Who designed the original LEGO minifigure introduced in 1978?

Jens Nygård Knudsen designed the original LEGO minifigure introduced in 1978.

Knudsen, a LEGO designer, helped develop the articulated character format that became the standard LEGO minifigure. The first modern minifigures appeared in 1978 with movable arms and legs, allowing them to sit in vehicles and hold accessories.

The original design used a simple yellow head with a basic smile, a torso, arms, hands, legs and a head covering or hair piece. This combination gave the figures a consistent scale and made them compatible with LEGO buildings, vehicles and play scenes.

The minifigure concept had earlier predecessors, including small non-articulated figures, but the 1978 design established the recognizable format used worldwide. Jens Nygård Knudsen is therefore associated with the modern minifigure, while the broader LEGO company history also includes earlier leaders such as Ole Kirk Christiansen and Godtfred Kirk Christiansen.