What is Appreciative Inquiry?
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) was pioneered in the 1980s by David Cooperrider and Suresh Srivastva, two professors at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.
AI is a way of being and seeing. It is both a worldview and a process for facilitating positive change in human systems, e.g., organizations, groups, and communities. Its assumption is simple: Every human system has something that works right–things that give it life when it is vital, effective, and successful. AI begins by identifying this positive core and connecting to it in ways that heighten energy, sharpen vision, and inspire action for change.
"At its heart, AI is about the search for the best in people, their organizations, and the strengths-filled, opportunity-rich world around them. AI is not so much a shift in the methods and models of organizational change, but AI is a fundamental shift in the overall perspective taken throughout the entire change process to 'see' the wholeness of the human system and to 'inquire' into that system's strengths, possibilities, and successes." ~ Excerpt from: Stavros, Jacqueline, Godwin, Lindsey, & Cooperrider, David (2015). Appreciative Inquiry: Organization Development and the Strengths Revolution. In Practicing Organizational Development: A guide to leading change and transformation (4th Edition), William Rothwell, Roland Sullivan, and Jacqueline Stavros (eds.) Wiley
The Process
Define
The first step of the process, whether individually or organizationally, is to identify an affirmative topic for the Appreciative Inquiry. After defining, the following process is utilized:
Discover
The Discover phase provides opportunity to identify and appreciate the best of “what is.” The most significant difference using AI is that every question around the topic is thoughtfully developed and positive. Storytelling is utilized to identify the positive core.
Dream
Having "discovered" the positive core, the next step is to imagine and envision the future or "what might be." AI is different from other strategic or visioning models because images of the future emerge from grounded examples of the positive past.
Design
The Design phase bridges "what gives life" with "what might be." Information gleaned from storytelling are used to craft provocative propositions to accomplish just that.
The Design phase is key to sustaining positive change and responding to the individual's or organization’s most positive past and highest potential.
Destiny
The Destiny phase represents the conclusion of the Discovery, Dream, and Design phases as well as the beginning of ongoing creation of appreciative learning. New images of the future emerge and come to life through a collective sense of purpose. The momentum and potential for innovation are extremely high by this stage in the process. This phase is where action commitments are made to realize the future.