Appreciative Inquiry (AI)

Appreciative Inquiry (AI)

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Term2.png APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY (AI)
An organizational development process or philosophy that engages individuals within an organizational system in its renewal, change and focused performance. Its assumption is simple: every organization has something that works right – things that give it life when it is most alive, effective, successful, and connected in healthy ways to its stakeholders and communities. The basic idea is to build organizations around what works, rather than trying to fix what doesn't.


The AI methodology was developed by Dr. David Cooperrider from a study in Organizational Behaviour at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, in the middle of the 1980s. Primarily used to help corporation and institutions to improve their competitive advantage or organizational effectiveness, the AI is been recently applied in strategic planning for public policies, including a number of sustainable development projects.


The unique feature of the AI approach is its commitment to seeking and drawing upon the root causes of success rather than those contributing to failure. The objective is to find and emphasize the positive successes and strengths as a means to empower communities, groups and organizations, to plan and manage development and conservation. AI promotes the search for the best in things, for what "gives life" to a system when it is at its most effective and capable state, in economic, social, environmental and human terms.


AI provides an environment for the development of stimulating creative dialogues amongst stakeholders from cross-sectoral areas. It gathers group thoughts, creating a shared vision with the power to mobilize society through individual communication and relationships. It is a method that allows for collective construction and for boosting actions toward a common ideal. Thus, it favors genuine participation and a strong feeling of ownership towards a common and shared vision.


AI is a process of learning and action intended for discovering, understanding, and fostering innovations and transformations in human social system. It does not depend on a standard training manual. It is flexible and innovative and can be used to approach any issue in any group of stakeholders or community. The entire process remains grounded in the actual experiences of individuals. AI motivates the community for interactive participation and self-mobilization.


The appreciative inquiry allows for a change in attitude and thinking of certain firmly rooted stereotypes. When guiding people to evaluate the existing competences and success histories it stimulates dialogue, creating a unique opportunity to identify new possibilities for the use of the available resources. AI offers a collaborative, strength-based approach to strategic change and transformation.


AI is the opposite of problem solving. Instead of negation, criticism, and spiraling diagnosis, there is discovery, dream, design and destiny (4-D circle). [1]


Problem solving versus Appreciative Inquiry

Problem solving Appreciative Inquiry and the 4-stage process
Identify Problem Appreciate "What is" (what gives life?), identify "What works well?": DISCOVER
Conduct Root Cause Analysis Imagine "What might be?", Envision results: DREAM
Brainstorm Solutions & Analyse Determine "What should be -- the ideal?", Co-construct :DESIGN
Develop Actions Plans Determine "What will be?" "How to empower, learn, and adjust/improvise?", Sustain: DESTINY


Toolkit.png Understanding the AI Precess
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Link icon.png Web Resources
Below you have a list of selected websites where you can find some set of tools, practical methodologies, and actual stories from the field:
Link Content
www.unitar.org An example in application: The government of Cape Verde has called upon UNITAR to design a national capacity development strategy for its public administration in order to meet the challenges of Cape Verde’s insertion in the global economy.
www.iisd.org Using appreciative inquiry to design and deliver environmental, gender equity and private sector development projects in Southern India.
www.appreciativeinquiry.case.edu A series of case studies where AI was used.
www.appreciativeinquiry.case.edu The best pick of AI tools such as articles, workshop slides, books.
www.appreciativeinquiry.case.edu Practice Tools: Positive Questions and Interview Guides.
www.appreciativeinquiry.case.edu AI in the Non-profit and NGO Sector: cases study, tools, books and websites.


References

  1. ↑ www.new-paradigm.co.uk (26 January 2009)
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