id: appreciative-inquiry-summit
title: Appreciative Inquiry Summit
description: >-
  A large-group method that discovers and amplifies what is already working
  in an organisation or community. Developed by David Cooperrider at Case
  Western Reserve University.
source: David Cooperrider, "Appreciative Inquiry"
source_url: https://positivechange.org/how-does-ai-work/
tags: [appreciative-inquiry, summit, strengths, large-group]
forked_from: null
image: null
steps:
  - headline: Define the affirmative topic
    description: >-
      A steering group chooses positive, strength-based topics to inquire into
      — for example "moments of exceptional collaboration" rather than
      "fixing dysfunction."
  - headline: Discovery interviews
    description: >-
      Participants pair up and interview each other about peak experiences
      related to the topic, listening for what made those moments possible.
  - headline: Dream
    description: >-
      Small groups share stories and craft a shared image of what the
      organisation could look like if those strengths were amplified.
  - headline: Design
    description: >-
      Groups propose specific arrangements — structures, practices,
      relationships — that would support the dream.
  - headline: Destiny
    description: >-
      Individuals and groups commit to concrete next actions they will take,
      building on the design proposals.
outcome: >-
  The group identifies strengths and commits to bold, shared aspirations
  grounded in real lived experience.
practice: >-
  The affirmative topic is everything. If framed as a problem, the summit
  collapses into complaint. Spend real time crafting the topic wording.