An Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry

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An Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry

• Dr John Peters
• Academic Development and Practice Unit
• October 2008

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A word to describe working at UW

• Demanding
• Frustrating
• Challenging
• Soul destroying

• unfolding
• Exciting
• Weaving
• Exciting
• empowering
• New

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Learning Outcomes

• Set Appreciative Inquiry in the context of other
  applied research methods
• Explain the key features of Appreciative Inquiry
  methodology
• Make an informed judgement about whether to use
  this method for
• Research
• Change Management
• Implement a piece of Appreciative Inquiry

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Plan

• Explain the emergence of Appreciative Inquiry as
  a method
• Introduce the AI framework
• Do a small piece of AI
• Discuss other applications

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Appreciative Inquiry

• Ap-preci-ate, v., 1. valuing the act of
  recognizing the best in people or the world
  around us affirming past and present strengths,
  successes, and potentials to perceive those
  things that give life (health, vitality,
  excellence) to living systems 2. to increase in
  value, e.g. the economy has appreciated in value.
  Synonyms valuing, prizing, esteeming, and
  honouring.
• In-quire (kwir), v., 1. the act of exploration
  and discovery. 2. To ask questions to be open to
  seeing new potentials and possibilities.
  Synonyms discovery, search, and systematic
  exploration, study.

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What is it?

• A reaction against problem-focused action
  research
• Shifts focus to strengths and positives, to the
  positive core of a situation or organisation
• Focus on social construction collective
  strengths
• A cooperative, coevolutionary search for the
  best in people, their organizations, and the
  world around them.
• Cooperrider Whitney 2005

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The Key Question in AI

• The unconditional positive question
• The systematic discovery of what gives life to
  a living system when it is most alive, most
  effective, and most constructively capable in
  economic, ecological, and human terms.
• What gives life here?

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The 4-D cycle

• Discovery Phase
• Sharing the positives
• Dream Phase
• Sharing a vision
• Design Phase
• Sharing what should be
• Destiny Phase
• Sharing a commitment to change

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1. Discovery Phase

• What gives life here?
• Making explicit and appreciating the best of what
  is
• What most enthuses you about ?
• Tell the story about a situation when you have
  felt most alive, engaged, valued, etc.
• Mobilising the community and sharing findings
  through propositional statements

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Things that give life at UW 1

• The people they encourage you and help you
  innovate and do things
• If you have an idea you are encouraged to develop
  it
• I have the opportunity to work in line with my
  core values and beliefs
• I have the opportunity to be creative and
  discover new things

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Things that give life at UW 2

• The students their enthusiasm, challenge and
  contribution
• Opportunity to develop personally and own
  learning with students and colleagues
• The opportunity to make narratives from disparate
  sources
• Being part of a community that caters for
  personal and professional development

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Propositional statements

• I feel life in working at Worcester when
• There are opportunities for personal development
• There is freedom and flexibility to develop ideas
• There is encouragement and support
• I can work pro-actively with students
• My work is in line with my core motivational
  drivers, values and beliefs

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2. Dream Phase

• Envisioning what might be
• So what is at our heart?
• What should be the ideal?
• What have we always wanted to be?
• What is the world calling us to become?
• Picturing a future drawing a vision

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Visions of the University of Worcester

• Constant circulation of positive energy
• Nourishing
• Open
• Growing, organic no ceiling or limit
• Connected
• Community and participatory
• Inclusive and non-hierarchical

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3. Design Phase

• Co-constructing
• What should we be?
• Possibility propositions and new organising
  principles
• What would this organisation be like if it were
  designed to maximise the positive core and
  accelerate the achievement of our dream?

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4. Destiny Phase

• Not the action plan!
• An inspired movement not a packaged product
• Positive protest
• Realising the dream
• An appreciative organisation

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Can we use this?

• As an evaluation process
• As an annual cycle
• Constant renewal
• Still issues about
• action planning how does it get changed?
• So what about the negatives?
• As a marketing device!

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References

• Cooperrider, D Whitney, D 2005 Appreciative
  Inquiry a positive revolution in change, San
  Francisco
• Ludema, J. Whitney, D. Mohr, B. Griffin, T.
  2003 The Appreciative Inquiry Summit, San
  Fancisco
• Ludema, J. Cooperrider, D Barrett, F. 2001
  Appreciative Inquiry the power of the
  unconditional positive in Reason, P. Bradbury,
  H. Handbook of Action Research
• http//ai.cwru.edu