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 interview protocol entails asking positive questions, seeking what works, what empowers, seeking the best, seeking successes and identifying their causes. It is used as a major tool to stimulate story-telling among the participants. The protocol employs a common language for promoting rich and structured discussions. The main objective of the protocol is to recall and reinforce good things that happened in the past, thus reinforcing successes and demonstrating that there are many resources available. People have skills, experiences that can be used to increase commitments towards intended objectives. The interviews will reflect some common grounds which will work as a roadmap that smoothly conducts the participants for action and progress based on a shared and agreed view of a desired future. They will reflect and discuss on their previous experiences and strengths, creating a high level of interaction that will contribute to the productivity of the whole group. As a result of joint reflection, a unique knowledge appears, whose value is not in the information it contains, but in its creative character. The value of this knowledge is strengthened by participant’s interactions and reflections and their joint movement in some singular directions with the goal of realizing a shared vision.
AI begins by identifying what is positive and connecting to it in ways that heighten energy and vision for change. AI recognizes that every organization is an open system that depends on its human capital to bring its vision and purpose to life.The outcome of an AI initiative is a long-term positive change in the organization. AI encourages people to work together to promote a better understanding of the human system, the heartbeat of the organization. [1] . It is the opposite of problem solving. Instead of negation, criticism, and spiraling diagnosis, there is discovery, dream, design and destiny (4-D circle). [2]
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)