Appreciative Inquiry: The 5D Format

Summary

The 5D model of Appreciative Inquiry is a widely used and user-friendly approach for organizational development. It focuses on identifying and enhancing the 'positive core' of a team or organization, which includes knowledge, successes, and strengths. The process consists of five stages: Definition, Discovery, Dream, Design, and Delivery (or Destiny), each designed to build on the positive aspects and foster creative thinking. This model not only aims to inspire and motivate but also encourages continuous review and adaptation, making it a flexible roadmap for positive change.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The 5D format is a widely used structure for appreciative inquiry, aiming to identify and build on the positive core of an organization or team.
• 🔍 The positive core encompasses knowledge, best practices, successes, strengths, and aspects of history, present, and future that instill pride and motivation.
• 💡 The 5D process enhances understanding and trust among participants by focusing on positivity and fostering creative thinking.
• 📋 The process consists of five stages: Definition, Discovery, Dream, Design, and Delivery (or Destiny), each priming participants for the next.
• 🎯 During the Definition stage, an affirmative topic is set, which guides the appreciative inquiry and initial planning.
• 🔎 The Discovery stage involves exploring people's best experiences related to the topic and identifying values and factors behind exceptional performance.
• 🌈 In the Dream stage, participants create a vision of the ideal future without constraints, aiming for a metaphorical and inspiring image.
• 🛠️ The Design stage is about generating options to realize the dream, potentially redesigning structures and processes within the organization.
• 🚀 The Delivery stage commits to action from the Design stage, implementing changes and learning from the experience of execution.
• 🔄 The 5D cycle is not linear; it's a roadmap that can be revisited at any point to refine topics, discover more of what's working, or adjust the dream vision.

Q & A

What is the 5D format in appreciative inquiry?

The 5D format is a widely used structure for appreciative inquiry processes, which aims to discover, build on, and refine the positive core of an organization or team. It consists of five stages: Definition, Discovery, Dream, Design, and Delivery (or Destiny).

What is the overall aim of the 5D cycle?

The overall aim of the 5D cycle is to identify and strengthen the positive aspects within an organization or team, such as knowledge, best practices, successes, and strengths. It also aims to foster a sense of pride and motivation among members, as well as to enhance understanding and trust between them.

How does the 5D process help in building trust and creative thinking?

The 5D process is designed to keep participants focused on the positive aspects, which liberates their creative thinking. Each stage psychologically primes participants to be open and ready for the next, thus fostering an environment of trust and collaboration.

What is the purpose of the Definition stage in the 5D cycle?

The Definition stage sets the direction for the appreciative inquiry by identifying an affirmative topic or area to be inquired into. It involves planning the process, forming a steering group, and defining questions for the initial appreciative interviews.

What are some key elements discovered in the Discovery stage?

In the Discovery stage, participants share their best experiences related to the topic, discussing times when they felt engaged, achieved great results, and felt a sense of pride. The stage aims to uncover values and factors that contributed to these exceptional performances.

How does the Dream stage encourage creative thinking?

The Dream stage encourages creative thinking by asking participants to envision the organization's ideal future without constraints of feasibility or existing problems. It promotes metaphorical thinking and artistic representation to define a positive image of the future.

What is the focus of the Design stage?

The Design stage involves developing options and strategies to bring the envisioned dream or parts of it into reality. It includes redesigning structures, processes, and information flows within the organization to support the vision and generating ideas for actions that move towards the dream.

What actions are taken in the Delivery or Destiny stage?

In the Delivery or Destiny stage, selected actions from the Design stage are committed to, with the goal of realizing the dream. This could involve formal action planning or immediate small changes, and it focuses on implementing and learning from the experience of these changes.

How is the 5D cycle used for reviewing progress?

The 5D cycle can be used to review progress by revisiting the stages of Discovery, Dream, Design, and Delivery to identify what worked and what didn't, update the dream with new learnings, design solutions for emerging problems, and deliver improvements.

What is the significance of the appreciative interview format?

The appreciative interview format is a key method used in the Discovery stage to uncover valuable information about people's best experiences and the factors that contributed to their success. It helps to identify the positive core elements of the organization.

Why might an organization return to an earlier stage in the 5D cycle?

An organization might return to an earlier stage in the 5D cycle to refine the affirmative topic based on new information, or to identify areas where the dream vision is already partially happening. This non-linear approach allows for continuous improvement and adaptation.