What is it?

• Appreciative Inquiry works on an assumption that whatever you want more of already exists in an organisation.
• It is an enquiry process that identifies the factors that enable people to give their best and the factors that give life to organisations and systems.
• It enables people to develop a vision of a positive future that is based on something that already works.
• The process is supported by asking questions that are deliberately framed using positive language to ensure that those involved draw on the factors that are working rather than a problem to be solved.
• Participants are encouraged to explore the root causes of success and to analyse and identify the factors that lead to that success.
• Participants are able to connect and build positive relationships and share useful and innovative knowledge.

How does it Work?

• The sponsor is invited to set the theme for the AI process
• Participants are at first involved in paired interviews which focus on their positive experiences of the topic at hand.
• Following these interviews, participants are invited to work in small groups to capture key themes that emerged across the paired interviews.
• All the information generated in both the paired interviews and also the group summary process is available to feed into the recommendations process – and all of it is developed based on knowledge of what already works well in the system.

Business Applications

• Where organisations wish to find out what is already successfully working in their system
• Where organisations wish to harness the knowledge and enthusiasm already existing in their organisation and use success to drive change
• Where organisations want to create a future vision based on what already works
• Where organisations want to share the best way of working for the future based on what is already successful in their organisation

Benefits

• It involves those in the system who know what works to shape the future
• It focuses on already proven success
• It involves all those in the system who know what works already
• It creates a sense of what is possible rather than focusing on issues to be solved.
• It creates a sense of confidence as people involved in the process know that they are helping to create something that already has energy and