The Model

Appreciative Inquiry is a process involving four distinct phases:

1.  Discovery
Teams of interviewers conduct appreciative interviews with their peers and stakeholders across all levels of the organization.  The process of AI engages all the members of the organization in the same process.

 Sample Questions:
a. Describe a time when you feel the organization performed really well.  What were the circumstances during that time?
b. Describe a time when you were proud to be a member of the organization.  Why were you proud?
 c. What do you value most about being part of this group? Why?
 d. What do you value about your work?
 e.. What attracted you to this organization?
f. What are the energizing factors you feel give life and meaning to your organization?  Those factors which give an organization energy, motivation, inspiration, and life and which create moments of excellent performance.
g. What are your organization's best practices? (The things it does well.)
h.        If you had three wishes to transform your organization, what would
  they be in order of priority?
 
2. Dream
Stories from the interviews are shared. The group identifies the most compelling ideas about the positive core of the organization. 
The focus is on what has worked well in the organization.  The core principle here is if we did it before, we can build on our past experiences and strengths and learn the many facets of the organizations "positive change core."   (Cooperrider, AI Commons)

3. Design
The group creates provocative propositions/strategic directions that challenge them to imagine what the organization could be like if the positive core were expanded.
One of the assumptions of this exercise is "that planning is not about solving problems but more about embracing solutions -- Propositions for the Future or Strategic Directions that describe where the organization wants to be in the future based on their experiences of the past."  (CEDPA Document)

4. Delivery
The group makes commitments to the change ahead and begins self-organizing to make it happen.
 Development of Action Plan

Ideally, throughout the four phases, everyone in the organization is included.  This process acknowledges and seeks to channel the power of the workplace social system.  The process seeks to teach and imbed a positive and appreciative approach to interaction, planning, valuation -an approach which is intended to bring out the creative best in individuals, work relationships, teams and organizations.  The process seeks to unlock untapped potential among individuals, teams and the organization.  The process seeks to shift workplace norms toward the replication of peak performance. 

There is opportunity for every individual to feel singled out and important through Discovery - the appreciative interview process, through the sharing of stories and through the participative processes of the Dream, Design and Delivery segments.  People and their feelings of being important, valued and supported are at the heart of an organization's performance.  Organizations that know that and then have the vision and values to organize with that principle in mind, will benefit from unleashing the full power of the potential of their employees. 

(Appreciative Inquiry: More Than The sum Of Its Parts, Lynn Zimmer, 2003)