What is appreciative inquiry? 

AI examines what gives life to the organization when it’s most effective and capable. AI captures an organization’s positive core — its greatest strengths, assets, resources, and opportunities. Then, it leverages it to grow collective knowledge, increase engagement, and achieve optimal performance.

Where to apply it? 

AI can be applied in any size group or organization. The process should include everyone who is interested in, has an influence on, has information about, or is impacted by the change. Everyone is encouraged to speak and treated as equals. AI can also be used as a model for individual change, allowing people to examine their strengths and focus (or refocus) their energies towards their positive qualities and growth.

How does it work? 

AI uses a 5D model: Define, Discover, Dream, Design, and Destiny. This phased approach gathers information and provides a framework to inform the change process. Facilitators use open-ended questions which unearth and enhance the positive core of an organization. 

Phase 1: Define

What is the topic at hand? The definition phase identifies a positive area of focus that guides the learning, knowledge sharing and action. In this phase, it’s useful to begin by turning the issue or challenge into a positive, affirmative statement (i.e. what the organization hopes to embody.) 

Phase 2: Discover

What is currently working well? The discovery phase aims to search for and highlight the positive core relating to the area of focus. Participants tell stories of when the organization is at its best and analyze what strengths, best practices, and resources make them possible. 

Phase 3: Dream

What could be next? The dream phase identifies clear and meaningful visions of the future inspired by the positive core. Participants share their hopes and aspirations and paint a compelling picture of what the organization could become. Questions may include: What is the world calling us to become? What does an ideal future look like? How is the organization different? How is it the same? 

Phase 4: Design

How can we make this dream a reality? The design phase builds upon the dream by articulating values, norms, systems, and structures that must be in place for the dream to become a reality. This phase develops a list of statements that illustrate what the organization would look like if it were designed to amplify the positive core and accelerate the realization of their dreams.

Phase 5: Destiny

What does success look like? The destiny phase establishes how to deploy and deliver what was designed. It outlines specific, measurable goals and encourages the organization to use positive questioning to empower learning and make adjustments through the change process. 

What are the core principles? 

There are five core principles that underpin the AI process.

1. Constructionist Principle

Words create worlds. Individuals jointly construct understandings of the world through language and conversations, which enables shared realities and organizational cultures. Positive language and conversations, therefore, create positive realities.  

2. Positive Principle

Positive questions lead to positive change. Change requires engagement and group cohesion in order to succeed. Inquiring into and amplifying the positive core enables positive affect, strong relationships, and increased motivation. On the other hand, negative conversations fray relationships and instigate fear, blame and withdrawal.  

3. Simultaneity Principle

Inquiry creates change. The moment a question is asked, change begins. The inquiry is an intervention into what and how people think, feel, connect, and interact with change. In other words, the questions we ask determine in large part what we find and the basis for future action.

4. Poetic Principle 

We can choose what we study. There are limitless sources of learning, and therefore we should choose what we focus on wisely. By choosing to focus on the positive, we can create new realities that strengthen the positive core. 

5. Anticipatory Principle 

Images inspire action. Individuals move in the direction of what they imagine the future will look like. By establishing a clear, positive picture of the future, an organization can collectively refashion what stakeholders expect. The more positive and hopeful the image, the more positive the present-day action.