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Discover, Dream, Design, Destiny

ParticipateOnboardingDeveloping IdeasAnalogue1 DayDirectly AffectedInterested PublicOrganised ActorsSmall Group up to 15Large Group from 30Medium Group up to 30CreativeActivating

Discover, Dream, Design, Destiny is a participatory method based on the principles of Appreciative Inquiry. Rather than focusing on problems, participants build on existing strengths, successful experiences, and positive examples. Together, they develop a shared vision for the future and identify practical actions based on what already works well. The method is particularly suitable for change processes that aim to strengthen collaboration, motivation, and collective development.

Goal

The goal of the Discover, Dream, Design, Destiny process is to identify existing strengths, positive experiences, and successful examples, and to use them as the foundation for developing future visions and concrete actions. The method promotes motivation, collaboration, and shared learning.

When useful?

  • developing shared and positive visions for the future
  • supporting organisational or community change processes
  • strengthening collaboration and motivation
  • identifying existing strengths and successful experiences
  • generating new ideas and shared goals
  • neighbourhood, organisational, or project development
  • encouraging participants to take ownership and responsibility

When not useful?

  • rapid decisions are required
  • there is little or no scope for action
  • urgent problems require immediate attention
  • outcomes have already been predetermined

Process

At the beginning, clarify:

  • Why is the process being organised?
  • Which topics will be explored?
  • What kind of change is being sought?
  • How much freedom is there for new ideas and outcomes?
  • Who should participate?

Important:

  • Create enough openness for new ideas.
  • Avoid over-structuring the process.
  • Prepare positive and inspiring guiding questions.

The method benefits from bringing together people with different perspectives and experiences.

Depending on the topic, participants may include:

  • residents
  • employees
  • young people
  • members of community organisations
  • public administration staff
  • local initiatives
  • project teams
  • subject-matter experts

Important:

  • Reduce hierarchical barriers wherever possible.
  • Ensure equal opportunities for participation.
  • Encourage participants to share diverse experiences.

Questions should be deliberately appreciative and focus on positive experiences.

Examples include:

  • What is already working particularly well?
  • What are we most proud of?
  • Which experiences have been especially successful?
  • What do we hope for in the future?
  • What would an ideal outcome look like?

Avoid:

  • problem-focused questions
  • assigning blame
  • negative evaluations
  • overly restrictive questions

Typical materials include:

  • facilitation materials
  • pinboards
  • cards
  • large work surfaces
  • spaces for group work

Important:

Create an open, welcoming, and positive working environment.

Participants begin by sharing positive experiences and successful examples.

The discussion focuses on questions such as:

  • What is working well?
  • Which experiences have been particularly successful?
  • What strengths already exist?

Participants share personal stories and identify common success factors.

Participants then develop future visions and aspirations.

Helpful questions include:

  • What would an ideal future look like?
  • What do we hope to achieve in the long term?
  • Which strengths and opportunities should we build on?

This phase is intentionally creative and open-ended.

Participants transform their visions into practical ideas and possible actions.

They consider:

  • Which steps are necessary?
  • What can realistically be implemented?
  • Who could take responsibility?

Initial implementation strategies emerge from the shared vision.

Finally, participants agree on concrete commitments and next steps.

For example:

  • assign responsibilities
  • establish working groups
  • launch projects

The aim is to create a shared sense of ownership for implementing the agreed actions.

Record:

  • identified strengths
  • future visions
  • proposed ideas
  • actions
  • agreements

The documentation should be accessible to all participants.

After the process, review:

  • which topics were considered most important
  • which visions were widely shared
  • which ideas appear realistic
  • where there is interest in continued collaboration

Ongoing follow-up is essential.

Possible activities include:

  • working groups
  • project teams
  • regular meetings
  • additional participation activities

This helps maintain the motivation and momentum generated during the process.

Source: https://partizipation.at/partizipation-anwenden/methoden/

Notes

Tips

  • Phrase questions in a positive and motivating way.
  • Allow plenty of space for participants to share personal experiences.
  • Foster an open and appreciative atmosphere.
  • Schedule sufficient time for dialogue and reflection.
  • Ensure equal participation for everyone.
  • Use creative methods and visualisation techniques.
  • Connect future visions with concrete actions as early as possible.

Not suitable for

  • situations requiring immediate conflict resolution
  • groups with severe interpersonal conflicts
  • processes without genuine opportunities for change
  • situations focused exclusively on analysing problems

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Afterwards

Afterwards, methods that organise, deepen, or translate the gathered content into concrete steps are useful. Depending on the goal, the following formats can follow, for example:

Future Workshop

A Future Workshop is a participatory method in which participants collaboratively analyse problems, develop visions for the future, and translate them into concrete actions. The method combines creative thinking with practical planning and is particularly suitable for topics that require innovative ideas and long-term perspectives. A Future Workshop consists of three consecutive phases: the Critique Phase, the Vision Phase, and the Implementation Phase. This structured process encourages participants to move deliberately from identifying problems to imagining desirable futures and finally to developing realistic actions. The method often leads to creative, collaboratively developed solutions.

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Workshop

A workshop is a facilitated working session in which participants collaborate to explore a specific question, develop ideas, or create solutions. Depending on its purpose, a workshop can be used to share information, analyse problems, or develop concrete actions. Because all participants are actively involved, it is particularly well suited to the collaborative development of results.

CreativeActivating
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