Let’s be honest—annual business surveys usually get tossed straight in the bin or filled out with zero thought. That was the exact headache one local council was facing. Year after year, they sent out the same standard questionnaires, and year after year, they got the exact same generic, unhelpful responses. They needed a proper way to cut through the noise and figure out what local business owners were actually dealing with.
The Challenge
The council's usual engagement efforts were completely stalling. Standard feedback forms and online surveys were pulling in bland data that gave zero direction for actual support or policy. They wanted real, grounded insights to help the local business community, but traditional data collection was totally failing to capture the real stories and day-to-day roadblocks.
The Professional Play Approach
To shake things up, we brought business owners together for a hands-on workshop using the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method instead of handing out another boring form.
Building Real-World Pain Points: Instead of ticking boxes, participants used bricks to physically build out what was actually frustrating them in their businesses.
Uncovering Hidden Priorities: Through metaphor and hands-on building, people could easily show what was working and where the real bottlenecks were hiding.
The Results
Swapping out traditional questionnaires for a tactile, collaborative session unlocked deep insights that a standard survey could never touch.
Actionable Intelligence: The council walked away with a clear, honest understanding of what local business owners actually prioritised and struggled with.
Better Engagement: Armed with those genuine insights, they could reshape their strategies to target real-world needs instead of guessing.
Stronger Relationships: Business owners actually felt listened to and valued, turning what's usually a tedious corporate chore into an engaging, collaborative experience.
Ready to ditch the boring surveys?
If your organisation is sick of getting zero-effort feedback and wants to actually understand what your people are thinking, let’s talk.
Get in touch with Professional Play to see how we can run a session that cuts through the noise.