We are proud co-authors of this new AI Practitioner article, Quantum-Appreciation: Exploring the parallels, potentials and synchronicities between Appreciative Inquiry and quantum physics which Suzanne has written alongside Joy van Helvert.
The whole issue – which is called the Open Issue 2026 – offers a tapestry of journeys and ideas, inviting you to trace your own path through the stories, insights, and questions that connect us.
“To appreciate others is to unveil the hidden gems within the tapestry of humanity.” Anonymous
Expanding the frame
We ask: ‘What if the way we ask questions doesn’t just reveal reality, but helps create it?’ The article draws on parallels with quantum physics as we invite Appreciative Inquiry practitioners to see their work as shaping what becomes possible through attention, relationships and, above all, the questions they bring into the system.
Why were we drawn to explore the intersections of quantum physics and Appreciative Inquiry? Perhaps it is because we sense, more keenly than ever, that the world is in flux – faster, more unpredictable and more fluid than we have known. In times like these, we reach for new ways of understanding to anchor ourselves. The ground beneath us may be shifting, but that shift is not necessarily a threat; it can also open space for possibility, creativity, and transformation.
While the Newtonian mechanical worldview continues to shape organisational thought, decades of constructionist theory have been driving a shift toward more dynamic and relational perspectives. In parallel, physics has begun to move beyond the rigid determinism traditionally associated with Newtonian mechanics. Change, it seems, is on the horizon and cultivating a science-informed ‘quantum mindset’ might further empower Appreciative Inquiry practitioners in their efforts to inspire and shape the organisations of the future.
Appreciative Inquiry and quantum physics share striking conceptual parallels, despite emerging from vastly different domains. At their core, both challenge Newtonian mechanistic, reductionist worldviews and invite a relational, participatory understanding of reality. Both see the world as dynamic, co-created and emergent.
In short, Appreciative Inquiry can be seen as a human-system application of quantum thinking; and we offer a closer examination of how the principles of Appreciative Inquiry reflect the quantum metaphor
You can read the article freely from our downloads section, where you will also find:
••• The editors’ introduction to the issue free to download
••• Nourish to Flourish – An article on Connection in Action: Strategic Co-Creativity to grow our professional practices including the Four roots of strategic connections – roots that anchor our energy, nourish us with life, and propel us to give our best.
••• And the latest summary of new Appreciative Resources.
The May 2026 issue of AI Practitioner
Other great articles in this edition include:
Appreciative Inquiry in Education
This article by Mo McKenna and Sue Derby follows the long-term impact of a large-scale student voice initiative, showing how Appreciative Inquiry reshaped learning environments by changing the conversations between students and educators. Through personal stories across two decades, it reveals how an appreciative orientation continues to influence identity, leadership, and relationships.
Jen Davy explores how four visiting lecturers used Appreciative Inquiry to rethink their mentoring practice of student teachers, shifting from self-critical reflection to a more strengths-based and intentional approach to their evaluation of their own practices- such a shift built confidence, deepens relationships, and reshapes mentoring.
Kristy Miller examines Appreciative Inquiry as a research methodology to help school systems respond to climate change, shifting the focus from problem-solving toward generative, strengths-based learning and action; participatory inquiry fosters collective learning, innovation, and resilience, inviting a move from fear-driven responses to a more reflective stance: “Who am I going to be in the midst of climate change?”
Appreciative Inquiry as Lived Experience
The story of a student support network in a place and a time where resilience was most needed by those most vulnerable.
See the contents page for full titles of all articles, and links to download each of them.
Comments are closed.