Appreciative inquiry
Appreciative inquiry looks for what is going right and attempts to purposefully move the organization in that direction, reflecting the belief that the greatest potential for improvement comes from embracing what works well in an organizational setting. Appreciative Inquiry has been introduced as a method to design change, manage conflict, and build team strategies for a variety of organizations.
Local government officials, police organizations and community non-profits all participate in moving their organizations and communities to a place where change is embraced as a positive mechanism intended to enhance both communities and the various organizations in those communities which are devoted to public service or civic affairs.
A strategy for change
Appreciative inquiry is a strategy for purposeful change that identifies the best of "what was and what is" and projects these favorable efforts and outcomes into the future. AI is a collaborative and inclusive inquiry, and it is based on third party interviews and questioning that is directed to the task of collecting the definitive bonding and bridging stories of a community or organization that constitute its social capital.
This self knowledge is a powerful tool in the community-shaping process. It might even be said that what a community knows about itself becomes its destiny. Because knowledge is such a powerful element in the organizational culture-shaping process, educational programs that create knowledge about community and organizational successes and assets are important activities in any social entity.
The four Ds of appreciative inquiry
- Discovering the best of what is.
- Dreaming about what might be.
- Designing an ideal future.
- Delivering action to transform the community.
Learn more
Appreciative inquriy paper (full text, PDF) presented at the Academy of Criminal Justice Scientists Conference in Baltimore, March 4, 2006.
Contact
Telephone
509.358.7950
Mailing address
WRICOPS, WSU Spokane
P.O. Box 1495
Spokane, WA 99210-1495
Shipping address
WRICOPS, WSU Spokane
412 E Spokane Falls Blvd.
Spokane, WA 99202
E-mail
WRICOPS@wsu.edu for more information.
