How does it work?
1. Affirmative Topic Choice - An interview is carried out using several provocative questions and, from the clients' responses, several themes are chosen as the focal points for the rest of the inquiry process.
2. Discovery - Further provocative questions are explored regarding each of the Affirmative Topics and, from the clients' responses, several themes are again chosen. These themes, a virtual DNA sample of the system at its best, reflect its central success factors - its best strengths, talents, assets, values and ideals - and are known as its "positive core". What works well?
3. Dream - Creative processes are used to verbally and/or experientially explore what the future might be like if the positive core were more thoroughly enacted throughout the system and to examine, looking back from that vantage point, what must have happened in order for it to have reached such an optimal state. What could work well.
4. Design - The system is organized into an architecture, and preferences chosen for each element of that structure, that will enable further enactment of the positive core and lessons from the Dream phase throughout the system. "Provocative Propositions," in which clients put in writing broad goals or ideas that will help encourage the organization to move in the direction of optimization, may also be developed.
5. Destiny - Concrete plans are made and supporting resources put in place for enacting the chosen preferences in the service of amplifying the positive core and making the clients' dreams a reality.
