Appreciative inquiry to success. . .. . .

Source:innovationforsocialchange.org

What?

Appreciative inquiry (AI) is a model that seeks to engage stakeholders in self-determined change. It studies to adopt an interpretive qualitative approach (Verstehen) to explore the beliefs, values and actions that characterize stakeholders.

Why?

It can be excellent tool evaluate a NGOs and its impact. It mainly seek to achieve vivid account of the situation and experiences of its stakeholders. Appreciative Inquiry is an approach that focuses on identifying what is working well, analyzing why it is working well and then doing more of it. The basic tenet of AI is that an organization will grow in whichever direction that people in the organization focus their attention. If all the attention is focused on problems, then identifying problems and dealing with them is what the organization will do best. If all the attention is focused on strengths, however, then identifying strengths and building on those strengths is what the organization will do best. Through our Appreciative Inquiry lens, we consciously seek out that which we want more of, not less—hence what we focus on are the solutions and outcomes we wish to create.AI is an approach that explicitly, but not exclusively, focuses on the positive within a community, social programme, organization and the individuals within these entities. An explicit focus on the positive entails exploring those aspects of the organization, community or programme that work and are valued by individuals within the organization, community or programme.

How?

It is backer of participatory involvement, and tries to encourage action by generating change within the organization. AI aims to work on ways that build on the strengths of what people have achieved in their organisation, rather than concentrating on their problems.

There are five principles of AI are based on the original work of David Cooperrider (1986). The five principles form the foundation of the AI process and guide the discussions aimed at generating the energy needed to reshape and redirect the organisation toward a more positive future.

Table 1 Five principals Of Appreciative Inquiry

Principle	Summary
1.Constructionist Principle	Words create worlds
2.Simultaneity Principle	Inquiry creates change
3.Poetic Principle	We can choose what we study
4.Anticipatory Principle	Images inspire action
5.Positive Principle	Positive questions lead to positive change

Cooperrider and Whitney (2005), define AI as the cooperative, co-evolutionary search for the best in people, their organisations and the world around them. It involves systematic discovery of what gives life to an organisation, community or social programme when it is most effective and capable in economic, ecological and human terms.

4-D Model of Appreciative Inquiry (Source: www.iriss.org.uk)

1. ·        Define – What is the topic of inquiry? – It is important to define the overall focus of the inquiry. Definition is used to clarify the area of work to be considered.
2. ·        Discover – Appreciating the best of ‘what is’ – Discovery is based on a dialogue, as a way of finding ‘what works’. It rediscovers and remembers the organization or community’s successes, strengths and periods of excellence.
3. ·        Dream – Imagining ‘what could be’ – Imagining uses past achievements and successes identified in the discovery phase to imagine new possibilities and envisage a preferred future.
4. ·        Design – Determining ‘what should be’ – Design brings together the stories from discovery with the imagination and creativity from dream.