while unintentionally pushing others to the margins. Drawing from his work across higher education, innovation consulting, and organizational research, Garret explains how traditional market research often favors speed, verbal confidence, and quick responses. Those conditions can exclude participants who need time to reflect or who think more visually and physically. LEGO SERIOUS PLAY shifts that dynamic by giving everyone space to think, build, and express meaning through metaphor before speaking. The conversation shows how serious play creates psychological safety by removing the pressure to deliver the right answer. Abstract building makes difference visible and expected. That openness allows participants to share insights they might otherwise hold back. Garret also discusses how vivid metaphors built with LEGO bricks have helped teams surface hidden friction in customer journeys and reframe problems in ways leadership could finally see and act on. The episode closes with a reflection on innovation, play, and the role of AI in supporting human sense-making rather than replacing it.

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