1. APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY FOR
CREATIVE PROBLEM
SOLVING
LUCIAN DE KOKER

2. What is Appreciative Inquiry (AI)?
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“Ap-pre’ci-ate, v., - Valuing; the act of
recognizing the best in people or the
world around us; affirming past and
present strengths, successes, and
potentials; to perceive those things
that give life (health, vitality,
excellence) to living systems”
(Cooperrider & Whitney, 2005).
“In-quire’ (kwir), v., 1. The act of
exploration and discovery. 2. To
ask questions; to be open to
seeing new potentials and
possibilities” (Cooperrider &
Whitney, 2005).

3. AI 4D Approach
Discover
Dream
Design
Destiny
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DEFINE

4. Define
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• Deciding as a team what to focus on
• HOW instead of WHY
• Start of the inquiry process with relevant questions

5. Discover
Find the core of the system
• Strengths
• Opportunities
• Aspirations
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6. • Possibilities
• Challenge conformity
• Desire change
• Silo-bust
Dream

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Design
• Involve everyone in the process
• Brain-storm
• Develop ideas – how will the future look like?
• Align business with the ideal processes & methodologies

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Destiny
• Implement
• Working together to build a sustainable future for the
business, based on AI
• Future of innovation

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Creative Problem Solving
Explore
Generate
Ideas
Prepare

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Creative Problem Solving
Should be done only:
• Where there is a need
• If you have Mandate
• If you are Motivated
• If you are open to new
approaches
Should not be done:
• You already have the answer
• The answer is (Yes / No)
• Forcing people to think one-
dimensional
• When a process exists that
can deal with the problem

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Method
CPPC
• Context - What business problem/s are you trying to solve? What is
working in the business?
• Purpose - What will change in the business if people work in this
way?
• Process - How are we going to work?
• Content - Nature of content (Audio, Text, Video, etc.)

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Summary
• Ask and you will Discover
• You will talk about your Discovery which will determine how
you Dream
• A positive Dreamer will shape and Design the perfect
Destiny