Appreciative Inquiry (AI)
From Learning and training wiki
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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.
AI’s primary tool is positive questioning. It asks questions that strengthen the capacity to apprehend, anticipate, and heighten positive potential. It seeks to demonstrate a constructive perspective of what people talk about as past and present capacities: achievements, assets, unexplored potentials, innovations, strengths, elevated thoughts, opportunities, benchmarks, values, traditions and strategic competencies. The positive inquiry makes the group feel proud of their own skills, resources, vision, commitments and action. Through a carefully developed set of questions and a process of dialogue, stories of “peak experiences” are uncovered. As these stories come to the surface, new images and possibilities can emerge and become realities in new and unforeseen ways. People begin to see themselves differently and act differently. This story-telling contributes to the development of mutual trust, transparency and institution building. The process evolves into a participatory search for questions arise that none of the stakeholders can satisfactory answer alone. The positive questioning inspires collaboration and consensus building, initiating discovery through developing shared images of a mutually agreed ideal. The process helps to develop the energy and empowerment that are needed to create sustainable change.
Problem solving versus Appreciative Inquiry |
Problem solving | Appreciative Inquiry and the 4-stage process |
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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 |
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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 |
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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
- ↑ www.appreciativeinquiry.case.edu (26 January 2009)
- ↑ www.new-paradigm.co.uk (26 January 2009)