WFED884:

Lesson 4: 4-D Model, Discovery Phase

Lesson 4 Overview (1 of 6)
Lesson 4 Overview

Lesson 4 Overview

Over the next several lessons, you will learn about each phase in the 4-D Cycle of AI practice. During this lesson, you will learn more about the Discovery aspect of the model. Lesson 05 will cover the Dream phase, and Lesson 06 will focus on the Design phase. In Lesson 07, you will finish your exploration of 4-D with Destiny (Delivery).

To suggest that AI's energy potential can be contained in a mere model may upset some AI scholars, but the reality of today's workplace suggests that models help people simplify complexity and bridge the gap between academic intellectuality and day-to-day practice. Some AI acolytes might contend that using a model will weaken the inherent spontaneity of the approach. Therefore, practitioners should keep the design fluid. The 4-D Cycle has been used in numerous applications with great success and will be the model that you explore here. There are other versions of an AI model however, such as the Four-I Model of Mohr and Jacobsgaard.

Lesson Objectives

After successfully completing this lesson you should be able to

Lesson Readings & Activities

By the end of this lesson, make sure you have completed the readings and activities found in the Lesson 4 Course Schedule.

Discovery, What Gives Life? (2 of 6)
Discovery, What Gives Life?
Note: Image removed. You will have access to the image in the actual course.

Discovery, What Gives Life?

Some practitioners have modified the 4-D Cycle into the 5-D version adding a Definition phase on the front end (Watkins & Mohr, 2001). This initial work includes identifying the stakeholders who will become the steering committee of the initiative, determining the outline of the initiative, and possibly designing the questions.

When a practitioner follows the typical 4-D methodology all of the minutia development of the AI occurs at the beginning of the discovery phase. Once the defining details are set, and the appreciative questions are established, the discovery stage of AI is comprised of participants sharing stories of “life-giving energy” which means they are recollecting memories of optimal performance or times when the organization’s members were at their best. This is a data collection seeking peak experiences.

As mentioned in last week’s lesson, the focus of the inquiry in an AI must be positive. Further, it must also be clearly stated since the outcome depends on the clarity of the goal. This focus will drive the entire inquiry, so organizations need to be certain that they are asking the appropriate questions.

Posing the right question is critical to the outcome of any initiative, because as in underlying AI philosophy, inquiry is intervention and the question is all about the vision that the organization is seeking to create. The AI practitioner plays a vital role as guide to that end.

So imagine the following scenario. As practitioners entering into an initial client dialogue, you might hear a client in a customer service business decry, “Well, I wish we could avoid these service breakdowns that keep occurring. Too often, some of our people fail to close the loop for the customer, who is then left with an incomplete experience or unanswered questions. I need my customer service reps to stop falling short for the customer. How can we fix this?”

An AI practitioner might hear this scenario and pose the following question instead, “How can we always provide the most complete and satisfying service to keep amazing our customers?” Here, the focus of the inquiry is affirmative and any questions from that focus will energize participants as they recount memories were processes were successful and customers were satisfied and pleased. The embedded belief is that every system has strengths and victories.

In a real-life example from an AI at British Air, AI expert Diana Whitney heard from management that it simply wanted the organization to stop losing luggage. Whitney introduced the team to AI, and instead, had the team explore how to ensure that every passenger enjoyed an outstanding arrival experience (Lee, 2010).

Self-Check

Check your understanding of the materials covered so far. Click the Answer button to check the correct answer.

The definition phase/initial work in the discovery phase relates most to which state of OD?

Contracting
Framing the Questions (3 of 6)
Framing the Questions

Framing the Questions

In essence, the success of the discovery phase hinges on developing questions that will illuminate the life-giving forces present within the system. This takes place through members telling their stories of successful performance and peak experiences. Lee (2010) provides a beneficial list of questions paraphrased below to consider when developing the appreciative interview protocol. Hearkening back to the Five Principles of AI, consider crafting questions appropriate to the desired outcome with the following in mind:

Constructionist

  • What is our culture?
  • What are our main topics of discussion?
  • What is the climate?
  • How can we create a shared future of possibilities?
  • How do we interact?
  • How do we build team?

Simultaneity

  • What outcome are we seeking?
  • How do we frame our topics?
  • How do we respond when challenges arise?
  • How do we communicate?

Poetic

  • What is important to the team?
  • What part of our history do we tell?
  • How can we reframe to begin over?
  • Are we strengths-focused or deficit-driven?
  • What are the unofficial topics of workplace conversation?

Anticipatory

  • Are my hopes and expectations for the organization aligned?
  • What do I expect from my team?
  • What changes if I reframe my thinking from problems to opportunities?
  • What does the team wish for the organization?

Positive

  • How can we inquire in order to build; what language do we need to use?
  • How do we infuse the energy of possibilities into all that we discuss?
  • How do we help all team members to envision the optimal, shared future of the organization?
The Appreciative Interview (4 of 6)
The Appreciative Interview

The Appreciative Interview

The bedrock of AI is the appreciative interview, which transpires during the discovery phase (Whitney & Cooperrider, 2000; Cooperrider & Whitney, 1999). The appreciative interview sparks positive energy meant to pervade the entire initiative; it provides an opportunity for members to discuss the best of what occurs in the organization (Cooperrider & Whitney, 1999). As you have already learned, AI is the search for strengths, abundance, and appreciation within an individual, a team, or an organization and this transformative launch occurs during discovery.

Using the appreciative interview protocol, stakeholders can interview other stakeholders including peers, leaders, customers, third-party contributors, etc. In other initiative designs, appreciative interviews transpire at a large-scale or even a whole-systems event called an AI Summit (covered in Lesson 10). The design depends on the needs of the client, their resources, available time, and ability to bring members together.

Interviewers are often given a primer on the appreciative interview protocol and encouraged to engage fully in the activity for the optimal results. It is important to allow the interviewee the space and freedom to tell her story with as much vivid and rich detail as possible.

It is also helpful to contemplate any overarching themes that emerge from the interview; the next part of discovery requires stories to be shared and common themes set the tone for the dream phase. Identifying these themes allows people to imagine what is possible for the organization’s future.

References (5 of 6)
References

References

Cooperrider, D. L. & Whitney, D. (1999). Collaborating for change: Appreciative inquiry. In Holman, P. & Devane, T., (Eds.), Collaborating for change. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Communications, Inc.

Lee, S. (2010). Appreciative inquiry foundations and practice: Leading from strengths we discover in our communities and ourselves. Retrieved November 26, 2013 from http://www.unc.edu/faculty/faccoun/reports/2010-11/specrepts/2010UNCAIWorkbookSallieLee.pdf.

Newhard, M. L. (2010). An exploratory study of competencies of appreciative inquiry practitioners: Discovery. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. The Pennsylvania State University, University Park.

Rothwell, W. J. & Sullivan, R. L. (2005). Introduction. In Rothwell, W. J. & Sullivan, R. L. (Eds.). Practicing organization development (2nd ed., pp. 1–6). San Francisco: Wiley/Pfeiffer.

Watkins, J. M. & Mohr, B. J. (2001). Appreciative inquiry change at the speed of imagination. San Francisco: Jossey Bass/Pfeiffer.

Whitney, D. & Cooperrider, D. L. (2000). The appreciative inquiry summit: An emerging methodology for whole system positive change. OD Practitioner: Journal of the Organization Development Network, 32(1), 13–26.

Lesson Activities (6 of 6)
Lesson Activities

Lesson Activities

Discovery Phase Group Discussion

Overview

By sharing your best-ever group experience, this discussion activity aims to help you recognize the role and the importance of the affirmative/appreciative questions in AI practice.

Instructions

Within your AI Practice group, each of you should discuss the following topic: Tell the story of your best-ever group experience.

It could have been a sports team, a school group, a work project, a volunteer organization, etc. Your memory should be one in which the group was effective and the experience was enjoyable. Share what you think made it a peak experience. Consider the details of the cooperation or collaborative spirit. This functions as an interview of sorts in that each person must share their experience although not in a traditional question-answer format.

After you have shared your stories, ponder and discuss some further thoughts in this discovery phase as well:

  • How did recounting your story make you feel, did it bring back the original energy you felt?
  • How did you feel reading your teammates’ stories?
Posting Timelines
Day Task
Monday–Wednesday Post initial reply.
Thursday–Friday Review fellow learners' posts and respond to at least two.
Saturday–Sunday Review and reply to fellow learners' responses to your post.
Looking Ahead

Next week, we work in the dream phase.

Lesson 4 Discussion and Response

Overview

As indicated in Lesson 4, the bedrock of AI is the appreciated interview and the appreciative interview sparks positive energy meant to pervade the entire initiative.

This discussion activity asks you to consider the ways to deal with and manage negativity and ways to generate a positive energy during the AI interviews.

Three Ways to Deal with and Manage Negativity During the AI interviews
Postponing

Revisit point during the “what would you change if you could” segment of the conversation.

Listening

Be empathetic and maintain a caring and affirmative spirit.

Redirecting

Paraphrase and revisit topic of focus.

Instructions

Consider and respond to the following prompts:

  1. Of the 3 ways to deal with and manage negativity during the AI interviews above, which have you tried or which would you like to try in managing negativity in this setting? Give an example of ways this has worked for you in dealing with people.

  2. Next, think back to a previous time that you worked with a group to address an issue or concern.

    • Knowing what you now know about Appreciative Inquiry, what would you do differently?
    • How might the Discovery phase look?

In order to maximize the engagement in the discussion, do not wait until the last minute to post your responses or reply to your peers. You're encouraged to post your responses early in the week, no later than 11:59 p.m. (ET) Wednesday, and reply to the posting of at least two other students by 11:59 p.m. (ET) Friday so that they have a chance to reply to you by the end of the week.

Posting Timelines
Day Task
Monday–Wednesday Post initial reply.
Thursday–Friday Review fellow learners' posts and respond to at least two.
Saturday–Sunday Review and reply to fellow learners' responses to your post.

Article Abstract

Research-Based Article Abstract Assignment

Overview

A research-based article summarizes the results of qualitative or quantitative research and reflects a systematic investigation of a topic. To emphasize: a research article is not based entirely on the author's own opinion.

You can review any number of journals such as Organization Development Journal, International Journal of Training and Development, Training and Development Journal, Journal of Organizational Change Management, The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science Human Communication Research, Human Organization, etc.

There are two deliverables for the Research-based Article Abstract:

Deliverable 1: Research-Based Article Selection

Submit a research article regarding appreciative inquiry or positive organizational scholarship. (Due in Lesson 2.)

Deliverable 2: Research-Based Article Abstract Submission

After you decide on a research article regarding appreciative inquiry or positive organizational scholarship, prepare an article abstract. (Due in Lesson 4.)

When you begin writing the abstract, include the bibliographic citation using the most current Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association at the top of the first page.

This assignment focuses on Deliverable 2.

Instructions

Focusing on a research article regarding appreciative inquiry or positive organizational scholarship, prepare an article abstract. To be clear, you MUST select a research-based article.

Expand to display the checklist to use to organize your work with sub headers.
Abstract Checklist

Did you (yes, no, or N/A)…

  • Begin the abstract with a complete bibliographic citation in proper APA style?

  • Select an article on Appreciative Inquiry or Positive Organizational Scholarship then describe the research problem or issue that was investigated?

  • List the research questions or objectives?

  • Describe the methodology used?

  • Describe the approach to sampling if available?

  • Summarize the methods of analyzing the data collected and the study's results?

  • Describe key limitations and/or assumptions of the research? Or your suggestion?

  • List issues for future investigation or research identified by the researcher? Or your suggestion?

  • Explain directly why this article would be a useful read for peers in this program?

  • Three to five pages in length, double-spaced, 12 pt font?

Deliverable

Submit your article abstract to this assignment by the end of Lesson 4.


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