Why MB.ioneers Love LEGOs (And What It Says About Their Minds)

At Mercedes-Benz.io, we take LEGO Day seriously. Not just because building tiny plastic masterpieces is fun (which it absolutely is), but because it reveals a lot about how we think, work, and create. To understand why this hobby is so popular within our company, we spoke to three MB.ioneers about what these little bricks mean to them — and what they reveal about their problem-solving minds.

The Gateway to Creativity

For many of us, LEGOs were our first introduction to creativity and engineering. Susanne Kopp, Scrum Master in Stuttgart, fondly remembers playing with a bucket of LEGO bricks at her grandmother’s house, creating tiny homes surrounded by nature. "Unfortunately, there weren't many challenging LEGO options for girls that weren't machines or vehicles, but still more exciting," she recalls, highlighting the early limitations of LEGO sets.

Ricardo Cruz, Backend Engineer in Braga, discovered his love for LEGOs through his parents_. "The ability to turn my thoughts into reality is why I adore LEGOs,"_ he says. His childhood was filled with joyful and creative experiences, building castles and cars that sparked a lifelong passion for constructing and creating.

For Flávio Moringa, CloudOps Engineer in Lisbon, it was all about movement. "My earliest LEGO memories are of building a LEGO Technic motorbike. I was obsessed with anything that had moving parts, and LEGOs were the perfect way to bring those imagined contraptions to life." He vividly remembers the satisfaction of clicking that last piece into place—only to immediately take it apart and rebuild it into a trike. The spirit of iteration was already in motion.

LEGOs and Our Work: Building Bridges

These childhood memories shaped the way we approach problem-solving today. The connections between LEGO building and our work in tech are striking, with creativity, preparation, and precision all playing a role. "There is even something called LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® where you can facilitate complex problem-solving processes with teams," Susanne explains. She has used LEGO in vision quests and design thinking exercises, finding it a valuable tool to spark creativity and build prototypes.

For Ricardo, the process of building a LEGO set mirrors his work as a Backend Engineer. "It takes imagination, preparation, organisation, and drive. After I have a vision, I divide it up into more achievable, smaller jobs. To produce a successful result, every component of the project must fit precisely." That structured approach is key to both software development and snapping bricks together.

Flávio sees a direct parallel between LEGO Technic and his work in CloudOps. "Debugging a complex infrastructure issue is a lot like troubleshooting a tricky LEGO Technic mechanism. You have to break down the problem into smaller parts, understand how they interact, and systematically test solutions until you find the right one." Just like a good LEGO set, cloud systems require a blueprint, careful planning, and adaptability when unexpected challenges arise.

Lessons from LEGOs That Make Us Better at What We Do

What lessons can we take from LEGO building and apply to our daily work? First, every piece matters. Ricardo emphasises that "each component has a specific function." In software development, as in LEGO, paying attention to small details ensures the success of the bigger picture.

Flávio believes the real value comes from what you learn beyond the instructions. "Even with a detailed plan, things can go wrong. A piece might be missing, or you might misstep a few pages back and have to backtrack. That's where problem-solving skills really come into play." He likens this to troubleshooting in a cloud environment — sometimes the documentation isn’t perfect, and unexpected issues arise, requiring resourcefulness and collaboration.

For Susanne, LEGO is a powerful communication tool. "We are all creative and sometimes just need a little nudge. LEGO helps by connecting brain and body differently. It allows us to move beyond solo cognitive problem-solving, enabling the creation of ideas and prototypes to visualise and explain." When working with teams, showing a concept in LEGO form can be more effective than simply describing it.

Creating with Purpose

The LEGO builds we are most proud of often reflect our work mindset and values. Ricardo enjoys building with his niece, and their most impressive creation is a colourful LEGO rainforest, complete with trees, animal dwellings, and a water area. "This team project is the ideal representation of my values and work attitude. It emphasises the value of creativity, teamwork, and mentoring. Our success depends on the contributions of every team member, just as every brick in the jungle adds to the overall building."

Flávio is torn between two creations that represent different facets of his approach to work. "There's my LEGO Millennium Falcon. It's a big, incredibly detailed model, and building it was a real test of patience and precision." He compares it to the meticulous work needed in CloudOps, ensuring that systems are robust and well-configured. On the other hand, he treasures the roller skate he built with his daughter. "That project was completely different. We had to collaborate, experiment, and adapt as we went along. Since she’s young, I had to use a lot of patience, but a different kind of patience." This mirrors the soft skills required when working with diverse teams and managing conflicts.

Susanne’s most thought-provoking LEGO creation emerged from a question: "What does data security have to do with AI?" Using LEGO bricks, she visualised key concerns: the need to lock data, the importance of building bridges, and the realisation that we share data everywhere. "The question for me then came up: Can I distinguish between work and private? Maybe no; because AI could bring everything together very easily? Also, maybe not how I like it?" By externalising her thoughts through LEGO, she clarified her concerns and sparked discussions with colleagues both in the office and beyond.

The Takeaway: We’re All Builders at Heart

Whether we’re designing a LEGO masterpiece or solving complex tech challenges, the mindset remains the same: creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration. LEGO isn’t just a childhood pastime; it’s a reflection of how we think and work every day at Mercedes-Benz.io. If you've ever built something brick by brick, whether it's a LEGO set or a complex digital product, you’ll understand the joy of creation. Happy building!