Want to Build a Hit Product? Unlock LEGO's User Testing Secrets

Imagine this: You walk into a place that claims to be the most magical engagement center for children.

The doors open, and you're instantly surrounded by a world built entirely of LEGO. Laughter echoes, bricks click together, and creativity feels alive.

This isn't just any place—it's the LEGO House. A museum, a playground, a shrine to creativity.

Expectations are high, because let's face it, everyone knows LEGO.

Yet, how do you take something as beloved as LEGO and make it feel brand new—without disappointing a single guest?

The secret? Relentless user testing.

Not the kind that checks boxes, but the kind that uncovers magic.

When the LEGO House in Billund was created, the challenge was huge. How do you craft an experience so extraordinary that it feels like something entirely new, without ever disappointing a single guest?

You can't bring the bricks home, you can't spend days experimenting—you're in a museum, and you have just a couple of hours.

On top of that, there's no time for complicated instructions.

Visitors, from toddlers to adult fans of LEGO, need to 'get it' instantly, without any extra thinking.

The Challenge of Captivating Minds

Think of the LEGO House as a creative playground designed for everyone: parents, young kids, teenagers, even die-hard adult fans of LEGO.

Each of these groups had to find their special spot—a place where they could experience LEGO like never before.

But here's the kicker: if any of those experiences turned out too shallow or confusing, they'd lose interest fast.

So, what made the magic happen? User testing. And a lot of it.

Testing: More Than Just Quality Control

Even when you have some of the best designers in the world, you still need real users—especially kids—to weigh in.

LEGO knows this.

Testing isn't just about ironing out the kinks; it's about unlocking creative doors that otherwise might have stayed shut.

Kids, with their raw honesty and wild imaginations, can reveal flaws and spark new ideas that even the most experienced designers can't foresee.

To truly innovate, you need to put those fresh ideas in front of real users as early as possible.

Testing starts simple—paper sketches, early prototypes—and evolves in layers, each one getting closer to the final product. Every step of the way, you're learning. You're letting go of what doesn't work, even if you thought it was brilliant at first.

And you're doing it quickly.

The secret sauce? Iteration. You build, you test, you tweak. Repeat.

Phases of a Testing Iteration

1. Define goals: What do you want to learn from your users?

2. Create prototype: One that sparks imagination and responses—simple mockups, full-fledged prototypes, whatever works.

3. Recruit participants: Keep it simple and get creative—you might find ideal users right in your network.

4. Run testing sessions: Watch users interact with your prototype and ask non-leading questions.

5. Analyze results: Be surprised how fast patterns appear. Users often have a genius for revealing aspects you hadn't even thought about!

6. Prepare for the next iteration: By now, you'll likely have a burning question you're itching to explore. Use that as your North Star for the next round.

Every couple of weeks, the idea takes on a new form, all thanks to real feedback.

The pace is crucial; if it slows down too much, the team loses momentum. When it's done right, the process can take a promising concept and turn it into something magical.

The moment, when you see that an idea sticks with your users is very rewarding, and will inspire you to want even more. Thats a good start for the next round.

A test can also reveal, early on, which grand ideas just aren't going to fly. It's always better to find out sooner rather than later.

Finding the True Problem

Before you even begin testing, there’s something just as important:

Interviews.

You need to be sure you’re solving a real problem. This sounds obvious, but it’s easy to get it wrong.

At first, we sat down with kids, casually asking what they’d love to see inside LEGO House. To help stimulate their imagination, we used early drawings and references to existing museums.

After several iterations, we had enough direction to map out the first experience flows, which the testers in the next iteration could build upon.

The Magic of Early Prototyping

The first prototype doesn’t need to be fancy.

In fact, it shouldn’t be.

It should just be enough to show the value — to spark curiosity, to make the user see what it could be, even if it’s just a simple paper sketch.

We once had to create an early prototype of a virtual world — a huge, complex environment. But instead of building the full digital experience, we printed images from game worlds that matched our vision and used them to guide the users through the concept.

They loved it. Their excitement fueled our next steps.

The goal isn’t to impress with polished visuals — it’s to understand. Do they get it? Does it fit their expectations? Does it excite them or leave them cold?

One of the biggest wins of user testing is that honest feedback comes early, long before you’ve poured in too many resources.

It saves time, energy, and money.

Watch with the Eyes of a Child

During one of our play tests, we noticed something interesting: the kids were so engaged in building that they didn’t want to stop.

And the next test was delayed because they were building for too long.

We wanted to maintain that level of engagement but needed a shorter building experience. That’s when ‘micro builds’were born — tiny houses on a 6x6 plate.

The results were amazing.

The building experience became better, with kids creating incredible houses that showed higher levels of creativity and deeper engagement.

The idea of ‘micro builds’ wasn’t just from our observation — the kids themselves suggested it. While describing their problems, they found the solution, literally suggesting faster and smaller builds.

It was a powerful reminder that sometimes the best solutions come directly from the users themselves.

Why Iteration Wins

There’s something magical about iteration.

It creates a rhythm, a dance of constant improvement.

And each time, it brings something new to the table — often surprising everyone involved.

While it can be tough to let go of a grand idea, it’s better to do so early in the process. This way, you can pivot quickly and explore new directions, turning potential setbacks into opportunities for innovation.

User Testing: The Heartbeat of Innovation

User testing doesn’t just refine ideas — it breathes life into them.

Ultimately, it is what keeps the magic of your ideas alive.

It reveals the weak spots, the strong points, and the moments of sheer joy that make it all worthwhile.

Whether you’re a solopreneur refining your vision, part of a small startup team crafting the next big innovation, or driving a new product line in a large corporation, the power of testing can’t be overstated.