Appreciative Inquiry

Appreciative Inquiry is a strengths-based approach to organizational change and development that focuses on identifying and leveraging what works well within a system (e.g. an organization or team) to envision and achieve a positive future.

We’ve integrated our many years of experience facilitating Design Sprints with Appreciative Inquiry - a method based on discovering strengths instead of focusing on deficits. Our Appreciative Inquiry-Informed Design Sprints are research-centered, fun, highly interactive, and engaging (yet devoid of “fluff”).

Our researchers are certified expert facilitators in this revolutionary design workshop methodology, which helps your team design a shared strategic vision by building on strengths (what’s working) instead of weaknesses (problems). Much of what we often encounter in product development is based on a traditional problem-solving approach. The basic assumption is that people have problems to solve and that product/service improvements are a logical outcome of these solutions.

A typical arc of this viewpoint looks something like this:

• Identifying problems and deficiencies

• Analyzing the causes

• Analyzing solutions

• Developing an action plan

There is undoubtedly value in fixing what’s wrong, but if your team’s entire focus is on what’s not working, how do you build on what is already working?

The basic steps in conducting an Appreciative Inquiry are often structured around the “4-D Cycle”: Discovery, Dream, Design, and Destiny/Delivery.

Discovery:

• Identify and explore what works well within the organization or project by gathering stories of success and peak experiences from stakeholders.

• Engage participants in conversations to uncover strengths, capabilities, and positive attributes.

Dream:

• Envision a compelling and aspirational future by imagining what the organization or project could look like if it were at its best.

• Encourage creative thinking and the articulation of shared dreams and goals.

Design:

• Co-create concrete and actionable plans that build on the identified strengths and align with the envisioned future.

• Develop strategies, processes, and initiatives that will help achieve the desired outcomes.

Destiny/Delivery:

• Implement the designed plans and initiatives, focusing on continuous improvement and adaptive learning.

• Empower stakeholders to take ownership and responsibility for sustaining the positive changes and achieving the long-term vision.

By following these steps, Appreciative Inquiry fosters a positive, strengths-based approach to organizational change and development.