Evaluating Appreciative Inquiry as an Organizational Transformation Tool: An Assessment from Nepal

Human Organization, Winter 2008 by Messerschmidt, Don

Each phase in the 4-D Cycle is broadly defined as follows:

(1) During Discovery, participants interview each other in pairs, seeking high-point experiences around one mutually agreed upon topic (e.g., a professional activity, staff attitude, company challenge, institutional growth, or community development initiative), which are then described in plenary to the larger group. This establishes the "positive core" (topical focus) of the workshop.

(2) During the Dream phase, the whole group orders the discovery experiences into patterns and themes that are further amplified through discussion and negotiation. Some AI moderators ask participants to go beyond their Discovery experiences, to build on them to imagine a future full of such experiences where their Dreams have been achieved. Eventually, consensus is reached about creating a vision of what is better or new vis-á-vis the topic. The participation of leaders along with staff and other stakeholders is strongly encouraged, so as to involve all members of the whole organization in the process. The AI facilitator prompts group members to articulate their "dreams," sometimes through pictures (visions of the future), analyze them, then seek positive "breakthrough" behaviors with which to proceed.

(3) In the Design phase, participants translate their dreams into action plans. They may refer to particular policies, processes, structures, cultural norms, physical conditions, and/or social and professional relationships or attitudes that need specific attention. This phase culminates in propositions about how these sorts of "organizational factors" can be used and transformed to realize the dreams.

(4) In the Destiny (or Delivery) phase, participants identify specific activity areas where they wish to make change. AI facilitators assist them to focus on the core areas of concern by creating "breakthrough teams" to develop actions plans or mini-projects by which to proceed and "succeed."'

At the main AI workshop, participants proceed step-wise through each phase of the cycle. The facilitator encourages them to focus on the positive, produce stories of life-giving forces, locate and select themes that arise for further inquiry, generate shared images of a preferred future, then find innovative ways to create that future on the job (Burke 2001:7). The facilitator also encourages the leaders of the institution, organization, or community where AI is being introduced to allow time for participants to accomplish their Destiny goals and, in the process, the local leadership becomes (hopefully) convinced that the process is good and the anticipated outcomes realistic, wanted, needed, and achievable.

The underlying philosophy of AI is expressed through four core principles: Appreciation, Application, Provocation, and Collaboration. Underlying each is the Positive Principle (Affirmation). Together they imply that building and sustaining momentum for change requires large amounts of social bonding and positive outlook, combining hope, excitement, inspiration, caring, camaraderie, a sense of urgent purpose, and sheer joy in creating something meaningful together. The fundamental belief is that the more positive the questions asked and dreams and plans created, the more long lasting and successful change will be (Burke 2001; Bushe and Khamisa 2005; Cooperrider and Srivastva 1987; Cooperrider and Whitney 1998).