© SHL 2012© SHL 2012

Preparing to Discover

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Appreciative Inquiry: 4-D cycle

Discovery

… at our best?

Design… what should

be?

Affirmative Topic…..needs to be

changed!

Dream… what might be?

Destiny… what will be?

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Key Decisions in Discovery Phase

• Who will craft the questions and the interview guide?• Who will we interview?• Who will conduct the interviews and how many each?• What training will our interviewers need?• Who will make meaning of the data and how?• How will we communicate stories and best practices?

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Discovery, Step by Step

1. Craft Appreciative interview questions2. Develop an interview guide3. Create an interview plan4. Communicate the inquiry strategy5. Train interviewers6. Conduct interviews7. Disseminate stories and best practices8. Make meaning and map the positive core

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Some characteristics of Discovery Questions• Invite stories rather than abstract opinions• Are personal and affective• Draw on people’s life and work experience• Are sometimes ambiguous• Help people see and feel things about a work

experience maybe for the first time• Are uplifting• Have a logical flow• Surface hidden detail and specifics about what

worked well

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Sample: Questions to encourage discovery story telling

Looking at your entire experience within the organisation, tell me about a time when you felt most alive, most fulfilled or most excited about your organisation/work. (Probes: What made it exciting, who was involved, describe what it felt like?)

Lets look at something you value most deeply, specifically things you value about your self and the nature of your work and this organisation?

When you are feeling at your best what is it about the task itself that you most value?

What is the most important thing has this organisation contributed towards your life?

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Creating your discovery interviews

Working in pairs or threes

•Draft a Discovery Interview Guide based on your topic including:

– The title of the Topic– A short explanation of the reason for the topic – A set of questions that will gather information you will need

for the Dream phase

•Interview each other using the guide to test its’ impact and potential usefulness

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Group task

As a group, discuss the practicalities of the Discovery phase and set out a draft project plan for it in relation to your topic.