Lesson 6:AI: 4-D Cycle

by Joanna Ng

Appreciative Inquiry: The 4-D Cycle

The four phases of an AI process also integrate "appreciating" and "inquiring" in practice. This process is called the 4-D cycle, because each of the phases begins with the letter "D." First, you"discover" your current and past strengths. Next, you"dream" about the possibilities for the future you want to create. Then, you "design" the ideal organizational systems that will enable you to move toward your dream. And finally, you set your "destiny" through ongoing innovation and action.

Here's what the 4-D cycle might look like in practice:

• In the discovery phase, you engage people in conversation about the core strengths and attributes of your organization. They tell stories about their peak experiences—times when they were most alive and engaged in their work. From these interactions, you develop a map of your positive core—the forces that give life to your organization when it is at its best.
• In the dream phase, you explore your highest aspirations for the future you want to create together. You identify new ways to build on your positive core. People get energized as they see that they can achieve their own dreams as they're contributing to the organization's dreams. You write alternative dream statements and enact these images of your desired future to make them more real.
• At the design phase, you create "blueprints" for the kind of organization that will bring your dreams to life. People dialog about what will inspire them to commit their energy and spirits. You develop "provocative propositions" describing your organization's ideal "ways of doing things"—its structures, systems, values, norms, strategies, relationships.
• When you reach the destiny phase, you begin to construct your desired future through innovation and action. At this point, people self-organize to make specific changes they feel passionate about. You create ways to coordinate the work, and to continue improvising and celebrating accomplishments.