Putting appreciative design into practice: A case study of a course evaluation and design process

Abstract

Purpose

Appreciative inquiry (AI) is an inquiry into the “best of” what already exists in a system. Applying AI at the start of a design process gives a process that is very different from traditional design approaches, in other words “appreciative design” is achieved. The overall purpose of this paper is to explore and contribute to a process of putting appreciative design into practice.

Design/methodology/approach

The researchers have, in their role as educational leaders, developed and applied a process for appreciative design within the context of the entrepreneurial educational program “Skarp Åre, Business and product development” at Mid Sweden University.

Findings

The process introduced is referred to as Appreciative Course Evaluation and Design (ACED). The benefits of ACED, found in comparison to conventional practice, include higher commitment by the course participants, lower risk in the design process, and increased student involvement in the evaluation and design process.

Originality/value

The paper contributes in general to increasing the understanding of how the strengths and principles of appreciative inquiry can be incorporated into design processes. It is hoped that the insights presented will inspire future research and application of appreciative design, not only to the evaluation and design of higher education, but also to the evaluation and design of products, services, organizations and society.

Citation

Lilja, J. and Richardsson, D. (2012), "Putting appreciative design into practice: A case study of a course evaluation and design process", International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, Vol. 4 No. 1, pp. 4-15. https://doi.org/10.1108/17566691211219698